U.S. OPEN

August 29, 1996

Nicole Arendt

NICOLE ARENDT: She's very steady. You know when you go out there, she's going to make very few errors; you have to make something happen. I tried that and it didn't work is what it came down to. Many opportunities, many breakpoints on her serve, many service points to go up. Didn't go. I made a lot of errors going for it. You're not going to beat her if you make so many unforced errors or whatever. I think the game plan was right, yet it was execution time and it just didn't happen for me.

NICOLE ARENDT: You're right. That's exactly what happened. A few times I got good approach shots off, and she came back with some better passing shots. I mean, she played a good match. She played a good match and I played a fair match. You're not going to beat someone that great that way.

NICOLE ARENDT: I love it. I love the US Open. I love the fans. I love the support. I love smelling the hamburgers on the grill outside. I love the whole idea of the US Open. At night, it's my favorite time playing, since '91, on stadium in the evening. There's nothing like it. To hear everyone so excited when you play a great point, win or lose, and really for me, even when I was down 5-2 and it was match point, they're going, "Go, Nicole." I'm going, "I have to hang in there for them." It's so exciting to be out there.

NICOLE ARENDT: I lost in '91 to Monica Seles first round, and then I lost to Conchita Martinez '93, maybe '94.

NICOLE ARENDT: Oh, no, no. It wasn't at night. Cindy, that was good. I opened up the US Open, how is that? It was the first match on stadium on Monday. You got me on that one. Three times on stadium.

NICOLE ARENDT: Absolutely. There's no doubt. There is definitely for top players play on stadium every time, their home court. While we're in the back going from 17 to 2 to 103, finally maybe one time you get to play an stadium. That's tough. That's not easy. I think I was lucky to be able to get a few times on stadium. Maybe that's fate. Maybe one of these days it will happen.

NICOLE ARENDT: I'm from Princeton, New Jersey, a local. It's great to be able to come here because for a lot of people that supported me, it gives them a chance to see how far I've come with the tennis. It's a way to give back.

NICOLE ARENDT: I hope so. Playing mixed with Luke Jensen, mixed doubles with Manon Bolle Graf. You might as well stay in the locker room otherwise, not play if you're not going to go for it.

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