PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 13, 2003

Kim Clijsters

KIM CLIJSTERS: Definitely. Definitely, because I was a bit worried with the way I was playing, you know, in my previous matches. I knew if I was going to play like that, I was going to have a really tough match. I think when the opponents get better, I'm the type of player, I play better myself. Today that was definitely the case, yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I think I was really happy with the way I served. I think that was definitely a key point I think, to serve well, because she returns really aggressively and she likes to, you know, dominate the points very quickly. So, yeah, I think the serve definitely was a key point today. And also to move her around, try not to play too much to the same corner. Once she gets into the rhythm, she can hit the ball down the line or cross-court. You start running. It was really important to make her move from side to side, try to open up the court.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No. I mean, I don't really -- every match is different. It doesn't matter if an opponent is playing really good. It can change every day. You play different players every day. Of course, she's had a great tournament. She must have been playing good. I know for myself that I have to play my best tennis to beat Chanda. Today I did. But I don't really try to think about previous results of players. I just try to focus on that day, that match, at a time.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, I'm really happy to have had this match because I played a lot better than my previous matches. So I'm definitely, you know, a lot happier than I was yesterday after winning that match. I'm feeling good still, except for a few injuries here and there, little ones. But I feel good. Yeah, it depends on who wins tonight. I play Amanda or Conchita. We'll see.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I'll have to have enough hours of sleep to be fit for that one. I mean, I think they both play similar styles. Amanda, I think the only advantage she has is that she moves better than Conchita. On the other hand, Conchita I think really moves the ball around better. She mixes it up with a spin, with a slice. That can be very tricky sometimes. You know, I have to be ready for every point.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I try not to focus on it too much because I know I have to prepare for my own match. Yeah, I just do my own things. Once in a while I just watch the score. I was playing cards with my coach upstairs to just take the focus off of it a little bit. I do get nervous watching him play, especially the tight matches. So that's not a great preparation for my own match. No, I think I manage all right to focus on my own stuff. It can be hard sometimes.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, not really. I mean, we don't go that deeply into conversations about tennis. I think that's why we both have our coaches, different coaches. We like to sort of -- that's their job to talk about the tennis stuff. Of course, I mean, it's not that we don't talk about tennis at all, but it's never that we really discuss any matches. I think we're happy to not talk about tennis once in a while.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I don't know, no.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I mean, for me personally, I don't mind either of them. I see a lot better playing at night because you don't have that much trouble with the sun and stuff. On the other hand, I don't mind the heat. For some players, they really don't like to be out there for too long when they're playing in warm weather conditions. That can help you sometimes, as well. I don't mind.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No. I've been playing with tape on my leg for the last few days. That was sort of stopping me from going all the way in my movements. I've had a bit of a quad strain. You know, it's fine. I felt a lot better today playing without the tape because I felt like I could move freely. It was a lot better. Just my knee has been sort of flaring up. I have not tendonitis, but I don't know, physio talk words, a bit too long for me.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Left one.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, I'm not a big fan of taking all that stuff. It will get better. I would much rather feel it. If you take the antiinflammatories, if it gets worse, without them I know how bad it is, then I'll stop. If you take them, you can make it worse. I sort of want to feel the pain a little built.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Oh, I have no idea. I don't know. I have no idea what other players take, if they take like Advil or whatever. I don't know. But I can only speak out of my experience. I don't like to take any of that stuff. I believe in all the natural healing and stuff. I'm not a big fan of all the pain killers and everything.