US OPEN

September 7, 2000

Jared Palmer

MODERATOR: Questions for Jared and Arantxa.

JARED PALMER: Well, I think the key to the whole week was Arantxa really returned serve so well. I think a lot of times in mixed doubles you get the guy, you know, making a lot of returns, and against the other guy, the girl has a lot of trouble getting the ball back. I think Arantxa has such a good return. She made so many returns that I was able to do some stuff up at the net. I think that was the key.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I guess I just try to, you know, help as much as I can. I mean, Jared is very quick on the net. He gave me a lot of confidence even when I was at the net, just cover my side, sometimes even go for it. I feel very comfortable playing with him. Was the first time. I enjoy it. Couldn't be better.

JARED PALMER: Well, we just kind of came together, I guess. We had tried to play at Wimbledon, and that didn't work out. So when I saw Arantxa here, I just asked her. I guess she was nursing a bad ankle that she'd hurt a little bit, so she was deciding whether or not to play mixed. I'm glad that she decided to play.

JARED PALMER: For me or for her?

JARED PALMER: I didn't even really notice that that much. She's been around for a while now on the tour. I've been playing. I'm kind of used to it. You know, I had a tough match earlier in the day. I was just pretty -- you know, I really didn't want to lose both matches today, so I was pretty -- I was trying to just concentrate and do my thing and not worry too much about that.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, it's always happening like this. But I guess, as Jared said, I mean, I just trying to be focused, try to play my matches. Definitely concentrating to try to win. I guess that help us to be focused, you know, and win it.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I worked a lot, you know, very hard on my serve. It's definitely improving so I can win, you know, more points now with my serve. I get more confidence. Mixed doubles, when you know it's very important, the serve from the woman. If you hold it, you have more chances to break the next one. I was just trying to be very concentrate. I did serve well during the whole week.

JARED PALMER: I don't know. I mean, I think Arantxa, you know, she's had such a great career. I think today on some big points, I think that showed. You know, for example, on the breakpoint, you know, when Max crossed, she just hit it solid right up the line. I think that's the sign of a champion. She has done that over and over. I think for sure that helped today.

JARED PALMER: Well, I mean, you just kind of -- you know, you don't really say, "We broke Max." We just were, you know, winning games. I mean, I don't think we really got too much of a boost from that, other than breaking serve.

JARED PALMER: It's always for me been a goal of mine. I've been playing a lot of doubles. You know, it's something I was disappointed that we didn't have a chance -- another chance, after losing in LA. You know, I think for the remainder of my career, doubles will be something that I take seriously. You know, it's always going to be something that I want to do, is play Davis Cup. For next year, it's certainly a goal.

JARED PALMER: I haven't talked to him about that. I mean, he's been here. I talked to him, but not about any specifics about next year.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No (laughter).

JARED PALMER: She would have had the advantage of alcohol.

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No, I mean, it was completely different day. I guess I'm used to it, you know, to have a lot of people. I guess I can control that better than my husband. But there definitely were a lot of people. It was, you know, our day. So definitely we handle it really well. I mean, it's completely different. I was more nervous playing with Martina than I was at my wedding (laughter).

ARANTXA SANCHEZ VICARIO: It's already add, but it's too long.