US OPEN

August 29, 2000

Mary Pierce

MODERATOR: Questions for Mary.

MARY PIERCE: Was there any point where I realized I was in control?

MARY PIERCE: I just think from the very beginning of the match. I just knew that it was important to be focused for every point. You know, I never played Alexandra in a match before. I just played her in a charity event, SMASH Tennis, over a year ago. So I kind of knew a little bit more or less what to expect. I saw her playing some matches. I knew I needed to be really focused because she could play great tennis or make a lot of mistakes. I think today is pretty much what happened. When I'm ahead, then I guess she felt more relaxed, she had nothing to lose, not make so many mistakes, get a lot of balls in the court, get first serves in and serve well. When it was close or she got ahead, maybe she got nervous, thinking too much, got tight, and she made a lot of errors.

MARY PIERCE: I really missed playing. I just needed to rest, to rehab, which I was doing about three hours every day. I had a great therapist back home in Cleveland who took great care of me every day, tried to get me prepared and ready for this tournament.

MARY PIERCE: Let's just put it this way: if I didn't think I could compete and play, I wouldn't be here.

MARY PIERCE: It's been worse; it's been better.

MARY PIERCE: Definitely. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think that way. I miss playing so much. I just want to give myself the best chance possible.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah, it's a lot of fun. It's a lot of fun. Every Grand Slam tournament, every tournament actually is different, wherever you go, the crowds. The crowds here are a lot of fun. They're a lot of fun to play in front of. They really get into the matches. They really support the players that they enjoy watching. I enjoy that. It makes it exciting. It's a good energy to play in front of.

MARY PIERCE: An unfair move on whose part?

MARY PIERCE: I really don't have any comment on that subject.

MARY PIERCE: No. Doesn't involve me, so...

MARY PIERCE: Has she been a supportive person on the tour?

MARY PIERCE: All of my experiences with Nathalie have been positive in person, on the tour and in Fed Cup.

MARY PIERCE: It's been great. I'm really, really happy I had it done. It's fantastic. It's changed my life not to wear contacts or glasses anymore. It's great.

MARY PIERCE: I just don't have to worry about, you know, contacts and cleaning them, glasses, "Where are my glasses? I can't find them because I don't have my contacts in." Things getting in my eyes when I'm playing, the contacts drying up if it's windy. A lot of different things that were bothering me. It's great.

MARY PIERCE: Lots of stuff (laughter). Age, I'm getting old. Too many years of tennis (laughter).

MARY PIERCE: Internal impingement basically in my shoulder.

MARY PIERCE: No. Basically they just said I need two to three months of rest and rehab. I was only able to have about five or six weeks to do that. You know, it just made it really close. I just want to play here and see how I do. After this tournament, I'll see how I feel for the rest of the year.

MARY PIERCE: Very. I missed some of my favorite tournaments, San Diego, Montreal. It was tough to kind of watch. I've just been really enjoying playing, been doing really well. At the same time it was really nice. I got to be home and spend time with some friends and family, spend some time with Roberto, go to see his games. You know, I had a good time also.

MARY PIERCE: No (laughter). That's all their doing.

MARY PIERCE: My favorite part? I don't know. It's just a totally different atmosphere than tennis. It's interesting to see another different sport, professional sport, how it is, how the crowds are. Obviously watching Roberto play.

MARY PIERCE: I have a lot of respect for those guys. It's extremely difficult to hit a baseball. Roberto and I go in the backyard. He'll throw it to me, I'll hit it. He throws to it me slow, no spins or anything on the ball. Once he starts to throw a curve, I totally whiff the ball. Those guys don't know what's coming at them, what speed. It's really tough. You have to have good eyes and good hands.

MARY PIERCE: The only thing I saw on TV was Martina and Serena, finals of Montreal. That was it.

MARY PIERCE: Huh-uh.

MARY PIERCE: No, you can't be satisfied. If you're satisfied, you're not hungry. If you're not hungry, you don't have -- you just go out there and go through the motions. It's motivated me even more to try and do better, to improve, just everything, to be stronger, faster, just improve my game more, just to really know if I put my mind to it, I can do anything I want to. That doesn't mean winning every tournament. That means making Mary be the best that Mary can be every day.

MARY PIERCE: Roberto (laughter).

MARY PIERCE: I didn't get to see the whole dress. I saw a little bit in the locker room. She had a jacket on. I got to see the color. I didn't see the cut or style.

MARY PIERCE: Black and purple, I think.

MARY PIERCE: I think it's cool.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah.

MARY PIERCE: Colors?

MARY PIERCE: No.