US OPEN

August 26, 1997

Mary Pierce

VERONIQUE MARCHAL: Questions for Mary.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah. I'm pretty happy. You know, I think playing against Gigi, it's important to stay concentrated, make some good first serves and return well and pass well. Those were my goals for today, I guess. I think I put my shots in well, I think I served well. I think Gigi missed a few easy shots. Then again, that's what happens sometimes. That's what she can do sometimes. I just basically tried not to let her get back into the match, especially second set she started to come back a little at 3-1, 3-2, almost 3-All. I just tried to stay focused. When you have a match that's pretty easy like that, you can lose concentration for a little while, a girl can get back into it. Just tried to stay focused.

MARY PIERCE: It actually does feel a little bit different, especially since I didn't play here last year, I was injured. For me not to be here a year, then to come and play in a totally different facility, it does seem really, really different. It's a lot more enjoyable. For me it seems like there's more open space, less hectic, less stressful. It's pretty nice.

MARY PIERCE: Not really. I think more or less just kind of knowing where everything is, kind of walking around and knowing where the locker room is, players' lounge is, just things like that.

MARY PIERCE: I think Martina has improved a lot over the years. I remember playing her here in her first professional tournament in Switzerland where I beat her the first time I played her. You know, the first few times I played her, I beat her. Lost to her the last few times this year. She's definitely been improving more and more. You know, she's a very, very difficult person to beat. You have to really be on and be focused, be aggressive. I think it will take someone with an aggressive game to beat her.

MARY PIERCE: Uh-huh. Yes. I've been wearing shorts since Wimbledon. It's just a different color and a different top, just for this tournament.

MARY PIERCE: No, this is it (laughter).

MARY PIERCE: I think it's Chili Pepper Red.

MARY PIERCE: No. The designers did. I saw it way beforehand, before I wore it. They choose it.

MARY PIERCE: I like it, yes. It's different. I think it looks good on someone who is tan. You know, I think Mary Joe also the other day, she had on like blue and I think it was green, blue and green dress. On her it looked great, dark skin and dark hair. You know, it's summertime, the sun is out. I think those are good colors.

MARY PIERCE: Yes. I get to meet with the designers a few times a year and talk to them about a lot of different things: colors, styles, materials, things that I like, don't like. I feel pretty fortunate to be with Nike.

MARY PIERCE: No, it was their idea.

MARY PIERCE: I feel pretty fit, you know, fairly healthy. I've been working pretty hard over the last months trying to get used to the hardcourts. It was a hard transition for me this time. Why, I don't know for sure. I think I got such in a good groove in the clay in Europe, that it took me a little while to get used to the hardcourts here. But I'm really starting to feel very comfortable out there. I'm just going to take every match at a time and see what happens.

MARY PIERCE: It's hard to say. I mean, our lives are out there in the spotlights, from you guys. I would say it's really hard. I mean, it seems like she's having fun out there no matter how she does, so that's the most important thing. You know, not having really played any matches ever before becoming a professional, not playing a junior competition, it's extremely hard. You lose a lot of experience. I think that shows a little bit in her matches here on The Tour because, you know, I didn't even play that many junior matches either. I only play two years of juniors from ten to 12 years old. That was only two years of match experience before I turned professional. I turned professional when I was 14. I feel like I'm learning every day. I think maybe it was because of that lack of competition when I was younger. So to answer your question more specifically about the media and stuff, you know, I don't know what to say to that. I guess a lot of people saw her playing and thought she was going to be a great player and put a lot of hype into her, like you guys do with other players like Jennifer, players like that. So it's nothing new, you know.