FAMILY CIRCLE CUP

March 31, 1994

Mary Pierce

MARY PIERCE: Yeah. I mean, I was waiting for a tough match and in the first set I was playing really great, and I was moving well, doing everything right; I was returning serve really good. But then I think that Brenda started to play a little bit more. She is putting the ball in the court more, wasn't trying to hit so hard. She was hitting real deep. After a while it got harder for me to attack. So, at the end, it was getting -- it seemed kind of close.

MARY PIERCE: I don't know. It was tough. I wasn't really nervous. It was tough to put her away. I was making a few more mistakes, but she was playing the ball well. She was keeping it deep.

MARY PIERCE: I was asked that question earlier. I said that, first of all, the girls who are beating those top players have to be playing pretty well too to be getting there, so it is not that easy. Second, I try not to think about that, or look at the draw too much. I try to just take each match that I have as it comes, and play my best.

MARY PIERCE: No, not really. I mean, I know that she is going to hit some good shots once in a while. I know she will make some mistakes once in a while also. So I just have to play my game and be patient?

MARY PIERCE: I decided just to stay on clay to get ready for these tournaments and also for the Europe French Open. I was in Bradington, Florida training and I worked really hard. I put a lot of hours in and I feel a lot better physically. I feel I'm in good shape and that also helps mentally, gives you more confidence.

MARY PIERCE: I mean, basically I have been doing -- he's helping me a lot with everything. On the court, we have been working a lot on my serve and on my footwork, and I feel like I have improved that. Mentally, just believing in myself, and having confidence, and knowing that I could play well with the top players. And to never give up. And also, physically, off the court, I have been doing a lot of working out in the weight room, and running, and doing sprints.

MARY PIERCE: That will be fun. For sure, because I mean I have played -- the last time I played Arantxa was in New York. We went three sets. I mean, I feel like I am playing just as well, maybe better and, you know, I am going to go out there and try to be patient, play my game and, you know, see what happens.

MARY PIERCE: The Slims.

MARY PIERCE: No, not really. I just haven't played on clay since the French Open last year. I also felt like I wanted to get back and practice on it a little while.

MARY PIERCE: I like it. I like all surfaces. Doesn't really matter to me. To me, it is kind of maybe a little bit more fun because you can slide around a little bit, hit some drop shots, stuff like that.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah. Beginning of the year, after I played so well and finished last year, I said to myself that I believe that I can finish in the top five, and I know that that is difficult because you have to do really, really well consistently. I know that I have the game to do that, and I can be in the top five with the other players. But, you know, I am not saying it has to be the end of this year. I know that eventually I will, it will just take time.

MARY PIERCE: Honestly, I don't think too much. The top five, they have been playing on the Tour a little bit longer and of course have more experience than I do. But as far as stroke-wise and game, I think that I play just as well.

MARY PIERCE: Yes.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah, I mean, that was about a year ago almost now, and I feel very good about myself on the court and off the court. And I don't regret anything. I think last year was also a very good year for me. Decisions I made were not very easy but I feel good about them and I feel happy about how things are going.

MARY PIERCE: I think it definitely did. Whenever I would play against the top players it was always very close, so I was kind of asking myself when am I going to finally beat somebody in the top 10 or whatever, and I finally did. So I think that that showed myself and also showed a lot of other people also that they know that I can play in the top.