PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 17, 2005

Mary Pierce

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Mary, please.

MARY PIERCE: Both. You know, I definitely give Maria credit. I think she played a real solid match. I feel -- you know, I think the beginning, she wasn't that aggressive. You know, she was just kind of putting her serves in. From the baseline she was hitting big. You know, she was just going for it, going for all her shots. But she played solid. You know, I think she served well. I think she returned well. You know, I definitely -- you know, I had fun out there. I was enjoying the rallies. We had some good rallies. Just, you know, moving around there, hitting. You know, she definitely challenges me, which is fun. Hits a big ball, you know, so I can see why and how she's been doing well lately, has only lost one match this year. So for me to feel, you know, in there and close, having fun, is a good feeling for me. Knowing that, you know, I've had a great tournament, feel like I've been playing well here. You know, I'm not making any excuses for myself. I never make excuses for myself. I go on the court and I'm ready. I definitely didn't have the energy as I did my last match when I beat Petrova, or I had in my other matches. Just missing a little bit of energy tonight. The legs definitely for some reason didn't recovver the last two days really. So, you know, just a little -- legs were a little hurting. So, you know, my game really depends on my legs. You know, my legs is my power, just moving around the court. So that was kind of missing. That just makes it more difficult. It makes me less effective, I guess, or penetrating as a player. I think I probably could have come in more, been a little more aggressive. But, you know, I think in the end I started to see some things and realize and change my game a little bit. Probably needed to do that a little bit sooner.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah, you know, I was -- was I up a break? I'm not really good with memory in matches and scores (laughter). No, first set was close. You know, I mean, it was fun. A couple calls didn't go my way, I thought. A couple shots I missed. You know, just one break first set. One service game that I really played poorly. Just had a tough time staying really concentrated and really focused, you know, tonight. But I wasn't disappointed at all. You know, I mean, I know that I can break her back. I know it's just one break. Even when I played her last time, I lost the first set and I came back and won. I think I was down in the third and came back and won. So, you know, it's not like a big deal or anything.

MARY PIERCE: No, no, I don't. Like if I look at Maria?

MARY PIERCE: No. We're very different, yeah.

MARY PIERCE: I don't know because I'm not really looking. I don't even know. I think I might have seen it one time tonight.

MARY PIERCE: Uhm, yeah, I would probably put her up there as one of the players that I would say is the toughest that I've played against just for the reason that, you know, she hits a heavy ball, she's tall, you know, has long arms. Balls come deep and hard. You know, she hits the ball -- like you've said, I've played against most everybody. As far as how hard she hits the ball, how heavy, how deep, she's definitely one of the players that I feel hits the ball pretty big, yeah.

MARY PIERCE: Serena. Lindsay can hit the ball pretty heavy, too. Venus. Not too many really from when I was coming up in tennis because the game has changed. I mean, Monica could hit the ball pretty hard. Steffi had a big forehand. But it's different, different kind of games today.

MARY PIERCE: As far as hitting the ball, her game, she's up there. I mean, she just goes for every shot. She plays every point the same. I think Maria's strength is that she's relentless. When I watch her play, every point, every point. She walks to the back, pumps her fist.

MARY PIERCE: When I watch her on TV, when I watch her matches. That's her strength, I think, relentless. Mentally, I think, for her age, definitely tough, you know, and strong. But she's still young. There's still some little fragile areas sometimes. It's still soon to put her at a Steffi or Martina or something like that.

MARY PIERCE: Possibly, I don't know.

MARY PIERCE: It could happen. I don't know. You never know what can happen.

MARY PIERCE: Not really, no. For some reason, I find her not as confident now. It's strange, because she's only lost one match this year. It just seems a little bit fragile I think because of that one match she did lose and had so many match points. She seems to, you know, panic a little soon or just miss a shot. Maybe she's always done that, you know, and look to her people or something.

MARY PIERCE: No, it's just my own observation. She definitely has more experience than a year ago because she's been playing for a year.

MARY PIERCE: Gosh, it's tough, you know, when you're so young and you're put into an adult world, you try to behave or need to relate with adults. You know, you're not on the same level, so it's kind of difficult. I think the thing that Maria is doing well, is she just seems to be really natural. You know, she's just herself. I think that's good. You know, hopefully she has good people surrounding her, and that's really important.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah, I don't know. I think just there's sometimes the expectations and the pressure. There's a lot of demands. Your life really changes. You go from having all this free time and no one really knows you and wants to talk to you, then everybody wants to be your friend or talk to you. You have so many things, photo shoots, TV shows. So many things. You have to really remember what kind of what got you there and be able to say no sometimes, I think, and be able to make the free time for yourself as well. It's important.

MARY PIERCE: Like forehand or backhand?

MARY PIERCE: I think her forehand probably could be more erratic, as well. Backhand is not as big, but more solid.

MARY PIERCE: Yeah, it will be a good match. You know, I saw the match, a little bit of Lindsay and Nathalie today. I didn't think Lindsay played especially well in the first set. But, yeah, it should be interesting. You know, Lindsay's game is different than mine. Yeah, I don't know. It will be interesting.