AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2004

Nicole Pratt

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

NICOLE PRATT: Yeah, no, it was definitely obviously a tough draw. Meghann's, I think, 17th seed. Obviously, you don't particularly want to play a seed in the first round. But, you know, I had a job to do and I actually sort of thought I went out there today and did a really good job of what needed to be done.

NICOLE PRATT: I was a little disappointed that obviously I didn't close it in the second set. But Meghann lifted her game. She started to serve better, she started to return better. So, you know, I just, you know, knew the game plan I needed to try and, you know, keep to. Obviously, I raised another level in the third set, and so did Meghann. Just got through with the win in the end.

NICOLE PRATT: Yeah, it was huge, the game at 4-all. I was down 40-love on her serve, to get back to deuce and take the next couple of points to go 5-4 up. And serving at 5-4, I certainly wasn't gonna let that game slip away after, you know, saving 5-4 in the second set. I didn't get tight. I pretty much kept to what I was doing and, you know, in the end it worked out.

NICOLE PRATT: I think you have a goal for the year, like you said. I had a really long sort of six-week preseason, tough preseason to set me up for, you know, all of this next year. Probably what was really key for me is the match I played in Sydney. I think, you know, I lost to Zvonareva pretty easily. It just proved to me if I want to beat the players I need to beat, I really need to step up and raise it to a different level. Ever since that match out on the practice court, I've raised what I've been doing and being more aggressive. I'm just really pleased that that actually came through tonight. I think I had over 30 winners and probably I don't think I've ever played a match with 30 winners. So I'm really pleased from that aspect.

NICOLE PRATT: Yeah, I pretty much knew I had to beat Meghann, and obviously it did open it up for at least a couple of rounds. But, you know, all the girls are good, like you saw today. There's a lot of seeds falling. Everyone's playing quality tennis and you just got to take it one match at a time.