AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2003

Nicole Pratt

MODERATOR: Questions for Nicole.

NICOLE PRATT: No, it wasn't actually. I think the first set was actually pretty tight. I knew I was actually playing better than her, but I just couldn't seem to get the lead. When I took the first set 6-3, I relaxed a little more. But it was still sort of tough going all through the second set. Silvia is the type of player that you can't let her back into a match like that. The whole time I was staying pretty focused.

NICOLE PRATT: Yeah. I mean, I'm surprised I did win the match sort of so easily score-wise. But, like I said, it was tougher than that. But, you know, no, I'm not surprised. I've been working hard towards this. I believe, given a little bit more time, I'm a Top 20 player. It's just a question of time, doing well in the right tournaments. You know, that's where I really believe I should be.

NICOLE PRATT: I mean, I'm older. But I think I'm more experienced. I just believe a lot more in myself, like I've done a lot of work on improving my game, because the game just gets better and better. The younger girls keep coming in. If you're not prepared to sort of step up and make some certain improvements, you're going to get left behind. I've been working on my serve. I've been working on staying up in the court more, playing a little bit more aggressively than I normally do. It's something I've just started doing in the last six, eight weeks. It's something I'm going to do for the rest of the year.

NICOLE PRATT: I think it's a good match-up for me. She's predominantly a baseliner, one of the best doubles players in the world, but sort of doesn't get to the net that much. I played her a couple of times before. I'm used to the way she plays. Much like today's match, I think it will be determined by who goes out there, you know, on the day and plays the better tennis.

NICOLE PRATT: Most definitely, yeah. I think I've got a great opportunity, now that I've taken out Silvia. Paola is still seeded, but it's certainly not one of those Top 5 players that, you know, you really have to be at the top of your game, you know, to beat those players. Back then, you know, realistically I wasn't ready. Give me one of those players, you know, hopefully the next round after this, then I think I'm the most ready I've been in my career for that match-up. It will be interesting.

NICOLE PRATT: I saw the draw. I knew I sort of had a decent draw. If I played the tennis I'm capable of, I expected myself to get through to a fourth round here at the Australian Open, then certainly you expect Venus to get through. I'm still taking it one match at a time. Paola is going to be a very tough match, but certainly exciting to get to a fourth round really.

NICOLE PRATT: No. Absolutely I believe that I'm playing my best tennis right now. There's still areas, you know, that I'm working on improving. I expect to be around -- I think I'm the fittest I've ever been. I expect to be fit for another two, three years, my best tennis to come.

NICOLE PRATT: No, not at all. I've sort of set those goals in place. If things go to plan, you know, I think I'll achieve those goals.

NICOLE PRATT: Yeah, definitely. I think it all started around, you know, in December, we had that camp. It's the first time where, you know, I really felt like everybody, you know, involved in tennis in Australia was getting behind the girls and the boys and putting a camp together. It cost a lot of money to have the support we had for that. It was 10 days, run by Peter McNamara. I think everybody got a level of confidence out of that and has taken it into the summer. I know all the younger boys have been having really good results. You're starting to see it with the women as well. Everybody around us starting to believe more in our abilities is transpiring through to us.

NICOLE PRATT: Yeah. There's no reason why, as Australians, we shouldn't be the most prepared players here for the Australian Open. I think those 10 days there, it was hot, the conditions are very similar to what they are now. We all have that in our back pocket, we've done it. We've done the hard work; it's just a matter of getting out here and performing.

NICOLE PRATT: Yes. Alicia winning a tournament is a huge breakthrough. That momentum has been building for the last 24 months. We've had a strong Fed Cup team, had good results in Fed Cup. Like the building blocks have been there. Certainly for Alicia to make the breakthrough she did has given us all a certain amount of confidence.

NICOLE PRATT: I won't be getting it until I retire, but yeah (smiling).

NICOLE PRATT: Yeah, at some stage.