AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 28, 2004

Lisa Raymond

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lisa, please.

LISA RAYMOND: You know, to be honest, you know, I didn't really feel comfortable the whole match really. Even when I was up 6-5, you know, it was unfortunate I was on that side with the sun. You know, I mean, I didn't get enough first serves in. You know, Patty played a decent game. You know, I just played a very, very loose game. You know, I had fought so hard to try and get the break, and to just give it right back to her was disappointing.

LISA RAYMOND: You mean, just losing it?

LISA RAYMOND: Yeah, I mean, it was. Again, you know, she just -- she plays me well. You know, her game really matches up well against me. You know, it was a battle from the beginning of the match. And, again, like I never really felt comfortable playing. You know, I never felt like I could really hit my forehand because of the whole, you know, with the lefty. You know, she's a very crafty player. You know, she just hits that junk to my backhand, and there's just really nothing that I can really do sometimes. You know, to finally get in a position to serve for the set and to lose it was definitely disappointing. So I maybe let that affect me a little bit at the beginning. But, you know, again I was up in that game that I lost to get broken.

LISA RAYMOND: You know, again, I think I made way too many unforced errors today. You know, again, I wasn't real comfortable with her ball, you know, the trajectory of it, playing a lefty. I played a lefty earlier in the tournament, no offense to Barna, but it's a different caliber of lefty to play Patty Schnyder. That's how she wins matches. Especially against a one-hander, it never really allowed me, I couldn't really hit my second serves, I couldn't really attack my forehand, you know, because the ball, it's just such a different ball, you know, playing against her, her ball as opposed to a righty. To answer your question, did I go for my shots, not really. I wasn't as comfortable going for them today.

LISA RAYMOND: Yes. You know, I don't think that, you know, I've been this disappointed, you know, losing a match. You know, I really, really thought that I had a good shot of really having a breakthrough here. You know, she's in the same position, though. It was a huge opportunity for her. You know, she maybe handled it a little better than I did.

LISA RAYMOND: Yeah, I mean, again it's a great way to start the year for me. Again, you know, it's a great tournament. Is it necessarily a breakthrough? No. A breakthrough to me would be, you know, to have gotten to the semis or to the finals here. But, you know, I played some great tennis here, and I feel good about, you know, starting the year the way I have.

LISA RAYMOND: Again, you know, it's tricky playing a lefty. And she -- for me, I don't match up against a lefty that hits as much spin as she does because of the one-handed backhand. You know, maybe if I had Lindsay's height and Lindsay's two-handed backhand, that's different. But for me, you know, it's difficult. You know, she pulls me off the court really well with it, and she serves well, doesn't give me a shot to really hit my forehand and come in. She's definitely a player that I struggle with.

LISA RAYMOND: Again, obviously she's playing very well. And she's always dangerous. I mean, there for a while she didn't have the results. You know, I think she went through some personal issues. But, you know, I mean, she's always dangerous to play. You know, she's been in the Top 10. Anyone who's won big tournaments, been in the Top 10, been there, I think they know how to win. I mean, they dig deep sometimes and they pull from that. You know, I know there was her first semifinal, but she's an experienced player. I mean, you know, again, she's been there before. It's not like all of a sudden she's, you know, playing great tennis. I mean, I think one year she won something like, you know, 10 tournaments or something. You know. That's the type of style. She's just a confident player.