U.S. OPEN

August 31, 1995

Lisa Raymond

LISA RAYMOND: Well, you know, it was just -- you know, it feels like I didn't even lose the match. It was like I didn't get a chance to really, you know, battle at the end. Because I mean, in my mind, there is no way that ball was in, and, you know, for that umpire to go with that call, I mean, that is just ridiculous. You know, it was -- I played matchpoint like I didn't really -- wasn't even out there. It was like I was so still, you know, angry at the point previous and it was just -- it is ridiculous.

LISA RAYMOND: I think it probably came from the crowd, but I mean, I just assumed. I mean, it was six inches out, four, five, at least. I just-- I stopped play, but maybe I did subconsciously hear someone as well, and -- I didn't even think it was a question, and then when I saw -- all of a sudden I looked up, the crowd started booing. I didn't understand what was going on. Then the official said that, you know, the ball was good, whatever.

LISA RAYMOND: She said that she -- I was blocking it, and she couldn't see it, so... She had to go with the call.

LISA RAYMOND: Well, I don't know -- it is not that I feel like I maybe would have won the match, it is just -- it was taken from me. I don't think I had a fair shot at losing the match. Definitely -- I was down Love-30 to go up 40-30, you know, with the crowd behind me and, you know, to get back, possibly get back at 5-All. You know, who knows what would have happened, so -- whatever. It is unfortunate.

LISA RAYMOND: In a sense, I guess, if you look at it that way. I feel I played a good second and third set and, you know, I think the match could have gone either way. And, you know, I felt going into the match, I was going to have to play very well to beat her. It was a tough draw for me, and -- but, you know, it is -- just learn from it.

LISA RAYMOND: I probably didn't handle it very well because I got very angry at the official, and, you know, that is all I had to think about was that call. And it was like I really didn't regroup and, you know, I stepped up to the line just, you know, wanting to kill the umpire, rather than thinking about what I needed to do to win that next point.

LISA RAYMOND: No.

LISA RAYMOND: She runs down a lot of balls, and she hits the ball very flat and very early. So it takes you a few games to get used to that ball, you know, if she likes pace. If you hit a flat ball at her, it comes right back, and, you know, she just -- she passes well, and she moves well, and she is just -- -- she is solid. There is nothing really spectacular, but, you know, she is a solid player, so -- she always has pretty consistent results, so...

LISA RAYMOND: Well, I mean, no. I mean, it is not like we are friends -- if it was probably, you know, someone who knows me, I would have done -- in that position, if it was a friend of my over there, I probably would have said, "play two." This is a U.S. Open. I wasn't surprised that she didn't put it that way. I mean, I wasn't expecting her -- it wasn't her position. It was the linesman's fault and it wasn't Kimiko's.

LISA RAYMOND: You mean the one on the baseline?

LISA RAYMOND: I don't know how he was blocked because I was running -- it wasn't like I was coming from the right side. I was coming straight back and, you know, I guess in a sense, I could see how the official in the chair would be blocked. But I don't see how the linesman on the baseline would be blocked.

LISA RAYMOND: No, it is not like I could have -- it wasn't like a topspin lob that I wasn't able to have a play on. I mean, it was just so out, but -- whatever. What can you do?

LISA RAYMOND: No and I have never not shaken a hand of an umpiire. I don't agree with that. I just had to get out of there. I was just so upset, so angry.

LISA RAYMOND: Not really. The sun was tough on that side, but that really didn't enter into why I let it drop. I honestly thought it was going out, so I kind of, you know, decided just to let it drop and just run back and see if it was going to land in or not, and, you know, if it was to going to be in; then I have a play on it.

LISA RAYMOND: I didn't think there was a question. I had no idea. I was like okay, "cool, 40-30 back in this," and then I hear all these boos and it is like "what is going on."

LISA RAYMOND: Well, you know, the crowd is always so awesome for me here. I love playing here. I always get, you know, a lot of people on my side, and I think probably a combination of people who actually saw the ball and who were probably upset that I had fought back; got it back to 4-All; had a chance to go 5-All; then it was like, you know, they probably wanted to see more tennis and it was just, you know, taken away, so...

LISA RAYMOND: Well, you know, I think that given what happened today, I have to just put it behind me, you know, it was a tough draw. It wasn't like I lost to, you know, No. 300 ranked person in the world. I have started with a new coach. I have a lot of things to work on, and, you know, now I am still in the doubles and mixed here, but I will have about three weeks before I go to Europe; just keep working hard and just build from this and hopefully I won't have that umpire in the near future, so...

LISA RAYMOND: I think so because you just chalk it up to an experience and another experience at the Open, so...

LISA RAYMOND: I think I kind of -- I had a lot of opportunities. She gave me a lot of second serves and I didn't capitalize on them at the beginning, and, you know, she -- she started playing a little bit better, but I think I just -- for a split second I eased off a little bit. That was just a split second too late. I let her get that 4-1 lead and I didn't hold my serve right away, which was, you know, that was a big game and actually the first game of the third set was a big game, as well. I think I was up 15-30, something like that.

LISA RAYMOND: I have been trying to work on that with my new coach. That is something that, you know, so many of my friends or whoever, when they watch me play, they always say, "God, don't be so hard on yourself; it is okay." But, you know, I have always had the mentality that I have to be perfect out there, but you are never going to have a perfect day, and I just have to really learn to stop being so critical of my game, and just be my friend out there.

LISA RAYMOND: Exactly.

LISA RAYMOND: I think there are a lot of girls out there. Chanda is doing great. Werdel has been doing really well. Obviously Lindsay being in the top 10. And there is a lot of girls that are younger probably coming up; I am not real familiar with the young girls because, you know, whatever, but I think it is in a good state. There is a lot that -- a lot of girls that maybe that you guys haven't heard of or that the media hasn't really focused on that are coming up that are maybe even in college and, you know, I think that it is in a good position right now.