US OPEN

August 26, 1997

Aubrie Rippner

Q. That was pretty quick, I packed up my bag and you were finished. Was it that easy?

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No, it wasn't easy. It was very nerve-wracking and exciting. The score was 2 and 2, but I felt like every point was important.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No, I just try to go about my business the same way and not think about it, just play my match.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: It was actually my 6th birthday present. My brother played and my father played and so I always tagged along and I guess they wouldn't let me play until I was 6. I am not sure why. But, it was my birthday present.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: They gave me tennis lessons. They signed me up for tennis lessons.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah. At a club.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, I was born in Los Angeles and moved to Chico when I was very young.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, it is a small town. I mean, there is about 75,000 people, but there is not very many tennis players there, so...

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Actually we have a creek in our backyard and I go tubing down the creek when I have time.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: From what I hear, I was terrible. But, I don't know, my parents might be -- No, I mean, I enjoyed to play. I have enjoyed playing ever since I started. So, I mean --

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, as I got better, I had to drive more and more to get good practice. My coach lives in Sacramento, so I have to drive down there to practice or sometimes he drives up or we will meet in the middle.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: It is about 90 miles.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, I do lift although I have been playing so many matches this year, I haven't lifted as much. But, I think I have always been stronger in my upper body. I think it is just genetic, maybe, I don't know.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, my dad played college tennis for Stanford. He played doubles with Roscoe Tanner and he played 1 and 2, so he was a good player.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No, he is not that big. He is like 5' 10".

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Rob.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: He is a doctor.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Well, right now, I am just excited to be playing professional tennis. I am probably going to play some Challengers in the United States this year and maybe go to Europe and play a couple of tournaments there. And, you know, I am planning on going to Australia in January.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, definitely. I mean, it wasn't a decision -- I mean, obviously I wanted to turn pro, but it was decision that everybody contributed to, the USTA, my coach, and former player Patty Fendick gave me a lot of advice.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, we practice together. We practiced last couple of years that she was healthy on the Tour and we still hit every once in a while when her knees are feeling well.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, but her mother lives in Sacramento so she is up there quite often.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: She is very smart. She is helping me tremendously.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: She just basically told me, you know, where she thought my game was. She told me that she thought I was ready and, you know, she is -- at least she has been great giving me tips about practice courts, everything, she has been very helpful.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, she is.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Well, I think my serve has become more and more of a weapon. And, my forehand also. I like to come to net a lot. I did well on grass this summer and I think just, you know, all-around game I like to do a little bit of everything.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I am starting my senior year.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: God --

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No, I don't.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, I haven't done it recently, but I did have a purple belt in karate.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Last year probably. But, I have been travelling so much this year that I haven't been able to keep up.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I did it for two and a half years.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No, I didn't get a chance to practice that.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Both. For me I did it because I have a tendency to lose my flexibility and there is big emphasis on stretching and plyometrics (sic) and also it is just fun. It was something to do. It was good exercise.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: He is a radiologist.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Oh, yeah.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: When I was younger I always wanted to go to Stanford and then turn pro. But, at this point, I would have to wait another year before going to Stanford and I feel like my game is ready and I am excited about playing professional tournaments and I can't do that, you know--

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I plan on going to college after my tennis career.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: That is impossible for me to answer, really. I haven't seen her play in a year. We played in the juniors a long time ago, but she has spent a year at college. So, I mean, she obviously is playing great. She had a good win yesterday, but I can't compare.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I lost in the Finals of Junior Wimbledon and I won the tournament before Junior Wimbledon.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Actually it is more similar than I thought it would be. Like you'd think it would be a huge jump, but really the top juniors aren't that far from the top pros, I think, and it is still the same game and if you just go out and compete hard, I think you can do just as well here.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, it is kind of weird because a lot of people I saw on TV when I was little, it is strange to be out here playing them.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Probably Nathalie Tauziat. I played her last week in Atlanta.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I lost 6-2 in the third.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, I won the first set.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Not anyone particular. I tried to learn a little bit from all the good players, but there is not anyone in particular, no.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, it is hard to think about it that way. When you see her out there killing everybody, it is hard to think that she is younger than I am.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Thanks.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: 17.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Cara Black.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: From Zimbabwe. I have played Cara four times this year.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I won the first three and I lost in Wimbledon.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yes, I did.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I think it is great. It is much improved. The stadium is awesome and, you know, even the outside courts, it is much nicer, much less crowded, because I remember it being very difficult to get around. And, now, it is great.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I lost in the first round juniors to a girl from Italy.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: My father is here, yes.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I don't know. I haven't seen him yet. But we will definitely have to make a phone call.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: It is hard to be on a high because I have to focus on my next match. But, I am very excited and it is a little bit of relief to go out now that I have turned pro and kind of prove something to myself that, you know, I do belong there and, yeah, it is great.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Main reason is I just felt like I was ready. This is something I have always wanted and I am excited that it came about here at the U.S. Open.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, my brother played.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, he is coaching a little bit. He just graduated from UC Santa Cruz and he is coaching some of the young players in Chico, but he is not playing competitively.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Noah.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, every once in a while. I mean, like I said, I have been so busy this summer that I haven't been home that much. But we will go out and hit some.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: He is six years older.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Oh, yeah, I was always competitive. Playing big brother, you always get in his face.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No, not when I was little.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Just try to give him a hard time.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, I have.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Oh, gosh. I don't know. I don't know. We have gone back and forth, I don't remember.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yes, I have.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I think it was a year and a half, two years ago at a tournament before the Italian Open juniors.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: No, the tournament after. I won.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: I think if your ranking is high enough or if you earn a spot in the tournament, you definitely deserve to play. The same thing happened to me two years ago when I was 15 and won the Nationals. And, for a while, I wasn't sure if I was going to get to play because of my age. And I think that anybody who earns their way in deserves to play.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: We talk about everybody. It is great because she has experienced everything. She had a long career and it is good. I mean, it is reassuring to know that other people have felt the same things you are and that are similar to talk to when you have questions about things.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Well, I think it is a big decision to turn pro. And, you are giving up a lot by turning pro. So, I mean, there is always a worry of injury or anything that could hamper your career.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: College scholarship to somewhere like Stanford. It is a lot to give up. It is a big decision.

AUBRIE RIPPNER: Yeah, I got a lot of that in the mail, and I got phone calls from a few schools. But I think if I decided to go to school, I would have definitely have gone to Stanford since that is where my dad went.