adidas International

January 15, 2004

Chanda Rubin

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I think that this was a match, you know, from the first two matches, that I played much better - was doing a lot of the things that I wanted to do, improved a lot of the things I needed to improve on. I just try to stay positive with it overall. It's a disappointing match to lose because it was there to be had, and it would have been a great start for the year. But, you know, it's a bigger and better tournament next week. I think the important thing is just to continue to use it positively. And, you know, I've been able to do that. That's certainly not going to be a problem for me, so...

CHANDA RUBIN: Just, I think, consistency; that has improved. The aggressiveness of my play. I think it needed to improve, of course, because I was playing a better opponent. But I think that's the important part, is lifting your game when you need to and using each match. I mean, it's the first couple tournaments of the year for everybody. So I think the important thing is just gonna be to slowly, you know, take every, you know, every step you can. And sometimes it's gonna be a little ugly; other times you might play great. You have to understand that and just accept it each day. I think that will cut down on the frustration a lot.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I think that part is where I could make a bigger improvement because I didn't feel like I returned quite as aggressively as I needed to in those instances. Couple times she came up with some good serves, but that's a point of the match where I really have to pick that level up because, you know, good players are gonna come up with good serves. But if I'd been just a little more solid, little cleaner return, I think I would have given myself a better chance.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I definitely think the biggest improvement from the last time I played her is that, confidence-wise, you win a couple Grand Slams and you end the year No. 1 in the world, I think that is gonna lift anybody's confidence. So I think that's probably, I would say, the biggest improvement.

CHANDA RUBIN: Right. I thought she didn't play, of course, the most solid match. I didn't feel I played a great match either. But it's the first match. For her, she hadn't played in quite a while, so it was definitely understandable. I thought she made a big improvement to the next round that she played and really picked her game up, you know, midway through that match. So, you know, I think it's good, a good sign for her. You want to see every player healthy and, you know, playing well. That's the fun of matching up at a big event like the Australian Open coming up. So I think her game will be ready.

CHANDA RUBIN: I think here everybody's pretty much been focused on this tournament and this event. There hasn't been a lot of talk about who's not going to be at the Australian. I think Serena pulling out, of course, was a bit of a shock. I think everyone thought that she was gonna be healthy and ready. But these things happen. You just have to take care of your body first and, you know, know when you need to start. Because this is not, you know, across the street; it's coming a good way. So if you're not ready, it's better to know that ahead of time. I think that's pretty much the sentiment that every player is approaching it with. The Australian, I think, is always a tournament that's open and anybody can win. I think it's always gonna be exciting coming into it.

CHANDA RUBIN: Not particularly. I think I just want to take care of my body and, you know, try to recover after each match and just be smart about things. I've worked on my fitness a bit, but I would like to continue to work on it a little bit more. This is a great situation to be able to do that. It's hot out here. Any match you get into, you have to be mentally and physically ready. So I think it's a great opportunity.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I wouldn't necessarily compare either match because I feel like I played a much better match today and made, certainly, more improvements from my first match of the year. So I think it would be very difficult to make a comparison. I mean, Venus is always tough. She presents a lot of challenges that, you know, everybody doesn't present. I mean, she, you know, is still moving pretty well. She still had pretty good anticipation in terms of the ball considering she hadn't played in a while. And so I think, you know, making a comparison, it's almost impossible to do so.

CHANDA RUBIN: Usually try to get a little bit of massage work afterwards just to kind of loosen things up. I shower, I stretch, all those things, you know, just to keep your body, you know -- treat your body well. Then kind of get away from the courts a little bit, relax, listen to a bit of music. Usually it's kind of just cooling down in a room. Sometimes you might take a walk around if it's early in the day. A little bit of music is always relaxing. Just kind of laying and letting your mind just relax from being at the courts all day and, you know, hitting and working out and all that, I think, is the most important thing for me.