U.S. OPEN

September 3, 1995

Chanda Rubin

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I kind of feel right now like I just played it wrong, you know, tried to overpower her. But I think also I mean, I made a few too many errors, and she made way less errors trying to do basically the same thing. And so I feel like that is why I really came out short.

CHANDA RUBIN: No. I felt pretty good coming out. Served a pretty good first game and started off well, you know, both sets. When we were on serve at 2-1, you know, I kind of folded little bit and I think made me -- maybe missed a few many returns. For the most part, I didn't feel like I started out nervous.

CHANDA RUBIN: It is kind of hard to say. Kind of thinking about it right now, but I mean, I just think I need to cut down on the errors for the most part. Maybe if I get in a little bit more, but it is pretty tough. Her shots are pretty penetrating and, you know, I was kind of on the defensive just about most of the match. So it is kind of tough to try to get in more, but, you know, I need to change that up, just a little bit.

CHANDA RUBIN: You know, just try to be aggressive. I need a lot of first serves and pretty much try to be aggressive, you know, hitting it to her backhand trying to get in a little bit.

CHANDA RUBIN: I feel like I had a pretty good week. I played some pretty good matches, but it is a little bit disappointing, you know. I mean, these are the matches that I really want to win, and I just have to go back home, get back to it.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, no, I mean, I had to realize that -- realize it on the court losing the first set 6-2 and being down, you know. I kind of realized that I needed to do something a little bit differently, but it was tough, you know, with her shots being so deep and, you know, I just felt like I had to just work the points and try to move well and just try to look for any kind of opening I can get. But, you know, it was pretty hard just to change up and try to do something drastically different. I just felt maybe I had to move a little bit better in order to get some control of some of these points.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I mean, it is definitely a pretty fast pace, and I was trying to kind of match that pace and, you know, it was all moving pretty fast, and it was definitely, you know, under a little bit of pressure. But I mean, that is something that, you know, I knew walking out there, and I just have to try to work on improving my game.

CHANDA RUBIN: I try to slow it down just a little bit, some of the points, working, getting in the backhand rallies until I could get a slot that I could hit out on. Even some of those, I was still being put on the defensive on quite a few of those points. I feel like you definitely have to slow her down a little bit, but it is something I need to work on.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I definitely think that. I think it is possible. I have had some really good matches over the past summer and past few weeks, and I think I have made a lot of improvements, and this is just kind of one more step, you know, to improve a little bit more in certain things to kind of close the gap. And definitely, I think that is possible in the next year or whatever, but, you know, hopefully I just feel like I can improve regardless of the results, just keep getting better at it.

CHANDA RUBIN: You mean this match?

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I definitely thought that I had a shot at it and, you know, the opportunity was there, but I still knew that I had to come out and play some really good tennis and, you know, I had to play two good sets of it in order to win and I just came up a little bit short today.

CHANDA RUBIN: I don't know. I didn't really -- I wasn't really into all the hype around the match, you know, I heard a few comments from maybe a couple of people that I talked to, but for the most part, I wasn't really into all the hype. I just wanted to come out and play a good solid match and keep doing what I had been doing the whole week and a little disappointed that I didn't feel like I didn't play as well as I needed to do and as I felt that I could, but, you know, it is just something that I have to go back to the drawing board and, you know, hopefully keep getting shots at matches like this, these kind of opportunities and sometimes it will happen. But I just really wasn't into the hype and I didn't feel like, you know, I had to do anything or that, you know, it was a lot of pressure for me, but I mean, she came out and played well.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I think she definitely hasn't lost any power. I don't know about how bad her back is or whatever, but I definitely think she is playing some good tennis and she is one of the favorites for it.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I don't think of it in terms of making a big splash, you know, about anything. I am just looking at it from my perspective and things that I want to improve upon and whenever I do something well and I accomplish something, it makes me feel good and it makes me feel like, you know, I keep getting better. And I really don't think about other peoples' expectations or what, you know, the whole thing might be, like a huge splash, or I am finally coming into my own or whatever. I just think that right now I am playing some really good tennis. I am improving and I want to keep that going and I am feeling good. I am feeling confident about my game and I just want to run with that.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I mean, I still feel like I am playing good tennis and I don't think one match will just totally demolish that feeling. You know, I mean, it is disappointing. It is a Grand Slam. I felt like I was playing well and I don't think I played as well as I did today, you know, I still think that I also think that I was under quite a bit of pressure. I think she played well, and, you know, something I just have to get back to the basics and to everything that I have been doing that has been working for me and I definitely feel that I can keep the confidence level up and keep that going into the end of the year.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I think she was a great woman tennis player. The first black woman to win Wimbledon. I thought that was a great accomplishment. Just kind of paved the way and I think that will last forever. I mean, that was something unbelievable and I would love to be able to go out and do the same and just working towards being the best that I can be and take it from there.

CHANDA RUBIN: Well, I mean, I wish I had another shot at it, obviously. You know, it is over. But I just think I need to take a breather and just think about it a little bit and, you know, come out with, I guess, kind of a different game plan next time I play her; do something a little bit differently, but I definitely wish I had another shot at it.