FED CUP - BELGIUM VS. USA

April 24, 2005

Zina Garrison

Corina Morariu

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

CORINA MORARIU: Of course. I think there's always a little pride at stake, even though it was a dead rubber. Yeah, it was my first time playing. I was on the Fed Cup team in '98 but didn't get to play. I wanted to play well obviously in front of my family and everyone that was here. Just after everything that has happened to me in the past few years, it was really special to be out here. I've really had a great week. It's such a special thing as a tennis player, it's such an individual sport, to be part of the team for a week and practice together. We all just got along so well. So I think for me to have this opportunity has been really great. I'm very grateful. I felt like I played well out there, so I was happy with the outcome.

CORINA MORARIU: Hang on, let me think. Absolutely (laughter). If I'm asked, I will be there. Like I said, I think this team had really great chemistry. We had a good time all week. Hopefully weep keep it going. Everyone seems really geared up to go to Russia, even though it's going to be a tough, tough match for us, far away, far away from home. Everyone seems committed and everyone seems to be on the same page that we all had a great time and this is a really great team. So if I'm called upon, I will definitely be there.

CORINA MORARIU: I kind of felt a little silly since I hadn't played yet. But Lindsay didn't seem willing to take it, so I figured I might as well. Like I said, just to be playing here at home, I grew up here, my whole family's here, they're all back there. After everything that I've been through, they've been through it all with me, so to be able to play in front of them and have them around, have them share this with me, it's been really great. I take a tremendous amount of pride in being an American and playing for my country.

CAPTAIN GARRISON: I think they always hedge with you, hedge with me (laughter). First and foremost, I'd like to say, I mean, I was just telling Lindsay in there, I really respect her for being a team leader. I think she's done a good job of putting it in Venus' and Serena's ear, and also from day one she's been very committed, so I appreciate that. From what I understand, they're looking forward to going. Hopefully everyone can stay healthy. As Corina said, of all the Fed Cup teams I've ever played on, the chemistry of this team was just amazing. Everybody got along. Everybody had a sense of calmness, but businesslike. Even from my hitting partners to the staff, it was kind of weird. We all kind of had the same attitude. You know, basically --

CORINA MORARIU: As you can tell by the laughter, we're a happy bunch.

CAPTAIN GARRISON: Basically, they've hinted around. It looks pretty good. Hopefully everybody can stay healthy.

CAPTAIN GARRISON: Oh, my gosh. First and foremost, I mean, I basically had seen her a little bit before she had gotten injured, kind of followed her career. But I had no idea her work ethics. I was always sending the little young guns around to make sure they watched her. I think the thing that really got me about Corina is that she truly, truly is a genuine person, and you can feel that the moment you meet her. Not many people are like that. To me that's a blessing you have from God, when you have people that are like that. I just think that giving her the opportunity to play in front of her home crowd, to play Fed Cup, you know, I felt that I should give her the opportunity and the chance. She went out there today and showed us what she had, popped a couple of those forehands. Been working on her moving a little bit. She did that, too. I'm quite proud of her.

CAPTAIN GARRISON: Tough, tough and tougher. You know, they're so deep so you don't really know who is going to play. I think Myskina did not play this tie, but I'm pretty sure she'll probably be in Russia against us. Dementieva did play. They are so deep, I mean, they can go, what did you say, six deep. To have those kind of players, if one gets injured, you have another. But I think the first and foremost is that, you know, to get a good -- to get the good strong team to go over there and just be willing to, you know, put it all on the line, try to bring it back.

CAPTAIN GARRISON: Politically correct (laughter)? I'm learning a lot about this job, seriously. Sometimes you don't want to say something too quick. You know, I mean, just I think what they've already done is just basically -- I mean, from day one, since they got here, they've been talking about it but I'm not going to put any pressure. I think we're just going to enjoy this win today. On Monday I'll start talking and making sure we can get the commitments. That was politically correct.

CAPTAIN GARRISON: I have a one-year contract, so I'm trying to win it. That's basically the way you look at it (laughter). I'm straight to the point, I'm sorry. I think the thing that I like, I like the camaraderie, I like being around the players. I think the thing that I don't like about it is, you know, probably getting tickets for other people. That's the thing I don't like, the organizing, outside of it. But overall I think it's been a great job to have. I've been really fortunate. Alan Schwartz gave me the opportunity last year. Franklin Johnson gave me the opportunity this year. I can't complain at all.

CAPTAIN GARRISON: I'm a competitor. So, of course, I wanted to have a two-year contract. Didn't work out. The good thing about it is Franklin was very frank with me, go out and do our best. So one year is good. I'm happy with that, so...

CAPTAIN GARRISON: Patrick had been there longer. So I understood. I mean, he didn't have to explain that. I totally understood.