U.S. OPEN

August 31, 1995

Zina Garrison

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Not overly. I mean, I knew I can play like that. I thought the match I won the day before yesterday I mean, three sets I had lost, like six or seven, three sets this year, so I think that helped; gave me a lot of confidence just winning the three-set match.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Well, I think that the biggest thing I did emotionally, I was just kind of wavering within myself about if I really wanted to give it up, and, you know, I think reality hit when people started calling and wanted to come down and do interviews in Houston before the Open, and I started getting very, very depressed because, you know, it is something I have been doing since I was ten and I thought I could just give it up, and walk away from it, and I still love the game. I mean, so I just kind of want to play some more, and just kind of fade away.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: I think the older you get, every win is just very important and I think, you know, I had played so bad in the last two, three years on that court that I just wanted to play well on this court, and when I saw that I had a chance to play Lindsay I felt that I had a good chance. I knew my game could be the game that would give her trouble, because I don't hit a lot of pace. I can move well. And keep her moving and I did exactly what I wanted to do today.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: In the last couple of years on that court I have not played at all, not even showed up.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: It was just so intimate. When I turned around in the third set and saw people hanging from the fence, I was like, "wow, what is happening here." They were yelling, screaming; just emotional, every time I missed a shot I thought I would get a little down on myself; they would never let me get down. When I walked off the court they were grabbing me telling me they love me. It was beautiful. It was unbelievable. That was -- it sounds weird -- actually the first time that I kind of really understood what I have meant to tennis and me, being me, never think I did anything, but first time I realized that people enjoyed my tennis and what I have done on the tennis circuit.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: The court is so much bigger, so -- and I think still an 11 o'clock match; people still barely awake. It is just like they are out there. But Lindsay is a nice person too, so I think it kind of goes both ways. I mean, she is -- I think eventually she will do a lot of things for tennis, so you have two people, I think America really cares for.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: I'd still like to overcome my backhand, sounds strange, but it is the truth. It is funny because little things start to matter to you more than like the big things; just improving certain parts of your game and I used to think sometimes when I hear Chris and Martina talk about things that they still want to improve and these are two unbelievable tennis players, the older you get, still understand the game keeps growing and you have to grow with it, so I think my goals are, you know, to keep trying to get a little bit more powerful and do a little bit more things with the ball, so, sounds weird, but...

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Competition. I mean, I am such a competitive person on and off the court, the competition, I love being in the moment. I love, you know, when you reach down and get a shot at one- - the feeling that you get, it is kind of hard for an athlete -- I also wondered why, you know, you see Magic Johnson, people like that, keep coming back and, you know, you might have a lot of things to do in your life, but it is still a part of you that you really love.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: I had a lot of conversations with her.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: She -- sometimes I think she is like this little angel that hangs over people or something. Because I had been telling her that I am just confused. I am confused and you know, Billie goes, oh, well, you know, just whatever you believe, believe; do what you want to do; not what other people want you to do. And I talked to her a little bit at Team Tennis and I said Billie, "look I really don't know if I want to retire. It is driving me crazy." One day I was extremely depressed, I mean, like just been crying and crying and crying. Then the phone rings and it is Billie. She is like, Zina, "how are you doing." I said, "oh, I am fine" - holding back. She keeps asking me four, five times. Finally, I broke down. I broke down - "I don't know what I am going to do with my life I still want to play." She kept calling me; kept talking to me. She said "Zina, you have to make decision. You can't go with what other people want you to do. You can't worry about the media. You can't worry about your husband, your family, you have to make that decision." She just kept talking to me and I made the decision for myself, so...

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Basically most of the time I think about it when people bring it up, other than that, when you see it and in a film or somewhere like that, but other than that, it is something that will always be there; something I will always remember and cherish.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: I was going to play the rest of year.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: I am just going to kind of go with the flow. I mean, I am still going -- one thing I realize also is that I wasn't preparing myself to do those things because I was so depressed. I kind of kept going, playing tennis, but I wasn't like doing the steps that it takes, but I am going to start working on it little by little - things to kind of prepare myself to do things instead of just up one day and just "that is it" and try to jump into something else. I think you -- it's step by step, just like I play tennis when I practice, step by step.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Caring. I mean, a person that probably -- one of many few people that actually care about other people and not just about themselves. I am not saying all tennis players are selfish, but it is a selfish sport. We have to be selfish to a point, but I think certain people have touched other peoples' lives and are willing to give other people the opportunity to play this game. To know that they are human - if that makes sense.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: A major difference there.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Yeah, all the Grand Slams he has won. It is different. I don't look that far. I am going -- one thing I have learned about age, you have really have to enjoy the moment, and that is what I am going to do here. You know, I don't even know who the next match that I have to play, but my singles and my doubles, I am going to really go out there and enjoy it. If I play like I did today I am definitely going to have to be dealt with.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: That is fine.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Definitely. Actually now it is the home for Zina Garrison Tennis Academy. I have over 3,000 kids since '91. We have three semesters. So some of my kids recently won tournaments. I was real excited about that. We had about 500 kids couple of weeks ago that celebrated the summer, celebration where they come out and play tennis I play tennis with them. It is real exciting for me to finally see them. They actually are hitting the ball, so it is really good.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Yes.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: I don't like to classify that situation. I think that Venus is definitely a candidate, but I think you are really, -- really people are going to have to start to watch Chanda because she is really starting to come into her own.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: I can't answer for the WTA. For me, it was just a perfect fit because they are really involved with young girls, teenage adolescent girls, trying to get them off the street and it fit; it was really perfect for me.

ZINA GARRISON JACKSON: Thank you.