PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 15, 2004

Sesil Karatancheva

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Sesil.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Hey, she played unbelievable. I have to give her the credit. She played very well. You know, I mean, I did everything I could. In fact, I could have played better. But, you know what, that's my first bigger tournament. I'm 14. I have probably 30 years more in front of me. We'll play again someday. I hope I'll do better then. But she played good. You know, I played good, too. So I guess she just played better.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: No, no, I wasn't. Actually, I expected. But, you know, I probably thought I had the first set, but I can say more that it was kind of more mental. I was 1-1, 30-15 up, second set. Then just got a little bit shaky, kind of lost my concentration, got a little bit start thinking about it, you know. I could have been up 2-1 instead of being down 2-1. That's the key moment that kind of put me down.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Third set, you know, I was down 4-1, come back 4-3, 40-30. That's the second game that I kind of start thinking about, you know, could have been 4-All, not a set down, split sets. So the third set, I kind of start thinking about what could have happened, that I actually couldn't have been playing a third set right now, actually match could have been over already. So that's the thing that kind of got me like mental. You know, I tried to come back, I really did, when I was down. I really tried to come back. But, you know, I saved three match points. But, you know, at the end, I just got tired. I mean, couldn't -- I mean, I was still running, that's for sure. But, you know, I just didn't -- I really didn't believe. I wanted to come back, but personally I didn't believe I could come back. But, you know, still have time. Play again. Nothing happened. I mean, third round, my first pro tournament. Really, I had the goal to go a lot more further. But, you know, it's a fact, they still do good. You know, it's not getting me down. It's not getting me up. Just keep on looking forward, practicing hard, and see what will happen after.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: No, no. We haven't. I mean, what were we supposed to say? I mean, she played a wonderful match. I played good. You know, people enjoyed watching. That's the most important thing. I mean, they come here, you know, give their money, waste their time to come watch us. The important thing is they enjoy it. That's the most important thing. We enjoyed ourselves. So nothing more I can do.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Well, it does. But, you know, it would even feel better if I would have win. But, you know, what, I proved that, you know, even 14, you can still fight with the big ones and that, you know, I have a lot more to do. You know, I mean, I can say that people going to wait for me to play my next tournament. You know, they're excited about it. I'm excited, myself. So, you know, I'm just going to watch forward to it.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Yes, August 8th. Well, I'm probably going to play the Luxilon Cup, that the winner gets wildcard for the next year's Nasdaq Open. Then I'm going to probably play the slams, the junior slams. Hopefully when I turn 15, I'll probably play another WTA tournament so I can get points to qualify for the US Open.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: For the WTA?

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Well, the WTA can't because I still wouldn't be 15. But the Juniors, yes, I can, because I have a good ranking. I will qualify for the main. I'm 27. I'll probably be main draw. But the WTA, no, I cannot, because I wouldn't still be 15. I don't know, miracle has to happen. Change the rules. That's the only way I probably can play.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: You know what, I think that can happen today, can happen right now, can happen after 10 years. But you know what, players are coming out every single day. I mean, I can tell you hundred confident players right now that going to come out and say to me, "Yeah, you know what, I'm going to kick her ass off." But you know what, depends. Depends, because if you have the game and you have the confidence, yes, you know, come, say it to me, I appreciated that you have the confidence to come to me and have the guts to say this to me. I think I got un-understood by you guys. What I meant saying that to my opponent is that I have respect for every one single player in this tournament. You know, come out here and fight is something special, something that everybody should have. What I meant is that, you know, everybody likes winning, nobody likes losing. You know, nobody likes the losers, everybody likes the winners. So what I meant is that, yes, I went out there to win today. But you know what, she played better; she won the match. All I can say is congratulations to her. But, you know, there's another tournaments out there, I mean, another chances. I'm just going to, you know, watch forward to the next tournament.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: You know, I'm not -- I'm going to be exact as much as confident in my junior tournaments this year because everybody tournament is important, no matter what division is it, or what grade is it. Because, you know, every tournament needs appreciation, every tournament needs to be respected, as every another tournament. Because, you know, I can say this tournament is unbelievable for me and that, you know -- you know, I really want to say thank you to the tournament director because, you know, he gave me a chance that I will remember the rest of my life. This is a chance actually got me to be where I am right now. You know, even I lost, I still, you know, beat some unbelievable players. You know, I really need say thank you to him because this is a chance that I really, really will remember.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Of course. Of course.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Yeah. I mean, if I go, I'm going for the title. Of course, I am, because I'm going to win it, of course. Because, you know, I don't want to lose, that's for sure. You know, I'm going out there to win. No matter if it's Juniors or not, yes, I am going for the title.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: That will be more -- I don't -- I haven't really thought about it yet. But if I would have to think about it, it would be definitely the serves. Yes, the serves. Because that kind of -- that Game 4-1 -- 4-3, 30-40 down, you know, I could have have a lot more better serve and probably the score wouldn't be the score it is right now. So the serve would be very good moment to practice on. More -- I guess just being more, you know, aggressive on the returns, even though she had really good serves, even though, I think I could have do more with the serves. But, you know, have time to practice that one, too.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: No, no, no. People love my interview. I mean, you know, I don't think it was bad. I said what I thought. And, you know, I didn't want you guys to get me wrong. I do respect my opponents. I do respect what they do. I do respect the opponent I played today because she played unbelievable match. I do give her the credit about it. It's just, you know, as I said, everybody wants to win. She wanted to win today. I wanted to win today. Everybody wants to win. So, you know, I just don't want to lose, and that's what I said. I don't like losing. I admit it. It's just the way I said it.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: I felt -- I just felt that, you know, I could have win. That's the first thing. I was like, "God, I would have win. I had her right there 6-3, me, you know." But then I was like, "You know what, I'm going to keep on going. These people here today enjoyed watching us. I think they deserve respect. Just smile, keep on going."

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: I did look at her. I did. I had nothing to say to her. She won, but that doesn't mean I'm happy she won about it. You know, she played unbelievable. Hey, that's all I'm going to say.

SESIL KARATANCHEVA: Coolest thing about Bulgaria, you know, I was born there. I was born there. That's where I started my tennis. And, you know, I have my family is there. My friends are there. But, I mean, I love my country, I do. I really do. It's just sometimes I don't really understand the people that are there. I mean, I just have people calling me saying that they have people putting money against me, against my match, against Serna. You know, just different way to say, "Good luck."