US OPEN

September 7, 1998

Conchita Martinez

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: What did she --.

Q. Did she do anything differently as far as playing styles?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, I mean, it was difficult for me to play my own game because I was injured. So basically, I was, I'd say, 60% of my abilities today. When you're like that against a player like Amanda that doesn't give up, you know, I mean against any player it's difficult. You know, that happens.

Q. What is your injury?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I have a neck injury.

Q. Neck?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yes.

Q. It keeps you from turning?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Basically, yeah -- cannot move.

Q. Did you have it throughout the whole tournament?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: No. It just got started yesterday.

Q. When you woke up?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: No, just in the afternoon.

Q. Before the match started?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yesterday, yeah.

Q. Was it just a sense of trying to gut it out out there?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Sorry?

Q. If you're only at 60%, obviously that diminishes your chances. Were you just trying to gut it out out there?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, it was difficult for me because I had pain as I was playing -- more the high balls. It's hard for me because it hurts when I do this (indicating). You cannot turn (indicating). But I feel that it was warming up. I thought of retiring since the first set, you know. But I thought, you know, "Hang in there, hang in there." At least I fought, I gave it a shot. That's all I could have done.

Q. When you won the second set, how confident did you feel going into the third?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: How what?

Q. Confident. Did you think you could win the match?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Like I said, I just kept fighting. It's difficult. I thought it was a long match. I thought that she was playing well. In the third set, it was open for both of us, but she played better.

Q. With the neck injury, how surprised were you that you got a set, that it lasted as long as it did?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Very much, because like I said, since I start -- I mean, if you would have seen me yesterday, you would have said, "There's no way she's going to go on court." I did everything possible to try to play today, you know. I got two injections, I got a lot of treatment. Kind of like this morning, I said, "Well, I'm going to go out there and see." Even though with the injury, I was kind of even with her. That's why it kind of gave me strength to keep going, to give it a shot. Because maybe if I could pull this one out, then I have a day off tomorrow, maybe I can get better. But, you know, I didn't.

Q. How do you think you injured the neck?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: This is an old injury. I've been having this injury for a lot of years, probably five or six years, and it just came. I mean, I just get tense, suddenly I get stuck. There's nothing I can do. It's not that I have a fracture. I cannot tell you. It's muscular.

Q. What was the difference for you between the second and third set?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Sorry?

Q. What was the difference between the second and third set for you?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I think my confidence level went down, you know. I went for too much. I make a lot of unforced errors.

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