U.S. OPEN

September 6, 1996

Conchita Martinez

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, I think that I feel much better during the match. The first set was only a break and I remember having breakpoints in the second game of the set on her serve and, you know, it was pretty close. I had a couple of advantage on her serves and, you know, after that, I hold my serve, but then I again, she broke me early in the second set and it was tough. I mean, I didn't play very good. The games that she was serving, I mean, she was tough. I played good and I was aggressive sometimes and I coming to the net and then suddenly she would come out with a great shot, so I mean, those -- nothing you can do, but she played great.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, today, yeah. Today she didn't serve very well. I don't know if her shoulder is bad or it was windy out there, but she didn't serve as hard.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, it is difficult to compare about last year because last year I didn't play good, so today, you know, I think I played much better. I could have played topspin and get on top -- (inaudible) but that is probably why.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I have blisters.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yes, it got worse during the match.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: No, just she taped them. I taped them before the match, but with the sweat, it went away, so, I have to redo it and they were getting worse and it was good that I did them.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: No, not at all. When I call the trainer, it was because it was hurting, so, you better do it earlier than late. You don't want them to get worse.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, just compete, try to fight for every ball. I was trying to slice my backhand to her forehand and with my forehand tried to play crosscourt, you know, trying to take her out of the court. I played some good shots, but she always gets one ball over the net -- one ball more over the net, so, it was difficult. I was trying to attack a little bit more going to the net, but she passed me quite well, so, you know..... that is what I did.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, she is aggressive. She has always been aggressive. She always tries to hit the ball hard and try to attack as much as she can, but, you know, I think, you know, sometimes she is going to play great shots and you just have to upset that and try to, you know, get them and try to play the ball deep, but sometimes you can't - if she plays short, she is going to play very hard.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, you know, I am very - I am quite happy today with the way that I played. Finally, I could play my own game against Monica. Before, other matches, I couldn't even play, so today, it was good. I just have to take my chances when I have them like when I have a breakpoint, try to make it instead of maybe rush or make stupid mistake or -- and in that game that she broke me in the second set, the first game that she broke me, I have 40-Love up, so, you cannot permit those mistakes. You got to take those chances because in some ways you are going to put pressure on you, so just try to take your chances.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I don't know. I think, you know, it is very difficult to compare a person from now to a few years ago. I mean, obviously everybody changes. Tennis has been improving -- women's tennis has been improving a lot and every time we play more against Monica, we are going to get more the game that she plays and we are going to get, I think, closer to her. And probably, a few years ago, she was playing more near to the baseline. Now, she plays a little bit farther away, but I don't know if it is because she is not playing the same way, or because we improve, so, it is difficult to --

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: You are saying I was far away?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Normally, I like to be far away when I return. I mean, I don't feel comfortable right on the baseline, so, I feel I have more time. Probably today because she wasn't serving as well and she wasn't serving that hard; particularly with the wind, I should have moved over a little bit because the wind was taking the ball and sometimes I make mistakes, but, you know, it is something that I have to work on and I don't feel that comfortable to the baseline.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: That was part of my tactic playing slice to her forehand because she wasn't really doing a lot with that shot. I mean, she was just putting it back to my backhand, that way she couldn't take the initiative and sometimes -- you are right, and sometimes I have to mix it up a little bit more, but I started doing it in the second set. Probably that would be part of my next, you know, next match against Monica, I have to mix it a little bit more and, you know, backhand down the line is quite difficult shot. I mean, you have to be really in front of you, and if you are not very comfortable and with a windy day like today, it was one of the most difficult shots, but.....

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: For me, I mean, playing against both players, I think Monica played much more hard -- I mean, much more, I don't know, more on top of the baseline and had every, I mean, forehand or backhand was the same, just hit it and it was very difficult. And she had, I mean, she is lefty, so her serve was pretty difficult to return too. So I think she was hitting the ball harder than Martina is hitting it now. But Martina is obviously young and she is going to grow up and she will get some more power, so.....

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