CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 16, 1998

Conchita Martinez

Q. What were your thoughts going into the tiebreaker and how do you feel about the way you played?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I felt like I played up and down. I had my chances in the first set. I have so many set balls in that 5-4 and I think I have 15-40 and I didn't take that. Little bit too passive on my returns. In the tiebreak, it was really up and down.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: It was a little bit uphill after that. I think I was thinking a lot on the first set and missing those opportunities and then I think my balls were not as - she was hitting them really hard.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Well, maybe a little bit. But she played well.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Not at all. She is a player that hits the ball -- hits every ball very hard and I just think I played too much at her -- I couldn't get the rhythm and the pace of the ball. Normally if you change a little bit the topspin, which is my game, I would have a better chance, but just hitting-- (inaudible)

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, I think this is my least favorite surface and indoor. It is a very tough, very tough to do well because it is only 16 players and they are the best. From the first round you get a very, very tough round and you have to be really ready. And, like I said, I mean, playing indoors, it is not my game.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: It is very hard to keep the year going so long. It is very hard because we don't have an off-season. We end the year in November, what, 22nd, and then we have to start in January. It is like: Go, go, go. By the end of the year, any player -- mostly any player you ask, they are either burned out or injured. So I think it is very, very hard to keep your concentration up until this tournament being so important and, I don't know, I think it is to late to play a tournament.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: It was -- I mean, at the beginning of the year it was great and until, I think until Wimbledon was pretty good, much better than last year - winning a Tier I in Berlin and all that. I was playing pretty good tennis. Then after Wimbledon then not very good. But what I have to improve is being consistent with the whole year which I have always been and past two years have not.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Sydney. That is going to be my first tournament.