WTA TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 14, 1995

Steffi Graf

STEFFI GRAF: I think it starts with the surface. I think that surface just suits me a little better. And keeps the ball lower. And I think my serve was more effective. And that's why I think it's more difficult for her.

STEFFI GRAF: I won. I think that I served well and I changed my serve. I changed the pace of it and it worked really well. And then I was just more patient at the end.

STEFFI GRAF: Not really. Because she's somebody that moves so well. And surely she took quite a few times maybe more the risk than she maybe should have. But she made a lot of points with it, too. And even if the first set is gone, I think it was a little bit closer in the beginning of the second set. And I didn't really feel that the match was over really, at that point yet.

STEFFI GRAF: No, actually a couple years ago I had a dress. And I was about to walk on to the court at Wimbledon and I changed it. And I have wanted to wear it a few times since, but never had the guts to. But I never felt comfortable, really, so we finally got a dress together I felt totally comfortable in.

STEFFI GRAF: No.

STEFFI GRAF: No.

STEFFI GRAF: I hated skirts. I played a lot with shorts. And it was really difficult to change to skirts.

STEFFI GRAF: I think she's a big loss for the tournament. I mentioned it before, not only to us, the players, but also to the fans, and also to the tour in general.

STEFFI GRAF: I think black is pretty much an evening color. So I think nobody asked us to wear these colors, but I guess we all feel comfortable in them.

STEFFI GRAF: On and off. I have to think about it. I did feel comfortable, though. And it didn't bother me at any times. So I definitely see it on the court again.

STEFFI GRAF: I had the idea for a long time. It's just that it was very difficult to find the right material and to find the right cut and obviously, it's real difficult because you've got to be able to move around well. And you don't want to have the skirt of the dress coming up all the time. And so it wasn't that easy.

STEFFI GRAF: Oh, I guess.

STEFFI GRAF: No, actually not. I tried it twice and I always felt comfortable. So I didn't feel -- it's been a couple of weeks since I tried it. But I didn't really think too much about it.

STEFFI GRAF: Please, I feel more comfortable.

STEFFI GRAF: It was important to me to have a couple of matches to gain the confidence, to come up to this tournament, and I was struggling in the first match because obviously, I didn't feel as relaxed as I am at this point. And I gained the confidence that I needed.

STEFFI GRAF: Absolutely.

STEFFI GRAF: Yes. No doubt about it because I think it's been -- it's seven years difference. And I think when I was a little younger and I was on the court and not really thinking too much, and so things were a lot easier then than they are now, because obviously, a lot more is going on in my life than at that point in time. I think the competition has gotten a lot stronger than then. And obviously, I've had a lot of injuries this year, which made it even more difficult. So just in -- in looking at all the circumstances, I think that it was really difficult to pull it off and I didn't expect to, so I think it's a better year.

STEFFI GRAF: Of my career, yes.

STEFFI GRAF: No, because I've done all I could. I mean, you cannot always look at it maybe if I would have played that. No, obviously I would have loved to play, no doubt about it. But the way everything went, I mean, I can't ask for anything else, I think.

STEFFI GRAF: No. I've achieved so much that everything else that I achieve is just top -- just gets on top of it. And I think a lot of things that happened this year, incredible matches and different situations that made me realize how much I like the game and how much still there is to gain for me. And that's why just continue with playing for me right now.

STEFFI GRAF: Which tournaments?

STEFFI GRAF: I think not talking about the quality of match, talking just in general, probably it's the most amazing tournament. And even in the Wimbledons that I played, which always meant the most, I think this one topped it off. But I'm not really talking about quality of tennis. There have been other tournaments.

STEFFI GRAF: I mean in a lot of ways --

STEFFI GRAF: Yes, but I've had a lot of injuries before. It's just something that stuck around a little longer than usual. And obviously, it was more difficult, because I didn't really find a way to treat it. There were other -- the other things I could do more weight training or do more physical therapy or things like that. And it was the first time something that I was looking at which I didn't really have a way to treat until recently. And that's why it was really difficult. And it kept me off the court for a lot of periods. And that's why it was difficult for me to find a consistent training.

STEFFI GRAF: It's a lot better, let's put it this way. It's been a lot better the last few weeks. And I got different treatment now. I'm doing chiropractic and it works really well for me.

STEFFI GRAF: No, I have my plan for the year. But I think I will always adjust it how I'm feeling. And probably -- I mean it's difficult to say right now. I'm hoping to play more. But who knows.

STEFFI GRAF: I'm really looking forward to a holiday, if you want to say that. But if you have such an incredible year, you just want to keep on going.

STEFFI GRAF: No, but it gets you away from a lot of things. And you've got something -- I've got something that I love doing. And so to be able to do it is just a pleasure. So that's how I look at it.