PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2002

Daniela Hantuchova

MODERATOR: Questions for Daniela.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, it's not really easy. It's very tough. But I was happy the way I played today, especially the second set looked quite easy. I'm trying to make the things easier. Sometimes I make it too complicated. But when it's going good, it looks really easy.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah, that's right, she's got much more experience than me. But I knew I have a big chance after beating Justine yesterday to make the semis here. So I was just focusing on every single point and trying to do my best.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah, well these matches gave me a lot of experience because I was many times very close to beat those players. And finally here I broke it and start to beat them. Yeah, I think mentally I'm much stronger. Now I know more what to do in the important times of the match. I think that's the difference.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: We have started at Wimbledon last year. I mean, the work with him is really amazing. He has helped me a lot. I'm just really enjoying working with him.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, we are working on everything because all the time you have to improve everything if you want to be the best. But I think, we are working more on tactic than anything else because I don't have that many experience like the other players do. He always tells me what to do at the right time.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, I mean, sometimes it's easy to understand, but the other thing is to really do it on the court. So even though I understand what he's telling me, sometimes maybe I'm not doing it like he wanted me to do. But, I mean, every practice that we have together gives me a lot, and every day I learn something new.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, I used to work with Nick Bollettieri, but he was not traveling on the tournament, so I wanted to have somebody that is working with me the whole time. I never met Nigel before. So we try to work for a couple of weeks, and it has worked out very well. So we kept going. Now we are together.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Actually, IMG, yeah.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, of course, when you want to be the best, you have to imagine in your mind that you are the best. You know, I'm just trying to always do my best on the court, try to improve in every single department. I hope that it will come soon.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yes, yes, he does. I'm really looking forward for this year's Wimbledon. He's got a lot of experience with grass because he used to be a player, too, so he knows how to play on it. He's English, so I think that will help me a lot during the Wimbledon.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, I know I have a big chance now to get to the final, as I did today in the quarters. I will try to do my best. I never played her before. But she's having also a very good tournament. It's going to be tough, but I just hope to do my job and to be in the final.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, Nigel watched the match today, so we going to speak about the tactic. I have a day off tomorrow, so we going to practice on things that I will need, and then we see.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, I beat No. 7 yesterday, so if I get to the final, I think it's well-deserved. When I am playing, I don't care who is on the other side of the court, I'm just concentrating on my game.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Well, actually, I really don't know. I lost to -- actually, I can't remember now. I don't know.

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA: Yeah.