US OPEN

September 2, 2001

Ashley Harkleroad

MODERATOR: Questions please.

ASHLEY HARKLEROAD: I was a bit nervous coming into this match because I played the main draw here. I played the main drew singles, doubles, and mixed doubles and I played well in the singles and the mixed doubles. But I didn't win a match. So I mean, my confidence wasn't extremely high, but this is a different level against juniors, so I knew that I was going to be -- when I played Meilen I wasn't getting many breaks. It is a little bit of a different level so I noticed that out there today and I finally relaxed after the first set and I started playing well.

ASHLEY HARKLEROAD: It is kind of -- you are a little more nervous because everybody expects you to come in here and win the tournament, but these girls are just like the pro girls, but just -- they just can't play it because their ranking is not yet high enough but it will be. But I was just a little bit more nervous because everybody expects you to do so well. A lot of girls that are not seeded tend to tighten up and not play what they are capable of playing I know that's what I could do so just focus on hitting the ball just having fun and going out there and playing my best.

ASHLEY HARKLEROAD: It's not like I had low confidence at all. Before the US Open I played a 50,000 and I beat girls who were like inside 100. I had a lot of confidence from that. I got to the quarters. But it's just kind of annoying whenever you have a lot of breaks and you don't get them, then you know you have to come back down to the juniors. Everybody expects you to do so well.

ASHLEY HARKLEROAD: Yeah, I do feel like I can compete with the main draw. I lost to Meilen, she's 40 in the world, I lost in three sets. Third set, I had game points first three games. I should have been up 30 instead of down 30. That's where I am still transitioning, still making a transition into the pros and I need to learn how to play those big points more efficiently. I will learn it. Then I think that I do belong in the main draw.

ASHLEY HARKLEROAD: Actually I don't play that many. Considering all the other girls there, if I would play as many as them, I would be, you know, I am 5 in the world now. I would probably be 2 or 3, but I don't -- I just play the main ones because I am restricted to how many pro tournaments I can play because of my age, I can only play 10. I don't just want to just sit around and practice the whole time. I need to get match play, so that's why I play these.

ASHLEY HARKLEROAD: I think it was a good experience for me because if I can take that match against Meilen and learn from it which I think that I have, then it's a really good experience. But if I don't learn from it then what is the point? But I think I have learned from it. I am trying to think about some of the mistakes that I made against Meilen and make sure I don't do it against Anne today.