AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2003

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Justine, please.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I won, so much better. But I'm really tired and my leg is hurting. But I just try to cool down my body after the match and just try to take a good shower, drink a lot, and we'll see. We'll see later today and tomorrow how I'm gonna feel. But not too bad.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: It was one more experience for sure. To win this kind of match is great 'cause it's the first time I win this kind of match and I think it's great for my experience, for my confidence. Physically, it was really hard because I had to run a lot during this match, a lot of rallies, a lot of tough rallies. She is very tall, so it's harder for me. I'm really proud of what I did, too.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I don't know yet at the moment. I hope it's just cramp. But I feel very tight and very tired. I'll have to see and check with the trainers later today and more tomorrow how it's gonna be. But, you know, I'm playing in two days so I'm pretty confident.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah. But after the match I was cramping everywhere, so, yeah, I'll have to see.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, yeah. Because I mean the cramp came at the beginning of the third set but it was going, it was always on my serve. After, during the game, it was okay. But when I was serving, it was very hard and the cramp came at I think it was 7-all and love-15. I thought it was over at this time. I thought, "Okay, you let your chances go in the second. Now you're cramping in the third." And she was looking fine. So, I mean, I thought the match was done, but then I just gave everything.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: It could be hard. But I'm not in this situation now so I'm pretty happy.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I was thinking, "I hope I just can play." The trainer asked me, "Okay, are you able to continue?" I said, "I'm gonna try." It was feeling much better. It was just on my serve. I said, "Okay, just make a good effort on your serve and during the game it's gonna be fine." So I just served an ace on my second serve, and it was amazing. Maybe that, yeah, I said, "Okay, that's my day today."

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Uh-hmm, yeah. Yeah, for sure. There was a big point and the big key of the match today. But it's very hard because physically I have to be very, very strong. And physically, it was hard, but mentally, too, there was a lot of tension during the match. Finally, I won. So, yeah, finally I beat Lindsay, and that's good for me today.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I hope so. I am in the quarters. I hope just I'm gonna have a good recovery and I'll see tomorrow how I feel. But I'm gonna go -- if I go on the court, it's to give 100 percent and try to win every match.