WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2002

Justine Henin

MODERATOR: Questions.

JUSTINE HENIN: It's difficult to say. I think that everything can happen, especially in the Grand Slam, because of many things. We have to be focused, all the Top-10 players, because the other players, they have a great motivation and they absolutely want to win and they have nothing to lose. So I think, no, I think we have to play a hundred percent if we want to be fine in a tournament and win these kind of matches. But I'm pretty happy with the way I played today. She started playing better in the second set, but mentally I was strong at this time to finish this match. So I'm happy with that.

JUSTINE HENIN: It's hard to say. I think, like I say, you never know what's going to happen. It's the same in this tournament. So maybe you can have more surprises in the men's tour, but I cannot say that a hundred percent because everything can happen. I've been sick in the French Open. Everybody can be injured during a tournament. And the other players, they are on court to win also, and they have their chances. So, I mean, when we are on court, it's 50/50.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, it's a great motivation. Like I said many times, we have good relationship. It's sometimes hard to travel a lot. So when you have somebody like Kim, it's easier because we live many things together. And it's good also, because when she's doing great results, it's good motivation for me. And I think it's the same for her. So, I mean, yeah, I think it's important.

JUSTINE HENIN: We were maybe eight years old, yeah.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, for a long time.

JUSTINE HENIN: Like I said, it's difficult to say. We see many surprises yesterday in the men's draw. I mean, we have tough players in the men's draw also that can win the tournament. In the women's tour, for sure, you can wait for the Williams sisters maybe in quarter or semifinals, for sure, because on grass they're not untouchables, but they are very strong. You have also great players that are now in the third round, but it's too early to say anything about the champions here. We will see.

JUSTINE HENIN: I mean, everyone discusses a lot about this. But my work is to be on court and win a lot of matches and just do my job. So I don't think too much about these kind of things. Just that the women's tennis is going up a lot, and then people come also for the woman. I agree for the men they have to play five sets in the Grand Slam. It's hard. But I think that people enjoy the women's tennis, and that's important also. That's the only thing I have to say.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think it's normal that they are No. 1 and No. 2 in the world because everywhere they're going to play, they are in the final or win. So, I mean, I think it's a normal situation. Okay, we will have to fight against this situation. I beat already Venus and Serena, and I know that it's hard to do this kind of result. But they're very strong, it's going to be hard, but not impossible.

JUSTINE HENIN: I mean, sometimes it depends more from her than from me because when she's serving so well, like she did in the final last year, it's very hard to compete. But maybe last year if after my semifinal I was very calm and cool and say, "Okay, I can win the tournament, one more match," maybe I had my chances. I didn't have this opportunity. She was too strong. I think when she's playing so fast and so well on grass, it's hard. So, like I said, probably we will have to wait for the Williams sisters for sure in the quarter or semifinals. But it's very hard to say what's going to happen because everything can happen.

JUSTINE HENIN: It's a really different situation. Like I said many times, it's the year of the confirmation. I did very well in the first six months. So, yeah, it's different. I mean, it's difficult to come in the Top 10, but to stay in is the most difficult. I do my best at this time. I'm in Top 10 for one year already now. So I think I had great experiences. Maybe it's the most difficult year for me. But I'm doing well and I'm very proud also of this.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think, yeah, for sure I have many goals in my head. I keep that for me. I don't want to put a lot of pressure on me. But I think that I have many things to do in the next four months, but also in my career.

JUSTINE HENIN: It's hard to say. I have my character and I can change it just for tennis because it's not all of my life. But for sure when you want to win a lot of tournaments, you have to think about you and not about all the other players, what they going to do on court, but what I want to do on court, just to play my game. So I think maybe it's too much to say that. But I think the best important, for me especially, is to be focused on me and what I want to do.

JUSTINE HENIN: No, I stayed the same person. It's nothing in life. For me the most important thing is to be on court and enjoy my game. Everything I won, it's part of my life now, but I think the most important is to stay here on earth and say, "Okay, it's not everything." So I just stay the same person. Not the same player. But inside me, I think the same thing like I did in the last years.

JUSTINE HENIN: I worked, especially physically, because I think that's important in my game to be a hundred percent all the time. I think that it's a lot better now. But I have to improve my game a lot, for sure. I work especially about this part. I have to be aggressive and to play my game. I don't like to do a lot of rallies on my baseline. I'm not these kind of players. So I work very hard, and I still have many things to learn in the future if I want, first, to stay in the Top 10, and to go as far as possible in the ranking.

JUSTINE HENIN: Nothing has changed. I will just be married. But I enjoy my life like this.

JUSTINE HENIN: Nothing special. No, nothing special. I think it's a good thing, that's it.