WIMBLEDON

July 5, 2001

Justine Henin

MODERATOR: Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Questions, please.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, for sure I'm surprised because, you know, when it's 6-2, 2-1, and when you are so nervous, when Capriati played so well in the first, you don't think you can win the match like that. After that I came back because I stayed very, very cool. I said, "Okay, what's going to happen? We'll see what's going to happen." I just tried to play a better game than I did in the first. After that, was so good. For me, it was unbelievable to win like that.

JUSTINE HENIN: You know, it's difficult to play on a centre that you don't know. Was the first time here for me in Wimbledon. I think it's a really, really big stadium to play here. I think that that was so difficult for me. At the beginning, I was nervous, I didn't know the court. I think the bounce was different also from the Court 1. So everything changed. She played so fast in the first. So was difficult to find the way that I could win. But I think that when I had the possibility to win the match, I did different from the French, for sure.

JUSTINE HENIN: It's mentally today my victory. I think it's a big victory for me mentally. I think just after the French, I only took two days of rest because I wanted to work very hard because I knew that I could win the semifinal in the French. I said, "Okay, next time I will take this opportunity." I won in Rosmalen. I played so well here. Here I'm still in the tournament, and I am in the final. Yeah, mentally I'm stronger than in Paris.

JUSTINE HENIN: No, I knew in the match I could win against Capriati. In Berlin, we were in the third set, and I had to stop for my ankle. Yeah, I said, "Okay, I have my chances." But I knew that she already won two Grand Slams this year. She wanted Wimbledon. She was playing so well in this tournament. So I think that she's a strong player, very, very aggressive. So in the match, I couldn't think that I could win when it was 6-2, 2-1. But when I came back, when I broke her in the second, I said, "Okay, maybe you have a chance."

JUSTINE HENIN: I think in the second set maybe I tried to be more patient, and I played a lot with my slice, and she didn't like it. After that, I was more aggressive than her. I went to the net; I served better. I think she doesn't like play against me because I try to stay in the court and be aggressive. So I know that she doesn't like this game.

JUSTINE HENIN: I beat already Venus Williams.

JUSTINE HENIN: That's okay. This year in Berlin.

JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, what's the score now?

JUSTINE HENIN: If it's one or the other, it will be a difficult and tough match for me, like Capriati, a strong player. I think Davenport played so well in this tournament, and Venus won last year. She's playing well on grass court. When everything is in, it's difficult to play against her. But I think if I could win -- if I won against Capriati, maybe I can beat also Venus Williams or Lindsay Davenport. I think that now I have all my chances to win this tournament. I believe it. I will just try to do my best and enjoy on the court like I did in the second and third set today, and we will see.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, it's on my right foot. It's really painful. It's horrible. It was difficult at the beginning. I couldn't move very well. After the changeover, it was a little bit better when I saw the trainer. But I think, you know, it's not dangerous, but it's very sore, it's a big painful. After that, I had a lot of courage to continue. I played better because I didn't think about my blister after that. I said, "I'm in the semis, go and try. Don't feel the pain."

JUSTINE HENIN: No, it's getting worst (sic), for sure. When you continue to play on a blister like this, for sure it's getting worst. Tomorrow I have a day off, without practice, like yesterday. I will be okay in two days. When you are in the final of a Grand Slam, you give everything that you have.

JUSTINE HENIN: Before the match, no, for sure.

JUSTINE HENIN: During the match maybe. Maybe at the beginning of the second set, because it was getting worst and worst. It was time for me to call the trainer. But I did a little bit too late. After the changeover, she change a little bit my tape. It was better. I kept the pain. But, you know, when I broke her in the second, I said, "Give everything that you have and go until the end of the match, if I win or if I lose."

JUSTINE HENIN: We're working from five years together now. I was 14 when I started with him. If I did not have Carlos, I'm not here today because I think that he's a coach, he's a friend, he is everything for me. I can talk with him about personal life or tennis life. I think he knows what to say to me for myself.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think, you know, I started playing tennis at five. I always knew that I wanted to be a top player. But it was a dream. Now it should be step by step a reality. So, yeah, everything change for me. My life change a lot. But I think I always give all my best to be a champion in tennis sport.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yes.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah.

JUSTINE HENIN: I practice on synthetic, not on really grass court, in Belgium before going to Rosmalen. I won tournament in Rosmalen, so that was easier for me to come here with four matches. I think that I like grass court. Last year I lost first round because it was my second tournament after my injuries. This year, finally I could play all the matches without any problems. So I think I have a good game to play on grass. I'm an aggressive player. The ball is not so high, so maybe that's easier for me. I can move very well on the court. I'm a quick player, so that's good.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, for sure.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, for sure. I think different because I play on grass. You know, I'm not afraid to do serve and volley, to slice a little bit more, to be aggressive and go to the net. Today at the end of the second set, I was really aggressive on my serve, on my return. So I think that it's a lot different from hard or clay court. But it's nice to play on every surface and do good results everywhere.

JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, it means a lot. You can't imagine what it means for me, to be in the final of a Grand Slam. I think for me that's unbelievable. Just after the French, after my semis over there, I had a big reaction, a great reaction. Now I'm in the final of Wimbledon. I think that's not a dream, but that's something that I couldn't imagine when I came in Wimbledon this year.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, Steffi Graf and Stefan Edberg. Good grass court players.

JUSTINE HENIN: No, I always had one-hand backhand.

JUSTINE HENIN: No. I don't mind about my size. Today I proved that we don't have to be very strong to win matches. I don't mind about that.

JUSTINE HENIN: I suppose that unbelievable in Belgium. I don't want to have any contacts with Belgium now because, you know, I have an important match on Saturday. After that, for sure, when I will go back to Belgium, I will feel it a lot. I know, and I am so happy for Belgian people also.

JUSTINE HENIN: Maybe to my coach, but not to me because I had a lot of things to do just after my match. For sure I think that this evening I will get a lot of message. But I try to be focused on the tournament and stay focused on the next match.

JUSTINE HENIN: Natural. I never worked on it. Just like that.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think maybe that's why I'm stronger now in my head. I played so good on the important points. When I had to break her, I did a lot of good returns. I don't know. I was really positive. I played bad in the first, but I stayed positive. That's why maybe I came back. But that's true, when I had to go, I wasn't afraid to win this match.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, for sure. I remember this. You know, I was two games to be out of the tournament, and now I am in the final. I think it's tennis. Kuerten, he had match points against him in the French, so I hope that will be the same here for me in Wimbledon.

JUSTINE HENIN: For sure. I just want to win. I have a good attitude. If I play against a strong player, I just want to go. I'm not afraid of the size. I play already against Davenport, Williams, Capriati, everybody. I think I don't mind about this kind of players because I can move well on the court, I'm so fast. I can also be a strong player when I want.

JUSTINE HENIN: No, I didn't think about that at all. It was my match today. The French Open is far away from here now. Now I'm in Wimbledon. I just want not to forget that. But it was an experience, and now I continue.