PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 18, 2004

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Justine.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, I think it was a good match, especially for me in the first set, I started the match unbelievable. I was aggressive. We could see in the first game I was already at the net. And I was serving pretty well. For sure, it's the kind of player you always have to be focused on every point, because when she started to be in the court, when she started to put on me a lot of pressure, you need to adjust a little bit your game. But I was happy in the first set that I could finish it 6-4. That was pretty good. And in the second set, I started to be nervous a little bit to finish the match, and she was playing much, much better, long rallies. She has great forehand. That wasn't easy. But finally at the end, I played well on the important points. I played well to break her at 5-All. That was a very important game.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I mean, you know, she's great player. Even if I'm the No. 1 player in the world, I can be nervous sometimes. And I just try to deal with it. But I was still playing well. You know, she was playing great tennis in the second set. The fact that I lost against her in Doha for sure it was good for me that I got a revenge, but also it made me a little bit nervous because I know how well she's playing.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I love these kind of matches, for sure. But I was nervous a little bit also - no, a lot - this morning when I woke up because maybe she's the only one player that beat me this year. But it doesn't matter who's in front of me. I just try to stay focused on your game. My reaction today was pretty good.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, I think that's normal. I think all the coaches are giving the energy to the players that they need, and sometimes giving an advice just by looking. But that was normal. I accept that. That's part of the game.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No, it's the first time. And for my coach it's the first time I think in many, many years that he's coaching. I think everyone is doing it. That doesn't have a lot of -- I try to find my word in French -- any effect on the game. Everybody is doing it. You alone on the court, that's okay. I was upset a little bit. When we saw the point that I played after, it was part of the reason.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No. I think it doesn't have any effect, you know. Carlos, he gives me a lot of, you know, power. He's encouraging me a lot. But really it's not really coaching. I mean, it doesn't have I think any effect on the game. I find out in the last few months that I'm alone on the court. No matter what happens in the stadium, I am alone, I am responsible for what I'm doing, and my coach has nothing to do with it - when I'm on the court.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: That's very hard to say because they all very young and they all playing very good tennis. It's really hard to tell you how the reaction is going to be, when they'll be in the top, when they'll be the favorite. It's very hard. It's always easy when you are an outsider, when you have nothing to lose. But when you feel a little bit more your responsibilities, I think it's getting harder and harder. I think Kuznetsova, for sure, she's young, she's strong, you know, she has good mentality. But there are so many players, I mean, who can win Grand Slam. It's very hard for me to give you an answer.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, he just told me, be aggressive, go at the net. You can tell it's coaching. I know what I have to do. I knew what I had to do, but it's hard for me sometimes when you're on the court, when you're in the match, to do what you know you have to do. He just try to, you know, encourage me. I think it wasn't really coaching. But that's the really, and I understand that.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I know. I know. And then you have to ask to the umpire who was on the court. I mean, you need rules because you have two players on the court, and we need to stay alone. But it was a little bit hard for me, a tough decision, giving me a warning, because I think we could see in different matches that it was worse than that.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: When I woke up this morning, I knew that I was going to be -- I was going to play well because I was feeling very nervous, and I need that, I need that stress to play a good match. So I was really focused during my practice. It was clear in my head that even if I had to lose, it was going to be at the net, being more aggressive. That's what I did in the first set. Then sometimes, you know, you play against somebody who not letting you playing your game all the match, and that's what she did.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I said, "Oh, maybe a revenge in the quarters. You need to take it this way. You need to stay positive." And I was really focused on my first round. You know, you build something day after day. I mean, that's what I did. I was in the quarters. I was feeling nervous a little bit to play against her. But now I won. I want to stay focused on my next match. Now for me I just try to turn the page, being focused on my semis. It's going to be hard enough like this. So I need to keep my energy, try to forget what happened, then being focused on the future.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I played great on the first points of the match. But I was still playing good when she came back to 5-4. I was doing what I had to do. It was two breaks. She broke me back once, and she was starting feeling more confident. So I think there was generally a very good first set, yes.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I'm not playing Miami, no.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Because it's a question of schedule. I mean, you need to take decisions and assume that because I think it's two big tournaments in a row, and I played a lot of matches since the beginning of the year, and I need to get time to be ready for the clay court season. I love playing on clay. Amelia Island is just a week after Key Biscayne, so you need to make choices. That's life. The French, for sure, is going to be my next goal, my next main goal, and I want to be ready for it.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, long time ago, yeah. When I planned my year, I knew I wasn't going to come to Miami. I know that it's a little bit sad for the tournament and for everybody, but I need to take care of myself, of my body. I played a lot already. I need some time off before the clay court season.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: It's a big difference, for sure. I mean, I lost in the past many matches really close, and I got some experience from that. Mentally I think we all playing good tennis, I mean, in the Top 20. We all playing very good tennis. But the mental part is probably the most important, playing well on the important points, just taking the responsibilities when you have to. It's a big difference, huge difference, for sure.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I don't think it's a big deal. I think it's not important. If we let the coaches doing that, I think they all doing that. I don't know. I don't know.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, but you need rules, for sure, because if not, I mean, if they're starting to talk on every point, there's no sense. You just told me about the father of Sharapova. For sure, it's on every point, so that doesn't help anyone. It's also to protect the players. I mean, that's very good. So I don't know. Maybe we need a very clear rule that say no coaching. Maybe we need to be a little bit more open. I have no idea. I don't know. It's sad a little bit.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, you need to be ready, for sure, especially in these tough conditions. So the fact that physically I'm working hard, especially in Florida, which is very humid and hot over there, helps me to keep going, a lot of rallies in these conditions. It's a big part, for sure.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: I think that's normal to be nervous. When I'm not going to be nervous anymore, I'll ask myself the question about my future in tennis. You need positive stress. That helps you to stay focused. Yeah, the breakfast wasn't that easy to eat. But it happens pretty often for all the players. Players who said they're not afraid or nervous are lying, because we all nervous. That's pretty normal.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: It's going to be my next goal, my next match, it's very important. She's the favorite on the paper, but Martinez, you know, is playing great tournament. So I don't know yet. If I have to play Myskina, I had great matches against her, a lot in three sets. I won last time in The Championships, but she beat me before in Leipzig. It's always really close. She's this kind of player, she's going on everything. She is not afraid. I mean, she is hitting the ball very hard. She's playing her game from the first point until the end. I think all the Russians are playing a little bit like this. So you need to be at your best from the first point until the end. That's not easy mentally. She's young. She's in the top. She deserves it. She is great player. So we will see.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Last time I played Conchita was in Dubai. I beat her in two sets. I think she's playing better this year. She's having good level right now. It's always been tough to play against her because she doesn't give you any rhythm. When she's in confidence -- I think the conditions here are good for her. The court is pretty slow. But it's good for me, too. It's going to be a tough match anyway, and I'll have to play a good game if I want to win.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, that's a lot. I think a lot in the first set. But that's good. That's the way I have to work. I'll keep going because I know when I'm brave, when I go to the net, then it pays off. That's good.