adidas International

January 17, 2004

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Justine, tell us about today's match.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, I mean, conditions were really difficult, you know. It was a lot windy. I was feeling a little bit nervous at the beginning of the match. It wasn't easy because, you know, it's this kind of situation, Amelie had to play this morning. It's not easy either for her or for me. So very difficult conditions, especially yesterday. But I didn't have to play, so I've been lucky because I could stay at the hotel a little bit more. But during the match today, no, I just played well when I had to. I served pretty good during the whole match. That helped me, yeah, to stay confident, you know, in my service games. And, you know, I've been more aggressive in the second set - much more than in the first. I've been a little bit lucky at the end of the first set. But I've been brave when I had to. I went into the net, you know. Even Amelie, she did a little bit of mistakes on important points. But I'm very happy, you know. It's the first victory this year. That's great, because it's a very good start. It gives me confidence before the Australian Open for sure. And also today I proved that even if you're not playing your best tennis, you can win. That's very important for a player like me. That means a lot of things. I just accept that I didn't play my best tennis and I just stayed focus on every point and it helped me to play well when I had to. So I'm very happy to win this tournament and to have a good start of the year. So that's great, yeah.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, you know, I was disappointed that Lindsay pulled out for sure. It's bad luck for her. And for myself, I was disappointed because I was waiting for this match. I was very excited about playing her. But that's tennis, that's life, you know. You have to deal with all these situations. I played three matches here, which is good, before the Australian Open. The conditions were really difficult. It was hot and windy today. But I'm very happy that I had a very good test, you know, against Rubin and here against Amelie. I know that I'm ready for the Open. It's gonna be another tournament, another kind of pressure. It's gonna be totally different, but I feel ready for it.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: It feels good, yeah. I mean, I had to tape it because just to protect it. But it's feeling good. It seems okay for next week. No problem at all.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No, no.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No, never. I just saw her on TV yesterday, that she got an interview. That's the only time I saw her. But for me it's gonna be, you know, one more match, the first round of the Australian Open. She'll have nothing to lose. But I'll go on the court and just try to play, you know, good tennis like I did this week and just try to stay focus on the most important thing, is winning my first round. I'll stay focused on every point, doesn't matter if you play a Top 10 player or a player who just starts on the tour. So for myself, it's gonna be the -- I'm gonna play with the same idea that I did this week and in the last few months, with the same concentration. And, you know, first round is always difficult. I'll try to do my best once more.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: It's not easy to play somebody that you don't know at all. That's probably more difficult than playing somebody that you know perfectly and that know you perfectly. I think, you know, I played -- Amelie and me, for example. We know each other really well. We know exactly everything in our games. And, you know, in this first round in the Australian Open it's gonna be somebody I don't know at all, so it's not easy all the time. But I want to stay concentrate on my game and what I have to do; that's the most important thing right now.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, I was feeling a little bit nervous, you know. I was keeping serving pretty good, but I came to the net, I wasn't aggressive enough. Then I miss one or two other shots. But, yeah, I was feeling tight a little bit to close the match. It's normal, you know, first tournament of the year. I think that's a normal situation. But finally I served pretty good at the end in the last game, so that was very, very good.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: You know, I don't care too much about this because, you know, like I said, when I'm too focused --

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: No, I'm not gonna ask my coach to do it. Maybe I'll go and try to see her a little bit. But for myself, what help me to see what I did was being focused on what I have to do. I have to be aggressive on the court, I need to attack a lot - even if I play Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters, or another player. I mean, it doesn't change anything of the game I have to play. So I'll be careful, you know. This kind of match can be dangerous sometimes. But, you know, we'll see what's gonna happen. It's a first round of a Grand Slam. It's always tough.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: When you hear the crowd, it's not a good point, it means that you're not too focused. Today sometimes I could hear them. For sure, that's normal. But when you're totally focus and concentrate, normally you don't hear anything. You just look at your opponent and that's it. But, yeah, sometimes. That's normal, you know. That's tennis. It was a good atmosphere. I really enjoyed playing here in Sydney. It's been a great week - fantastic. I enjoy my time here in Australia. It's a very nice country. I like the people here. So I hope that next week in Melbourne is gonna be similar.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Yeah, a lot of things have changed, for sure, in my life but I didn't change, and that's the most important for me. I just tried to stay the same person because success cannot make you change, you know. It's just great. But people in Belgium and all over the world, yeah, recognize me much more than in the past. You know, it's a little country, so it's not easy every day. But I really enjoy the situation. I feel comfortable right now. I think it took a few weeks, you know, to understand what happened last year. But now I'm feeling good, and I'll just try to do my best to stay at the top for a long time.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: Oh, no. I have to play on Monday, so, you know, we'll travel tonight. Like I said, that's great, you know, I won. But now I want to stay focused on the future, and the future is the Australian Open next week. So I enjoy right now my victory. It's been a great week, like I said. But in two days, that's the main thing that's gonna start, it's a Grand Slam. That's the goal for me.

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE: It's very hard for me to describe that because I don't feel too much big difference. I feel that I'm gonna play another Grand Slam. For sure, it's different, you know. My name is at the top of the draw. But to be honest, right now I don't feel much more pressure than in the past, which is good. I mean, the pressure is there, but I don't feel it too much right now.