TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 18, 2002

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Justine, please.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think at the end I was in confidence. Because I didn't miss anything at the end of the match, and I could do a lot of rallies without any problems. And I felt better on court. So, yeah, I think that the end of the match was good, that the beginning was hard and she was playing well. I try to fight a lot. And finally I did it, so it's good.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah. I think that the level was high at the beginning of the match, and it was getting a little bit worse. But I hope it's gonna be fine for tomorrow. And it's especially just on my serve that I could feel it. But in the game, it was fine in the second.

JUSTINE HENIN: Uh-huh.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, I think that here the court is faster a lot it was in Berlin. It's very fast. It's not really like a usual clay court. It's really fast. So, I mean, in Berlin it was perfect for me. But I feel good here in Rome on court. And today against a strong player, I could do a lot of rallies without any problem and I could slide. So I think it's a good surface for me. Yeah, I'm happy to be in the semifinal in two weeks. And we'll see what's going to happen tomorrow.

JUSTINE HENIN: Because I fighted a lot at the beginning of the match, for sure. It was hard and she was aggressive, and I was a little bit too far from my baseline. And I stayed in the match without -- I wasn't afraid, I wasn't nervous. Then I could fight 100%. But after, in the second set, I didn't miss anything and I found my game really solid. So that's good.

JUSTINE HENIN: I play better than I did last year, for sure. Because I took a lot of experience. And so the player change, not the person - because I stayed the same person. But, no, I feel stronger on court and I can play freer from, you know, I'm not nervous anymore when I'm playing. And I'm really focus on every point and don't think about what people is gonna think about me or my game, and just try focus on me and my game. And that's maybe the difference. But, you know, in tennis it's like this sometimes, and sometimes you lose. That's sport.

JUSTINE HENIN: They are both great players and great champions. So, I mean, it's gonna be a tough match for sure if it's Serena or Jennifer. They're both playing well, and I think that they are in top form. They are strong players. It's not the same game because I think that Serena, she's going to hit on every point for winner. And Jennifer, she's trying to play more rallies. But they are both tough players, and I will have to play 100% if I want to win the match, like I did last week in Berlin. But it's a different tournament. It's going to be another day tomorrow. And I cannot say at this time what's gonna happen.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think that, you know, all weeks are different. It's not the same tournament, the same crowd, the same court. I think that, you know, every week it's different and you have to play good tennis if you want to win. So that's not because I won last week that tomorrow is gonna be an easy match, no. I think that I will have nothing to lose, and I will be the outsider - like in a lot of matches this time. And I think that that's the best for me.

JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, you know, it's still far away from here. I think that I'm here in Rome and I have a final tomorrow and that's a big preparation for the French Open. So I think that the best thing is to have some rest next week, because for sure physically and mentally it's long to play like this during two weeks in a row. But, you know, I will go to the French Open like I came here - to give my best and try to play my best tennis. But, you know, it's one more tournament. It's a Grand Slam, it's important, I agree. But that's not the end of my life - I hope.

JUSTINE HENIN: I mean, in tennis you can win and lose. You know, we are both in the Top 10 and, I mean, that's normal that sometimes it's her, sometimes it's me. And today I wasn't nervous like I was in the last tournaments against her. And that was the key, that I played 100% and free of any -- I wasn't afraid to lose or to win. And I just tried to play my tennis.

JUSTINE HENIN: It's faster, yeah. A lot faster, yeah.