TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 17, 2002

Justine Henin

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Justine, please.

JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, it felt good during the match. From two days already I was a little bit afraid because I felt pain in my knee. But I played many matches, and I think it's just that I'm a little bit tired. But it's not -- that's not a big problem, I think. Today during the match I didn't feel anything. The tape helped me. And I am going to be all right for tomorrow - I hope so.

JUSTINE HENIN: I wasn't really in the match at the beginning. I was trying to find my game. And, you know, I never played her, and I didn't know what she was trying to do against me. And it was difficult in the first three games. I was sleeping a little bit. And after that I played a very good game to go to 6-3. And then difficult to take her serve in the second. But happy that finally at the end of the match I went to take it. Sometimes I lost a little bit my aggressivity. That's why I had some problems to finish.

JUSTINE HENIN: Because for sure everybody's asking me, "Okay, there's a Grand Slam in ten days" and... But when I am on the court, I want to give 100% and just give my best. I think that all tournaments are important for me. And once physically I think it's too much, then I stop. But I feel good on court. Some players can do that for sure. I think that a lot of players did it already. Some lost in the first round because it's always hard to play a tournament after a victory. But I'm here in Rome, and I just want to be focus here and give my best until the end of the tournament and try to go as far as possible in the tournament. And, you know, I will have all my time next week to take a rest and to be ready for Roland Garros.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah. I changed again a little bit.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think that the reason is that I have not more power, but more rhythm. So I can push a lot better. I'm more stable in my legs. So I think it's a lot better. And I can see it on court. And sometimes, you know, I lose it a little bit - that's normal because it's new. But now I am not a big girl, and I have to deal with it. And we know that I will never have a serve like Serena or the best players in the world, but I play with it. I won a lot of matches with my serve. And I --.

JUSTINE HENIN: I changed for last time during Fed Cup. So one months ago.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, because, you know, in the Top 10 maybe I'm the only one to be like this. And so I'm proud of it for sure. But I'm not thinking about this. I'm only on court to enjoy my game. So I try to win. And I think that for sure it's more important, because it's like this. But I just enjoy tennis and I want to be on court to win every match if possible. But, no, that's not an important point for me.

JUSTINE HENIN: Like I said a lot of times, it's good to have two players like us in the Top 10. You know, I am in the semifinal. If I play Kim, I will have nothing to lose because of the last times I lost. So she's a tough player. But we don't know yet who's gonna win today and who will play tomorrow. I will just try to continue in that way, play my game. And if it's against Kim, for sure it's always a little bit special. But I'm here to prepare the next Grand Slam and it's good I have a lot of matches now. And I will go on court to give 100%, like I said, and we'll see what's gonna happen.

JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, I think that there are many, many great tournaments. I like to go to Canada. I like Montreal. I think it's my favorite city. Favorite opponent... Anybody, because there are very tough players. When I win, I think I'm always happy when I win. And, you know, there are a lot of great champions on tour, and every match is difficult. So, no, nothing special.

JUSTINE HENIN: Food... Italian food, for sure (smiling).

JUSTINE HENIN: I won a lot of matches in yellow now. So it's new, my new clothes. But not especially yellow.

JUSTINE HENIN: No, no. No (smiling).

JUSTINE HENIN: No, nothing. I have no questions today (smiling).