PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 8, 2002

Justine Henin

MODERATOR: Questions for Justine.

JUSTINE HENIN: I'm happy I'm still in the tournament, for sure. I had a tough match today against a tough player. To start a tournament like this, it's always difficult. But I'm very happy because I fighted a lot. I mean, she didn't do a lot of mistakes, she was regular. It was very hard to win this match. I mean, it's not because you are in the Top 10 that you can go in three sets against this kind of player. I mean, she was playing so well. I think, yeah, I could lose today. I mean, with my heart, I want to take this match. Yeah, I'm very happy with the way that I played.

JUSTINE HENIN: We have a good relation. I mean, we are two young players. We traveled a lot together when we were young. You know, we have to travel a lot. So, I mean, it's nice if you have a good relation. I think with Kim, everything is good. You know, we growing up together on tour. It's nice for Belgium to have two players like us in the Top 10. I think it's a great experience for both of us. I think it's okay.

JUSTINE HENIN: It's always difficult to play, for sure, a player of your country. I could feel this pressure especially in the Australian Open. I mean, sometimes it's difficult for me to -- to deal with this pressure. Sometimes it's like that. But we are two different persons, two different players. We have both places in the Top 10. So I think always are so different.

JUSTINE HENIN: It wasn't too hot, it wasn't so windy like yesterday. Yesterday was windy. For sure, it was a little bit hard, first match. To find your way to play, it's always difficult in the first set. You know, you have tough players in the Top 30 and in the Top 50 also. So sometimes they have nothing to lose. That's what happened in my match, she had nothing to lose, and she want to win this match. I think she tried everything. She played so well. So I fighted a lot and I'm still in the tournament. But it's always difficult for a top seed to have a first match -- because we have a bye also. To start a tournament, it's always difficult.

JUSTINE HENIN: I'm happy about my game generally because I lost the first set, but I went to the net a lot, I was aggressive. I tried many things. I was a little bit sad that -- in the second, and I won. But I was a little bit sad that I was too much on my baseline and I didn't go to the net like I did in the first set. But, I mean, it's my game and I try to work on this. But she was unbelievable on the passing shots. So I stayed back a little bit too much. But after that in the third set I want to win this match. It's hard to finish a match like this. And I did it, so I'm happy.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yes, for sure. I think in a prior tournament, I went three sets to Venus because I went to the net so much. I think the first set I was on the baseline, I didn't see anything, she was playing too well for me. When I started to go, to put a lot of pressure, to be aggressive, to play only my game, I could go to the third set. So, that's my goal. I work very hard on this in the two last weeks. I will try in my next match also to do this because I think in the next years if I want to have a long career, I think I will have to play like this also.

JUSTINE HENIN: I was a little bit frustrated because I had the break in the third and I had to finish the match earlier. I had the possibilities in two games to break her one more time, and I didn't. So when I lost my serve, I was completely out of the match. At 40-Love, I said, "Okay, if you want to win this match, you have to go, you don't have to be afraid, you don't have to be frustrated, you only have to play." After that, I let her play a little bit more, long rallies. But when I had the possibility to put on her a lot of pressure, I did it. I went to take this match. That was maybe the key of the match. But the key was also in the second set, it was 3-2 for her, two breakpoints on my serve. So, yeah, it was hard for me to win.

JUSTINE HENIN: I was in Hawaii. I was playing the tournament there.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think it was 6 in the morning when we knew it. I think it's a very sad thing. We didn't play on this day because, I mean, for the victims and for everybody. But, I mean, it's a tragedy. We left it like this.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think for sure tennis is not the most important thing in the life. I think life for many years, and tennis career it's only for ten years. So I try to enjoy my game, try to enjoy the life that I have on tour. I mean, I lived a lot of difficult things in my life also, so I know that tennis is not the only thing in life.

JUSTINE HENIN: I mean, for me it was my passion and for sure it became my job. But I enjoy too much to be on court. I think that's the best part of the game, it's to be on the court and to fight and to win or lose. I mean, that's the game. But I think we have good relationship between players. I think it's nice to travel, to see a lot of countries. I think we are lucky, everybody.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yes, for sure. I think last year after the French Open and Wimbledon, it was unbelievable. They bought racquets, our clothes. Yes, for sure. A lot of young guys started to play tennis. I mean, I saw people in the street playing tennis last year in Belgium. I think it's unbelievable for a little country, for sure, like Belgium. This year for the first time we have a great tournament. So I think it's very good for the Federation also.

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, special on deuce. That's because in doubles I feel more comfortable, so I do it in doubles. I try to keep a little bit in singles also. But I feel more comfortable there.

JUSTINE HENIN: Three sets. We lost, unfortunately. But we did a good match. They are tough players. To play Pratt and Po in the first one, for sure it's not an easy draw. They played well.

JUSTINE HENIN: I will try to be focused on my next match. I have day off tomorrow. I played six sets today. Especially in singles, it was hard. But I'm happy that I'm in the third one. I will try to play my best tennis, to go to the net, to be aggressive, just to play my game, and also to enjoy.

JUSTINE HENIN: You know, if I win a lot of matches, my ranking will be okay. My goal is to win a lot of matches and to go far. The ranking is not the best important in my head. I want to win and it's going to be fine.

JUSTINE HENIN: I think, like everybody, we have to do power training. That's part of the job. For sure, we have to run, we have to do a lot of power. I think that's important for me. Especially in December in Belgium, I worked very hard on this part, also on my game, to be more comfortable on my baseline. I can feel it now, so that's fine.