THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 28, 1998

Anna Kournikova

VERONIQUE MARCHAL: Questions for Anna.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I think that it was a very long week for me. I mean, I've played a very tough job compared to Venus'. I played Monica and everybody, Davenport. It was very difficult for me. My fifth day playing, I got a day of rest yesterday, but still, you know. So it was a little bit difficult. It was very hot today. All other matches I played kind of later in the afternoon. But I think just I got a little bit tired physically. But it's good. It shows me that I didn't -- she didn't beat me; I lost. That means I'm better a little bit than her.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I said that it's good that she didn't really beat me, I made all the mistakes, right? So that gives me, you know, some confidence that I could play better.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No. I think I sliced also in the first set, as much as I did the end. I just had to go to the bathroom, bathroom break.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Definitely. I say she played a great match. It was a great comeback. Like I said, you know, you could probably see that I made all the decisions on the court.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, you know, I think so. But, you know, she played finals of the Open and some other finals. Probably she was a little bit already calmer than I was. I was, of course, very excited about being in the final, you know, beating such a great players on the way. I've had a great week. I really worked hard this week.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I didn't say that. I'm just saying that, you know, it shows me that I can play better than I did today.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I didn't try to look at the opponent, you know, who I was playing. If I would be thinking that I was playing Venus Williams, I would probably be intimidated. But I tried not to think who I was playing against. I tried to focus only on my game.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I'm not blaming anything. I lost.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Of course. But I think, you know, there is a big difference if you play somebody No. 40 in the world and somebody No. 2, No. 9, No. 8, and No. 4 in the world in a row, four days in a row. You have to be really concentrated with your mind, first of all. It was a great week for me. I cannot say anything. I don't blame anything. I think I did great here. I really enjoyed it.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No. It was part of the game. It worked in the first set, right? So I don't think it really affected. I just started to play probably a little bit more passive. I should have played more aggressive toward the end of the second set.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Nothing really special was in my mind. I was just thinking about the match. I really tried to enjoy out there. It was my first final. I really had fun.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, no. I knew she's a tough opponent. I knew, you know, she won't just give it to me. When you're in the finals of such a big tournament, I don't think anybody would give you anything. You really have to fight till the end.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I think any of the young players I had the first round also very difficult, I played against Lucic, it was also a little bit pressure there. She's also young, you know, coming. So it was a little bit. But I tried to block, you know, the intimidation away.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: What do you mean? I didn't play her here.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Who?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: And?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: What's the question? I didn't understand, sorry.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I think there is a big difference if you go mentally into the first round and you play Lucic, second round you play Seles, third round you play Martinez, fourth round you play Davenport, in the semis you play Sanchez. Venus had first round, I don't know. Qualifier, second round somebody, third round somebody, fourth round somebody. Semis you should get a tough player, tough opponent. It happened to be Hingis. She did a great job beating her, but, you know, I'm not saying anything. I think that I just got tired mentally and physically during this tournament.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I certainly hope so.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Not really. It depends who and what circumstances.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I had the most difficult -- the most exciting match for me was against Monica. Probably the hardest to play against was Davenport. But, you know, I tried to survive this week. When I saw the draw, I was like, "Wow." I was not very excited about it. But I got through to the finals, and I'm really happy about it.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Did I say I was in control?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I was really prepared for this match mentally. I tried to take everything, you know, that she doesn't like. I tried to put it in one. I did everything that I wanted to do in the first set great. Then I probably, you know, thought I had to do even better or something, or I had to change something.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I was, you know, making her play, playing my game. I was playing aggressive. I think she wasn't really ready for that. In the second set and third set, I started to be more passive, I didn't play as aggressive.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I mean, she started to play great in the second and third set. Like you said, all shots, she ran them down. I had to play more aggressive. I had to come to the net or do something. I shouldn't have just rallied probably.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I learned something from each match, for sure. I haven't lost yet out to a person for like a year -- today is March, for a year and three months, to somebody out of Top 15. You know, I'm just trying to play match at a time. I really, really had fun at this tournament, enjoyed the finals.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I think, you know, maybe after the semifinals, everybody thought it was a surprise, a fluke that I got to the semifinals or something. Here I showed to everybody that I can play good tennis in a row, I can beat top players, I beat four Top-10 players in a row. Every time, like I say before, there is a new generation coming, new players are coming, and you can't be surprised at that.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I travel full-time.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah. Well, I guess so. But, like I said, I travel all the time. I've been here -- this is the longest period I have been here, during the tournament.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I have an apartment.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No. I mean, he's done so many great things for me. He always will be my friend. Nick is a great person, great friend. I still talk to him. I could go to academy to practice and everything. We're still friends, great friends.