US OPEN

August 25, 1997

Anna Kournikova

Q. Can you just talk about your match today and how that sort of sets you on a good pace for this Open?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, yeah. I started off real well. It's good for me to start well, that I kept going through the match the same way. I was very happy with the way I played for the first match, for the first round.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I mean, you go out every day, you know, to eat, have dinners. But, you know, I don't have much time while we're playing. But after we're finished playing, I will definitely go somewhere. I have great memories, you know, in New York from last year, like at home here.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I just want to play well and be, you know, real consistent playing, just go out there and really focus on each match.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Everybody, you know, can do well. So, I mean, it's hard to say. But I'll try to give it all I've got in every match.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I'm playing for the fans, so whenever they come and ask for autograph, I always try to give it to everybody because I'm out there for the people. I'm playing and I hope they enjoy it.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Like?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think that happens to everybody.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah, I just practiced at home, really was just getting ready.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, it's a little bit hard for me, you know, like coming into this event with no matches before. Like last week I didn't play anything. So it's a little bit hard, but I'm trying to play just regular matches before each tournament to get ready.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Like next June.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah, last year.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, it was probably circumstances were different. Last year I played there for the first time a night match against Paulus. That's where I made my first biggest match ever. So this year I was already, you know, played on centre court at Wimbledon, and I'm used to that big kind of court. So I felt very comfortable.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: It's huge still.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I think, that tennis is a lady's sport, so we should look out there like ladies. I just try to look after myself and really play.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: They wouldn't come here if I wouldn't be playing.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: That has never been an issue yet, but I never -- I didn't come to Canada because I was waiting for something like that, for citizenship or anything. I'm a Russian citizen, so I have to have more time for my Visas to travel. I need Visa for every country, France, England, everything, Canada, so I didn't wait the time for the Visa. Didn't get it.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Sure, I feel a little bit like American. I grew up here. Since I've been ten I've been here, but I'm still Russian.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Nick Bollettieri.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think like nine. I'm not sure. Nine or ten, nine.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Until June, next June.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Eight more or nine more, I'm not sure.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, no.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yes.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah, it will be a very good experience for me I think to play a little bit more matches, maybe with some of the top players. It will be good for me.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I was.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: It was very strange for me because last year I couldn't play like French, I believe, or Wimbledon, something like that. And my ranking was high enough to get me into the Grand Slam, but I couldn't because of the age restriction. And I think it's unfair that they're letting her play right now when I wasn't able to play last year. So it's very unfair, I think, to me and to all other players. Because if you make a rule, you have to, you know, stay to that same rule. You can't make any exceptions if you already made the rule. So it's pretty unfair to me, I think.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I still think everybody's different. Doesn't mean what happened to some of the other girls, doesn't mean it's going to happen to me. Obviously, you know, I'm still here, and I am sure I'm going to be here, and nothing's going to happen to me. So I think everybody's different. They shouldn't just make those kind of rules. I've been practicing all my life to play, and I'm just like, you know, waiting right now. For what, I don't know.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, I don't know for sure. I was a hundred something, like 110. I could get like into one of the Grand Slams.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah, it was something like that because I played the US Open last year.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, like I said, I'm going to try to give all my best in every match and really concentrate on each match. So I'm going to take it step at a time.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, you know, I'm doing what I love to do, so I really enjoy playing tournaments, I really enjoy playing matches, being out there for the crowd. I think that, you know, helps me a lot when I do well and get my confidence up. I think when I win matches, you know, I enjoy it very much.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I don't think I'm missing anything. Maybe just being home a little bit more. But I think that, you know, I love to travel, it's good for me. Because, you know, so I don't get bored staying in one place for too long. Right now I couldn't stay in one place for more than two months. I would probably want to go somewhere. I don't think I'm missing anything.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah. New York, you know, it's a very fast city. So everything keeps going like energizer. I have great memories from here from last year. I really like the city.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah. I was getting ready for a really tough match. She's a great player, doesn't give anything away. But I think that I started off real well. That's why she, you know, didn't get into the match. I was getting ready for a tougher match.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, when you're not seeded, you always get seeds. Anyhow, I would get somebody who is a good player. So it is going to be a tough match also.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I didn't make a point of it or something. But I think that all of the young players got a lot of attention over there, Martina, Williams, I think I was just one of them.