US OPEN

September 4, 2003

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I played tough. I really didn't know how it was gonna be, with all the kind of delays for the last three days. I mean, I didn't hit one day. Yesterday, I'd hit indoors, so I didn't know if it was, you know, gonna throw off my timing a little bit. But, you know, I had a lot of energy out there and I still played aggressively.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, I'm not gonna, you know, forget how to hit a ball in like two days. Just the main thing is just to keep the legs moving and not just sit around and do anything. So, you know, I did some workout and just was able to hit in the indoors. I think that helped a lot, so... Once I got out there, you know, I felt the ball well, and then I just got more confident and just started really picking it up.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Right. Well, I think this is gonna be the match for me where I, you know, feel like I just have to play my best tennis. And really, you know, play the tennis that I've been playing, but expect, you know, better, much better opposition. You know, she hits the ball big. I mean, she's moving well. Obviously, she has a lot of confidence, too. She's come off a lot of wins. So, you know, I still feel like I don't have the pressure, you know. Even though I am here in the US Open, you know, she's the one, I think, that, you know, you would think was supposed to win just by the record, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I got to just see about that afterwards and not really think about that. You know, I just got to go out there and play.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, absolutely. I think it will be great for the fans and great for the players. Just feels like all of a sudden everything's just happening so fast, you know. It's like, I don't know, the last four days, I mean, it's just been, you know, in a fog. Now, all of a sudden, you know, it's like the semis are here. So it feels like a different tournament almost. You know, just because of the delays and everything, and playing back-to-back, it's a semifinal. So who cares? Just got to go out there, do the best you can, give it all you got and that should be motivation enough.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: They're all special to me. You know, they've all got their own little specialness. You know, here, it's just for me, just being my hometown, which would make it great for me. But all Grand Slams, you know, are the same to me. I mean, this, because it's one of the ones that I've come close to before and haven't won, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A little bit. But, I don't know, my -- on the inside, you know, I always feel like I'm the one who should win, you know. I think that's the way you got to think out there when you go out there, you know? And it's a little bit of both of that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I guess now's the time, right (smiling)? Yeah, I mean, I hit a couple of big ones today. You know, if it's going well, to me, I'd rather have a high percentage and just get a lot of first serves in and, you know, not risk double-faulting, whatever, and sending it up. But, I mean, hopefully, you know, yeah, that's where I'm gonna give it all, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, obviously, you know, her backhand is her weapon, I think. But does it mean I'm not gonna play her backhand? You know, she's just -- she's got an all-around game and she just moves well. You know, I can expect her to come into net because she's got great instincts up there. So, you know, she's just a very tough all-around player.