US OPEN

September 1, 1997

Mary Joe Fernandez

Q. Have to stop undressing on the court like that, people are starting to talk.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I know, pretty good strip tease, right?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It's okay. It's a little stiff. In general, it's okay.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Just started tightening up at the end of the first set. I've had a history with my back. I kind of know the symptoms of when it's going to get a little bit tight. So I pretty much got it right away before it got bad.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yeah. I have a bad lower back. I mean, it's just something I've always had. I don't know what brings it on.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I had one shot. That's when I felt it tighten up. She hits the ball really low, I'm bending more maybe than usual. You never know what it is.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yes.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I thought I put most of them away. I actually felt okay after I got taped. I had chances. I was up 2-Love, game point to go up 3-Love in the second set. I was up 4-3. I definitely had my chances. She's a tough player. She served well. She serves smart. It was hard for me to pick where she was going to go. You know, she mixes it up well. She has one side that's very low, the other side she hits. She's a tough opponent for me.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Maybe. Maybe got a bit tentative on it. I was still trying to get a high percentage of first serves in so she wouldn't be coming in all the time. I thought I served pretty well in general. Big games, maybe I missed a couple too many first serves.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Not always. You know, against Jana, you don't quite know what she's going to do. She can do everything: She can serve and volley; serve, stay back, baseline; chip and charge. I thought she mixed it up well today. Didn't really give me a target all the time. That's hard, because I'm expecting her to come in and she's not. You know, I know her strengths and her weaknesses, just like she knows mine. It's just a matter of who is executing better on that day.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It's always disappointing to lose at any point. Losses are tough. They're tougher at Grand Slams. You know, I had a good first week, played solidly. Today, you know, I wish it would have gone the other way obviously. But that's the way it goes.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: You look at the winners of Grand Slams, they're very few. It's a very difficult task. She's been in the Finals. She's almost done it a few times. That's a big credit to her. She's still capable of doing it at any time. She's such a good athlete, she's got everything. It's a little bit, like you said, sometimes the draw works out for you, it goes to your advantage. Sometimes it doesn't. You know, when you see the names that have won, they've been pretty solid.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It was close. I don't know if it was bad. I'll watch it on instant replay.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: First set is a big set. Whoever gets the first set gets the momentum. First point of that game actually was a big point. I had the passing shot, ended up missing it. Few points here and there.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I'd have to look at it. I don't know. I'm going to have to look at it and see.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Doubles has helped me a lot. It definitely has helped my aggressive mentality, to look for short balls, serving and volleying just helps you to get that movement going forward all the time. In doubles, when I feel I'm returning well in doubles, I usually end up returning well in my singles. For me it's been great. I try to play doubles at every event. I have a lot of fun, too, playing it.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Not really. I'd rather go play doubles than go practice. It ends up being competitive and a good workout as well.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I did. I wrapped it.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: No.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: -- we start doing it. Basically it's the same as this year. I always tend to go back to the same places that I have in the past. Maybe add a couple different ones. Start the season off in Australia, come back play Indian Wells, Lipton, Hilton Head, Amelia. Kind of the same pattern.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: No. Actually there were a lot of rumors going around that I might stop playing, play a little bit less. But, no. Rankings change and it's impossible to play less with the way the rankings are going now. As long as I'm healthy, that's the most important thing. I enjoy training and playing that much more. It's tough when you get hurt, stop and start.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, I think up until last year or this year, maybe 14 or 15. I think this year I'll end up playing maybe 19.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yeah.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: The same.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I think I have 15 now, and I'm playing four more, four or five more this year.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I have a coach.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yes.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, I found it tough when I finished high school and I started playing full-time. My body wasn't ready for it. I didn't know that I was going to be fatigued and my muscles were weak really. I think it's important to start maybe when you're 14, 15 years old to strengthen, to get more flexible, to be ready for when you do start playing that many tournaments. That's all really you can do to prevent.