U.S. OPEN

August 29, 1994

Mary Joe Fernandez

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It is great to be back. I really missed playing here last year. It was kind of the beginning of my downfall last year physically and, you know, I was looking forward to playing well and had that good summer getting into the finals of the French. It was very disappointing dropping out last year, so this year I have been pretty eager to come here for a while now. And it was a little bit ironic. Last year I was supposed to play at night as well on stadium and I started off that way this year, so that was nice. And it was nice to get through that. I think it was one of the toughest matches I could have drawn and not having -- I haven't played too much recently, so I am fortunate that I played well enough to win that.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Right.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yes.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, like I said, I mean, I knew I was going to have a tough time when I played, when I have been on the top of my game; I have played Sabine and had very close matches and she is coming off doing really well this summer, and I just knew it was going to be tough, so I tried not to get discouraged. I was like, well, I am going to have to play well to win this; it is not going to be one of those matches where she is going to get nervous and give it to me. I am really going to have to win. I thought I was hitting the ball well. First couple of games, I was in there. I said I got to convert one of these games and I am in the match. Luckily, I think that happened at 4-1. It was a long game. I think that was a big game because I could have gone down 5-1; stayed in there 4-2; it was a different ballgame.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Quite a bit. I didn't play anything after this last year. I ended up playing the Championships at the end of the year but really came back too soon and this year I have been off a lot. I really haven't played that much, and I haven't had a long streak of tournaments yet, so I am looking at this as the beginning of a good streak and beginning of a healthy period for myself and just feeling strong again. I think, you know, it is going to take time again. But I think being off so much allows you to appreciate the game all that much more, and helped me realize that I Love to play and I am more eager now; I am more fresh.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It has been the same. I haven't had injuries like pulls or sprains. Because of the surgery last year I have had a tough time dealing with the medication, during the year and all the stuff you have to go through. Hopefully that patches over and now it is a good spell for me.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: October, like two weeks after this, I had it, actually.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I think-- I mean, I was eager to eager to be out there and working hard again and competing. I think that is the main thing and in respect of this tournament, I am just taking it one day at a time. I have a very tough draw. It started today, and every match is going to get tougher, and it is going to be rough, but like I said, I am going to take it one day at a time and we will see. I am excited. If I play well, I think I have a good chance.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I think so. You still have to go with the favorites; still have to go with the Graf or the Sanchez Vicario, but you know, I think players in the back of their minds have a shot at it. On any given day, anything can happen, and, you know, there is tough girls in the field. It is not like it used to be where the top seeds pretty much got to where they were supposed to get. You know, I think we are seeing everyday more and more more upsets and more depth in the game.