U.S. OPEN

September 8, 1992

Mary Joe Fernandez

Q. How do you feel about playing Seles in the next round?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, I feel good. I am happy to be playing against her. It is going to be a tough match, but I have been playing well. I played well today; last couple of matches, pretty more aggressive. I feel all right going into it.

Q. Your thoughts on the match today, Mary Joe. You have been walking around all week just like you were going to do some damage.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It didn't look like that in the beginning of the tournament. First few matches were a little rough for me. So I think after I got through those, I felt a little bit lucky to still be here. And I am taking advantage of it now. I have played aggressive. I have gotten more of my shots, and I played well today. It was a tough match. Even though it seemed like I was winning easily at the beginning, she was still playing well, and she got more aggressive, and you know, third set, it could have really gone either way.

Q. You lost, I think, six of the previous seven matches to her, something like that; she dominated you for a while. What was different today? Why do you think you were able to put it together?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, last time I played her on hard court, I won. I feel confident in that aspect. I knew that I had to play aggressive. She has been playing aggressively. That is why she has been winning so much. I didn't want her to be running me around, coming in and making the shots. I started off really well. That is what I was doing in the middle; didn't make many mistakes. She thought that, I think, gee, I have to be doing this. Then she started doing it. It went back and forth. It was whoever got the opportunities, short ball, was being the aggressor. At the end, I just really came in as much as I could. Tried to keep it away from--

Q. Personal observation. You have been a different person, actually playing much, much better since you won that gold medal in Barcelona.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: You think so?

Q. Yes.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, I don't know if I am different. I feel confident. I played well in Barcelona, and you know, I have played enough matches to feel confident.

Q. Because this is the American championships, does it have more significance to beat her here? You have got the crowd now; you are the last American left.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It meant a lot because last time I played her out there, she beat me in the semis. That was a big match, that you know, stood with me for a very long time. So, you know, during the match today, I thought about it actually a few times, and I didn't want that to happen again. So I'm glad now that we are even.

Q. It is an obvious question. Did it stay with you for so long?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: It was a big match for me. I have been playing well. I was up against her. I actually-- I had beaten her like four out of five last times we played, so I felt I really should have won that match. And she changed her tactics on me, you know. I was up 4-1, 4-0; she started coming in on everything. I freaked out a little bit. I ended up losing the third; it was an emotional match. And she ended up winning the tournament which made it a little worse for me.

Q. She broke through by coming in and being much more aggressive in that tournament. You started doing that. Harold is pushing you to do that. When she did that signal to you that, you know, as the years were going by, that she did it; she succeeded?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Definitely. She has been a great example for me because she went through a period where she lost a lot of matches, and she stuck with her, you know, with her game plan and what she needed to do to improve. And I don't think I've done it quite to the extent she has, but I know that is what I have to do, and hopefully, you know, I will do it more and more.

Q. Mary Joe, we are going to naturally say upset, mild upset, whatever. Do you consider this an upset in your mind?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Definitely. You know, she is ranked three or four in the world and I am behind her. So I think everybody expected her to win it. I knew I had a chance and I was confident going into it, but I think it was an upset.

Q. Could you describe the point where you got the umpire to overrule the ball, the overhead on the line?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: At the end?

Q. The game that was 30-All and I think in the 9th game.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Oh, I hit a forehand, or a serve and volley. I saw it good. And I think it was good and I think the guy called it out; after a while she overruled it.

Q. Did you have a sense that she was maybe not as mentally tough as she has been since she hasn't played and there was just kind of an up and down quality to her?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: No. Not really. I think Gaby is one of the toughest players out there. She never gives up and she always finds ways to win even if she is not playing well. And you know, she fought 'till the end, and you know, she played well. I thought it was a good match for both of us.

Q. Are you two very good friends or know each other--

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I would say we are good friends. I have known Gaby since I am eight or nine. We get a long really well.

Q. What was said at the net at the end there once you had won?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Just you know, congratulations; good luck; you played well, stuff like that.

Q. The first thing you said in here that "the first few matches were a little rough for me." Have you played this poorly early on in the Open before, coming into this sort of match?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I have played poorly here almost every year, except two years ago. I don't know -- the year I got to the semis, I think I played well throughout every match. And this year, you know, I struggled in the beginning, and you know, I hung in there and fortunately got through.

Q. What do you consider your best win that you ever had to this point?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I guess it would have to be Gaby. I mean, I have beaten Monica but before she was number one.

Q. Gaby at another time meaning--

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: You mean when?

Q. Yeah, the biggest win.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: What match?

Q. Yes.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: That is hard to say. It could be, you know, Gaby this year, in Australia. That was a big one, semis of the Grand Slam.

Q. You were saying before that you know, that it is not really your personality to, you know, push and sort of dictate things and be so aggressive and anything else. You were saying that a couple of days ago. Can you explain that because you have had a change in your personality?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I don't think my personality has changed. I know now that on the court I have to be the aggressor. I can't be the one just to get the ball back and wait for things to happen to me, you know. I don't think that it has anything to do with the way I am.

Q. I mean on the court.

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: On the court, yeah, I know that in order to play with top players and beat them and go to that next step, that is what I have to do. It is hard because I have played my game style for so many years that it is hard to break that pattern.

Q. You said you know Gaby since you were eight or nine. Did you play her?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yes, almost every Orange Bowl and Sport Goofey.

Q. Were you instant friends or did she beat you all the time?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I think we were about even, you know, in the junior days.

Q. Was there ever any tension or was it always good nature conversation?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Always good natured.

Q. They keep talking about you making your big breakthrough. Do you feel that this is it?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Well, you know, this is one step towards it, definitely. These are the kinds of matches I need to win to keep developing my game and keep improving, so, this is definitely a positive step for me.

Q. Thank you.

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