AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2001

Evie Dominikovic

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Thanks.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Yeah, I was just saying to my coach Leslie ^ Barry before I said I am playing the crucial points really well. Like focusing really well, I mean, it was a third set and normally I have like a doubt in my mind, but this time, and my last match I said, no way, I am not going to give up; just kept going for my shots and I came out and played well.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: The crowd was pretty good out there for me today. They have been pretty good to me ever since like I have been here playing. They just got me really fired up. I just kept strong in my mind.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Yeah, of course, I have been hitting a lot of balls working on my game, and I am still working on my game. There is never a time that I am not working on my game. Everything has been going well.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: It was just that next step I had to do and just going for my shots a little bit more. It is coming out well, but bit more would be good, but I am still working on it, yeah.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Yeah, my coach was up in the corner, so I mean, Lleyton is a great inspiration and just the crowd, it is just great. Yeah, like I play well, so I get fired up. When I get fired up I play really well. If I don't fire up, I kind of drift away. I just have to keep that momentum up.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Yeah, I had to stay strong on those breakpoints and my service game points. When I got really tight, when I was down, I had to just stay really strong because I knew she was tight and so was I, so I mean, just whoever hit -- like hit out really got the game.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: No, not really, I just take one match at a time.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: I have got Rita Grande.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: I haven't really seen her play tell you the truth.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Yeah, I mean, of course it is.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: I am not sure, but at the moment it is not really bothering me. I am just concentrating on the Open. If I get a run at Fed Cup I mean, that is great, playing for your country is fantastic and that is always a one to do.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Yeah.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Just Evie D.. It will take too long.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: I mean, yeah, that is what I am here for to play top players and have a good experience playing the top players. That would be great. But I will just take the next match and if I win, that is fantastic, so, yeah.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: It has been the last three weeks and we haven't really spoke about it, but I think it is looking good, yeah.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: No, last year I had no one. I was just by myself. And because it was my first time by myself on the road so I thought I'd give it a shot, but I don't think I will be doing it again. It is just too hard.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: The OPTUS?

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Yeah, but I am going to try like to get a coach individual ly. But the OPTUS is with a group and one coach which is David Taylor. I mean, it is great help if you want to end up becoming in a group, but I like to work one-on-one because I think I concentrate a lot better and work a lot harder when it is one-on-one.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: Hopefully, yeah.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: They have all had tough draws. It is great being the only one because the crowd is going to be all behind you. But I mean, it is tough to say really. It will be good to have another player also in the draw but that is how it works out, they have had tougher draws like Pratt played - I didn't watch her match - she is a pretty tough opponent and Jelena with Davenport, so --.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: It is my mom and sister and my auntie from Sydney and friends, family from Sydney also.

EVIE DOMINIKOVIC: I had a friend come with me, yeah. But I wouldn't do it again. Six months on the road and didn't come back, but decided after that trip it was just too much being on the road six months from home. I just didn't get anything -- like towards the end I didn't get anything out of it. I just didn't really want to be there. But I mean, home is always home and I will be coming back a few times this year.