adidas International

January 12, 2004

Lindsay Davenport

THE MODERATOR: First question for Lindsay, please.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, it's pretty cloudy today. It's not too big of a problem. The forecast this week looked pretty, you know, iffy all week. So hopefully we won't get just the really, really hot day out of nowhere. But this is what this week's for, getting used to the heat and the sun and the wind, and just trying to get used to that all and get the body acclimated.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, it seems like most of these cases aren't really commented on until the hearing is actually held. I think it's kind of pointless and kind of guessing to kind of make assumptions now. Seems like, you know, both sides have to present their case before it's really probably appropriate to comment on.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I mean, the farthest I've gone has only been the urine test and the blood test. I haven't had to go to a hearing or anything, so I can't really comment on how those go. But I think that both -- every establishment in tennis is trying to make a more concerted effort to test the players more and more. Certainly, last year I was tested far more than any other year. I assume it to be the same this year. So, fortunately, I have no experience with what happens once you test positive.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. I mean, you never really expect any tennis player to be caught with anything in their system. But from reading the few quotes that I have, it seems like maybe a couple players - or a lot of players, depending on what you read or believe - have tested positive in the ATP. It seems like until they go through their hearing, you don't really know what the facts are.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it was kind of a different one, because I had surgery in mid October. Couldn't really, you know, do too much on my foot until the beginning, mid December. But did spend a lot more time in the gym, especially the whole month of November. Didn't have a lot to do, but did that. Started working with a new trainer who's been fantastic and put me through a lot of weights and a lot of, you know, quickness drills and trying to improve even just my technique, running and posture and all that. Really enjoyed it. You know, hopefully if I can keep doing that when I'm home, it will start to add up.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't really understand the question (laughing). As far as media goes, no, I don't believe or don't really read what the media has to write in general no matter where it is. I mean, a lot of people have opinions and a lot of people don't really play tennis or know tennis that unfortunately have to write about tennis. It seems like journalism here is slightly more sensationalized than in the United States. You know, it's very big news here. We're not really used to that in the United States. We're cut a little bit more of a break. I think a lot of times people are just jumping for any bit of story they can.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Oh, yeah, I know exactly who I am. Reading something, whether negative or positive, is not ever going to change that. I think I learned quite young to try and brush all that off. And, you know, it's really about trying to get better, practicing, working hard. I feel like I've done all those things. You know, I mean, some days you go out there and you stink, you can't make balls in. It doesn't mean you're a bad player anymore; it's just you had a bad day. You can't really worry about each particular match and what people have to say about each match.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't think -- I know who I am. I don't really give a crap what the writers have to say about me (laughing). That's kind of how I think about it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I mean, it probably gives a little bit more opportunity to some players. But on the whole, I think it's probably more of a disappointment. I know the US Open was certainly lacking in some excitement without Venus and Serena there. Now in Melbourne, no Serena, some rumbling some other players are maybe going to pull out. It's really more unfortunate than anything else. I think it just goes to show the wear and tear. The tour has just taken its toll on a lot of the girls, whether it be psychologically or physically, or whatever their problems may be. Ideally, when you win a Slam, you'd want to say that everyone was there and, "I was the best of those two weeks." You know, not with an asterisk, "Serena wasn't there, So-and-So wasn't there." You definitely would rather have all the players present.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, I think the tour did some research at the end of last year. The Williams have obviously when they've played been extremely dominating. You know, if you look at their records in Grand Slams over the last three years, it's pretty remarkable. You know, I really didn't give much thought to it. And then the question was posed because I guess I was the one it directly affected when -- didn't really think much about it, and don't really care. I'm just going to go where I am in the draw and play from there.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. Yeah, it feels like that. I mean, we kind of had the same feeling at the US Open without Venus and Serena there. I mean, you still have to put Justine as a big favorite above a lot of the other players just for virtue of her winning two Grand Slams last year, being 1 in the world, and obviously proven that in big matches she's been coming through. But it's a lot of opportunities to see, you know, if Kim can win her first Grand Slam, if some veteran players can come back, how Venus will come back after being off so long. I mean, there's a lot of intriguing story lines still left. But at the end of the day, there's no Serena, who when she plays a Grand Slam the last few years, has won just about every one she's entered.