FED CUP - ISRAEL vs USA

July 20, 2002

Lindsay Davenport

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lindsay Davenport.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think I did a pretty good job of that. I never felt like I was doing too much of the running, and that was my goal out there - especially with the weather so hot. I felt it was almost beneficial to, you know, make an error or win the point instead of having long rallies with her. But it was a lot of elements out there, you know, when it gets that hot. So a lot of times the ball flies. I think we both were having some problems with that, especially in the beginning. And then -- but overall, I mean, I'm happy I served well. I think that -- I practiced my serve a lot when I could just only stand there. I hope that pays off for me because, you know, it's gonna take a little bit of matches to really feel great on the ground strokes. But I think if I can continue to serve well, it's going to really save me.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, it's really hard - hard conditions. You know, on top of the heat, you have the humidity. And on top of that, I haven't played a match in nine months so I thought I was going to be getting tired anyway, let alone dealing with the elements that were out there. But I think I did a good job. I think that's why we were here Monday getting ready for these conditions. It wasn't this hot all week, but still, it's lot different than coming from the dry air in California. You know, I'm still standing. I'm actually feeling really good. I was a little nervous before the match about the conditions. But it's great. I mean, I think this was a really big match for us, to get up 1-love. We're not familiar with the girl Monica plays, and Monica rarely loses to a girl ranked beneath her. So we're looking -- I'm hoping and looking forward to going up 2-0, but you never know.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I kind of knew what I was going to get going out there, you know - a girl that runs really well, someone that gets a lot of balls back with a lot of spin. So I think it was -- I never felt like I was pressured on my serve, where if you're playing like a hard hitter they're taking your second serve early and going for winners. I felt I had a lot of time, and I think that helped me a lot. I wasn't so nervous about serving and worried about her attacking it. But she's definitely improved a lot. I mean, she's up to 16 in the world. I wasn't aware of that when I arrived here. It's just a matchup for me that I think if I play well and I'm hitting my shots well that I can win the match every time. Of course if I'm making errors and she's getting balls back and tires me out, it's going to be a different story.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: That was good. I remember hitting a winner on the first point, thinking, "Oh, my gosh, that's so great. My first play back and I hit a winner." Yeah, that was great to be able to break serve right off the bat and get a good lead. I lost the lead in the second set and one of the breaks in the first set. But I was expecting that sloppy play would maybe enter my game now and then just because I'm not that match tough - I'm not match tough at all. So starting off well definitely helped me. Even in these conditions, I think it's tough when you lose the first set. When it's this hot, you know you've got a long way back to go. So I was really happy to get up to 4-1 and two breaks.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, I don't know. It's tough to rate the game in the conditions that we face because I think a lot of the errors were heat errors almost; I didn't want to get into any long rallies. And, you know, any time you can win over a Top 20 player, you've got to be happy. My first match back in so long, that I'm even walking afterwards, I'm very, very happy that my knee held up and everything went smoothly. So, I mean, for me it's a 10 (laughing). But, I mean, I know I have to get better and I'm going to get better. But all things considered, it's just a great way for me to start off again after not playing for so long.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It's tough on that side. That side was a little bit against the wind, and I thought that she was starting to get some more torque. I didn't make any first serves, where if I had made a few more first serves, it would have been an easier game. But sure, I mean, I haven't won a match in so long, I really wanted to close it out and get off to a good lead. It was important that I did not get broken there. So I'm happy I was able to fight and hang in there during that game. So, yeah, I mean, it was an important match for us. We really wanted to get off 1-0.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It can. I mean, if it's right in my strike zone, it's great. But her balls have a lot of spin on them. Sometimes they were jumping, sometimes I didn't move my feet enouggh to really get in position. But, like I said, if I play well I think against a counterpuncher at all, I like my chances if I'm hitting my shots. If I'm not, then it's going to be a long day out there. I think overall I was able to hit more in than out. I think it was real important that I was able to break her a lot and able to get a lot of returns in to start the point off.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I mean, I just drink. The trainers made me drink water, about five of these an hour for like ten hours yesterday. I was going to the bathroom quite a lot last night, but...(laughing). Really, that was it. They just really wanted me to drink a lot, try and cool down as much as I could on the changeovers, and hopefully all the training I've been doing would pay off. But you can never be prepared for something this extreme. It's very hard to deal with I think.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, just to start off with a win, start off , you know -- and physically right now I feel really great. So all of that stuff is going to help me. But I don't know the level of my game or how consistent it will be. I really have never been off this long. A lot of times -- the people I've spoken with who have had injuries said to expect up and downs, and it takes a little while until you really feel like you were before the surgery, before the injury. But, yeah, I mean, I'll take a win any time. I'm especially really lucky it's coming up in the hard court season and three tournaments in a row in California, my home state. I'm excited to get back out there next week.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Today we did (laughing). It's tough. I mean, you never want rain to be a factor. Sometimes if it were to rain all night, you would be disappointed. But you have no way to predict the weather. We knew it was going to be hot here, but all week it's been cooler than it was today. It's almost like it's our bad luck. But you just got to go with what you're given. I didn't care what time we played.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: We were all sitting in the locker room before trying to come up with the hottest times we played. Monica and I came up with the Olympics in '96; it was pretty hot there. We played a tournament in Atlanta the next year, same site. But I think the women are really lucky in the summer - west coast tournaments never get this humid in California. When we hit The Open the last week of August, first week of September, it's cooled down than what it is in the heat of the summer like right now. But I try to avoid these conditions, yes (laughing).

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I did weigh myself before and after and I lost about three pounds, which the trainer said it was okay - not great. So hopefully by the time I leave here tonight it will be back on.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it was -- it's so hard to say because I was also battling the heat, like, "Okay, don't want to go three sets," "Okay, got to win the match here," "Okay, I don't want it to go on." It wasn't a typical match where -- you know, just different thoughts go through your mind. But I thought I handled it well. I broke her a number of times. Even after I got broken, I think I came back well and handled the situation well. So, you know, mentally I felt I was pretty strong out there and pretty confident. I mean, I made some errors I didn't like and went for some bad shots at certain times, but I think that will all kind of get better and better as I keep playing.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, that was one of the hardest things. It's very hard to come back and play someone who's serving 100, 105 and you never get a rhythm. I knew going out there I was going to be able to start playing soft and get a rhythm and always be in contention to break her. That's huge for your confidence. I knew that before I stepped on the court, and that definitely eased my mind a bit, knowing any time I could turn the match around just because she wasn't going to get a lot of free points on her serve.