US OPEN

September 4, 2001

Lindsay Davenport

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Just a few points. I mean, if the match is that close, it's not too many things. I was always in a hole, coming back. Even after I won the second set, I got down 3-Love right away. Just put myself in a hole right away. When I got the break back, got broken again. I kept fighting back. At 4-All, I had the one chance, you know, to break, and didn't. In a match like that, there's not a whole lot separating the players. I mean, a couple points, I would have won.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I thought I was. I mean, just that one game at 4-All, just missed a few returns in the beginning. That really probably would have broken her spirit probably if I could have broken there. I mean, she's a great competitor. Came back after being match point up. Blew a lead again. Hung in there. That's tough to do sometimes. I mean, it seems like she has a slight pattern of doing that, sometimes letting the person back in the match. I guess she's getting better at dealing with it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: She could have. I don't know. I mean, I saw almost the exact same match against Capriati in Canada, up a set, match point, lost it. I don't know if it's harder for her to win in two sets. All of a sudden, the third set she came back and won. You know, she definitely obviously hung in there as best she could, as well. I mean, it was tough conditions for both of us. It's sometimes hard always being up and blowing leads and hanging there. I was the opposite, always down. They're both tough positions to be in.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I mean, I think we get along great. It was a great match. I wished her luck in the coming rounds. She said -- I don't know exactly, something to the point of, Great match, good fight. Something like that. No, it was very nice. It was a great match. I don't think we wish each other harm at all.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I think, you know, like you said, it's a totally different match. To beat Martina, you overpower her. Serena obviously has that ability, to overpower players. The only thing is she has to be careful on her unforced errors. I mean, she has the game to overpower Martina; it's just how many errors compared to winners she has, I think, will be the difference.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I made the best of what I had tonight. I think I would like to return a little bit better, I mean, both this match and the couple matches I've lost, I really felt like my returns let me down in the summer. I have to go back and work on that. Maybe a few more first serves tonight would have helped. Other than that, I thought I did fairly well. We're not going to have a lot of long rallies. We both hit the ball hard and deep. It's tough to get any rhythm. The number one thing I'm most disappointed with is returning sometimes in matches. I don't feel that effective on it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I guess. I mean, obviously, it was to save match point. Sometimes those things just happen. I mean, there's not a whole lot of thinking on a match point, quick point. The ball was coming hard. I hung in there and gave myself some more opportunities, some more chances - just came up short at the end.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Disappointing to lose in the quarters. I haven't lost in the quarters in a pretty long time. You know, obviously I really felt this year that I've been so consistent and have only lost to players that have played well, have deserved to beat me, and are good players. I don't think I've lost to too many players outside the Top 10. I don't feel like I had any bad losses this year. But I would like to win a few more bigger matches. You know, it seems like sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. You know, last year I was able to pull through in the quarters, this year I wasn't. I got close. Got to turn that tide of getting close.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I mean, you never know. If you knew, you'd hopefully change the tide. It's been seven Slams now since I won one. It's not the end of the world. I feel like I've been competitive in all of them, felt like I had a chance. Just seems like I've just got to win one or two more matches to get through. I'll work on it. Hopefully I'll figure it out.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. I felt like I had a great year after coming back from the knee injury. Obviously, a little time off before the next tournament and it all starts again.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I think they're two more different players now than they were before.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think they've got different serves. I think Venus hits the ball a little bit harder. I think that when they first came out, you know, people grouped them together, "They play similar." I don't think that's the case. I don't know. It's just a feeling you get as a player. I don't know.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I thought so in the beginning. I thought after playing them both that Serena in the beginning was maybe a little bit more talented or better player. Certainly Venus has showed us that was wrong.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Venus stepped it up a whole other gear, pretty much after Serena won her Slam, a few months later. Venus is a very dominant player, and I think a better player than Serena. I don't know what happens when they play each other, but just in terms of their games. You know, I don't know what's going to happen in the long run. Right now, that's the case.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: If I had to bet, I'd put some money on Venus.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I just told you who I would put my money on. I don't know what's going to happen. That's who I think might win. I think the players are great that are left in the field. It's obviously no slight to them. If she plays well, it's tough for players to beat her. It's up to her, I think.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No (laughter). I'm not so good at watching when I'm home. I'll, you know, watch tomorrow night. I'll probably still be here tomorrow. I'd love to watch Pete watch Andre. That's probably the extent of my tennis summer.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't think so. I can't see that, but I don't know.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I did.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It was fine.