WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2001

Lindsay Davenport

MODERATOR: Questions.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, unfortunately not. No, yet in practise I thought, you know, I hit the ball much better yesterday starting for whatever reason. I warmed up really well. Just felt like I'm timing the ball a little bit better now than I was a few days ago. I thought I played great today, was really going after my shots. She can be a tough player. Didn't give her a lot of opportunities. Yeah, got to be happy with the way it went.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I think in the beginning I was able to hit the ball pretty hard and deep, not let her get going at all. I think it was probably a little bit of both, but I think it had a little bit to do with some of my -- you know, the depth and pace. It's hard to take big loopy strokes and do what you want to do with the ball. Don't have a lot of time.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Just excited. Thought I was playing well. Wanted to keep it going.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think it's just a lot of times the surface, the more you get used to it, the more at home you feel on it. It's pretty unrealistic to expect someone their first Wimbledon to do really well. It happens, but it's a tough surface to get used to. I think that, you know, Wimbledon has become a much easier tournament to play as the years have gone on. I think everyone is more helpful. Things are very easy for the players. From some of the stories a long time ago, it was a little bit difficult, I've heard. Yeah, it's great to play here. The crowds are always very appreciative. Everything, like I said, there's no problems really anymore.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: My first round I ever played here, it was so funny, I think I was up 6-Love, 4-Love, ended up winning 10-8 in the third. I was so nervous to win my first match here. Maybe it was 8-6 in the third. I remember everything about it, what court, everything. It's just one of those things where I think Wimbledon has a bigger mystique than other tournaments.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Does it change?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Just the level. I think you just feel, you know, a lot more proud coming back here. I don't know. I mean, every Grand Slam you go back to that you won you have a special feeling for. But coming back here and doing well the last few years, you know, I'm always excited to come back here.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Against a German girl Martinek (phonetic). They've changed the numbers of the courts a little bit. It was the last court on the backside before they built like 18, 19.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know. I think I'm pretty down-to-earth. I think my whole family is. Of course, on the court you have a little bit more temperament that maybe shines through sometimes, maybe it doesn't. I think I have a very good outlook on what this job is and what it means, what everything else in the world means, as well.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I would say that you always need to improve to keep up with all the players. Certainly if someone can have a year like Venus did last year, you almost have to just shrug your shoulders and say, "That's too good." See if that person can keep it going. Like the year Martina had in '97, won 13 tournaments, almost unstoppable. It's almost impossible to maintain that level of dominancy (sic). I think you've seen it this year. All of a sudden it's Capriati that everyone wants to stop. I think as a whole, all the tennis players try and get better to fend off whatever player it is for whatever year.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. I mean, not necessarily others are moving down. Someone just surges ahead and takes advantage of situations. Certainly Venus did last year. Then certainly Jennifer has this year. Will it change again? Most likely someone else, whoever it is, is going to come through. You know, it's impossible to win every tournament, every match you play. Then that person will get on a roll, it seems like. That's been the pattern in women's tennis the last few years.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I hope so. Certainly I've been playing well, on a surface that I like. After this, going into the summer hard courts, which is my favourite time of year. The timing would be great. You never know until you start winning some more tournaments.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I hope so. I mean, my first worry is I think Dokic. She was winning pretty easily when I came up here. Beyond that I'm not going to question if I'm okay. Certainly, I've been able to do it in the past, been able to maintain, you know, a certain level of consistency against all the big hitters. You know, coming off my knee injury, I haven't felt like it's slowed me down at all the last two weeks that I've played. We'll see. I mean, obviously these are much bigger tests that are coming up this week than what I faced in the last two weeks. But certainly I have no reason to feel unconfident (sic) going in there. Like I said, first up is, I assume, Dokic. We'll just concentrate on that match and go from there, win or lose.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. I mean, I feel like I'm moving fine. I don't feel like the months off have hampered me too bad. Certainly it's not ideal. I don't think it's a big problem.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't really like sit and daydream and think, "This is so beautiful." It's pretty funny to watch all the people, some of the matches going on out there. But it certainly is a beautiful place to play tennis. You know, it's very calm almost just to see the grass courts out there. I think I've enjoyed myself tremendously the last few years. Always happy to stick around on my days off. That means I'm still in. Happy to see the club then.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I've loved it here. I love staying out here. I think 80% of the players probably stay out in Wimbledon now. I love walking the courts. I mean, it's very easy. It's very calm. Haven't gone in the city yet; I've had no need to. Very relaxing staying out here. I think that takes a lot of the stress and pressures of some of the other Grand Slams, such as The Open, where you can hit a lot of traffic. Everything seems to flow so easily here.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I would say a little of both. For so many years you thought, "Okay, she's going to make it back, she won't lose this match." When you're watching her play, "She'll make her breakthrough here." I have to say I was completely surprised when I saw her in the Australian Open. I saw her play the week before in Sydney. She lost the quarterfinals to Lisa Raymond, up 4-2 in the third. Absolutely lost it, broke a racquet. She was throwing her racquet. Just kind of collapsed a little. Two weeks later, there she is holding a Grand Slam trophy. That definitely surprised me. Then since then, nothing surprised me. I think once you win a Grand Slam title, a lot of the burden is lifted off your back. You can almost play with less pressure because you've already kind of won the one big one. People are now talking about you in a different light. I think that helps her a lot. Most people focus on her story in such a positive light, instead of before there was a side-bar, was arrested, whatever. Now she's pretty much over that. Like I said, she's been able to turn everything around. I think it was the Australian Open, since then it looks like she hasn't looked back at all.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Played her many times.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, her serve. Her serve was a huge liability for a number of years, I thought. She would throw in a lot of double-faults. Definitely she's much more consistent on her serve. She doesn't have -- I would say she doesn't double-fault as much. I think she can mix it up a little bit better, maybe is more consistent with the first serve. Other than that, I always thought, you know, she competed well, she moved well, she hit the ball well. But I think just holding her serve a little bit more has helped her. Just the confidence now, she can hit the winner at the right time. A lot of times that's all you need, is one of those Grand Slam titles.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I looked at it like, "Wow, she's collapsing." I don't know. I mean, I played her once at the French, she did that. I mean, I was like, "Oh, no." She was winning, then just kind of lost it. No, I mean, I thought she's been hungry the whole few years. I think what's helped her also is she's definitely able to keep her emotions in check now and look at everything in a much more positive light.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: What?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, it's funny. When people talk about last year's Wimbledon final here, I'd have to say, I mean, I was heartbroken after the US Open, not even here. When I played here, I didn't feel like I was a hundred percent. I felt like I still did well. US Open I felt like I should have never lost that match. I mean, I'd love to start off 4-1 anytime you're in a Grand Slam final. I didn't think I was going to lose that at all. I thought for sure I was going to win that. Then just slowly started serving worse. Next thing I knew, it was 6-5 in the second set or something. 5-All, I had some breakpoints. Next thing I know the match was over. I should never have lost that match. You know, that's what happens.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I mean, this is Round of 16. You're going to get a tough match no matter who you play. She's a good grass court player. She's had success here the last two years, I think quarters and semis. Played her here last year in the semis. It's going to be a tough match. But certainly not fearful. You know, I have a good record against, you know, hard-hitters that hopefully I can dictate and they don't have as much time to step in and hit the shots they like to hit. Certainly will be a tough match and I'll have to play well.