CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF SANEX WTA TOUR

November 15, 2000

Lindsay Davenport

Q. As well as you've been playing lately, particularly last week, are you shell-shocked a little bit?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, it's funny, if you look at my first rounds here the last few years, I've always struggled first round, and if I've been able to get through it. You know, I've done quite well. And I don't know if it is just getting used to that court at first and getting into playing here, but I've always had trouble in the first round. But a match like that, I think I'm probably more shell-shocked, not with the way I played, but not winning it; having a lot of opportunities, and then fighting so hard to then get on top, and then to lose that set. It's not the best way to end the year. You'd want to go out, you know, playing maybe a little bit better, but, you know, I ended the year well in the other tournaments, and it's just another year done.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: She's very good. She's very up-and-down. And we didn't have many rallies the first set and a half, and then she started getting a little bit more on fire. I wish I had tried to do something different, maybe tried to hit the ball a little higher, deeper, or maybe just not try to hit so hard give her a good look at the ball, because she seemed like she was pretty grooved on what I was giving her. I don't think I was all that accurate with where I was aiming the ball, I think that maybe helped her play a little better and she ripped some big winners, especially some big times to win the second set and hung in there in the third.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I thought I've had a great year, and probably learned more this year than, most likely, any other year of my career. And proud of the way that I performed all of these months and a lot of things not always going my way. Even tonight's match, I have nothing to hang my head about. Disappointed that I maybe -- I didn't capitalize on a few points, but a good performance, and, you know, like I said, it is hard to lose, in, I guess, the first round here. But, hopefully, there will be a few more chances.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I just think with a lot of injuries, it tests maybe your mental toughness or your fight in how much you want to play. And, you know, I've come back from a lot, and still managed to play well and even managed to win a lot of matches when I wasn't playing well. I'm happy to come back and win the year strongly in two tournaments, and having some good performances at the Grand Slams. Would have liked to have won another one, but got close a couple times. So, all that kind of goes into ending another year, and hopefully, be back a few more.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I wish I could have taken the momentum a little farther. You know, I just felt so bad returning tonight. I think this court is a lot faster than what I played on in Philadelphia, and just didn't time the ball that well. So even though I was holding serve, I didn't feel like I was putting enough returns into play; and when they were, I didn't do enough with them. So, I wish I had been able to carry a little more momentum to maybe get up a break, and that would have helped a lot in the third, got me going and playing a little better, but just couldn't quite carry it through to the next game.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I think I contributed a little bit to today's loss. And she played well. I think I gave her the kind of ball she wanted to hit, which was hard balls, right, kind of, to her and didn't really mix it up all that much. So, I don't think I played tactically the smartest match of my career, but we've definitely played each other a lot, and I think I knew a little bit better what to do and didn't take advantage of it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I just said that I've been through more injuries this year than before and kind of learned how to play with not being 100% and learning not how to win, playing my best tennis and learning kind of what was important about this whole career. Everyone, to everybody it is different. But I felt like I performed admirably all year and tried my hardest and did the best that I could. I thought that, you know, I'll be happy with that.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, not great right now. I think in a few more days I'll have another crack at playing a little bit more tennis before the year is over, and hopefully doing a little bit better than this week's performance. I'm tired right now, but I'll get ready to go in a few days.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It was tough. I was in a board meeting when it was brought up to the board in March, and it was discussed, all of the pros and cons. You know, the players only have so much say. We have people running our Tour that try to make the best decisions possible for the game, and also, for the players. I'm sure there was a few issues with having it here in New York, and Munich came up with a great offer. I mean, as an American, I'm sad to see it go. But, sometimes you've just got to go with what's been decided.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, it's tough. I mean, that's a very tough situation. I don't know, really. It's funny, when it was first brought up, I didn't even think of that point. I kind of skipped my mind and someone brought it up to me a few days later and I was like, "Oh, God, there's some problems there." And I guess whoever made the decision, maybe didn't think about it either, I don't know.