U.S. OPEN

September 4, 1993

Natalia Zvereva

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I don't think by the way I played you could say that, no, I didn't think so.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: In the first set? No, she was up 3-Love.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No, she started very -- awfully quickly. She started to blast balls, and I guess it was way too fast for me. But I kept on going. I just told myself that no matter if I am going to lose or win this match, it doesn't matter, but I am just going to keep on going and try to get into the match if possible. If she would have continued just playing as good as she played the first three games, that is bad luck.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: French Open?

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I think I beat her this year at Wimbledon.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Sooner than the French Open, so it was a different surface, and I was surprised the way she played, because she was coming this way -- I mean, much -- way much more than she was in Wimbledon, so there she was sort of like a little bit afraid to come in because I passed her a few times pretty successfully, so I guess she was a little bit afraid, but today she played the right way and I thought she played pretty good, but I was able to come up with some passing shots, you know, some pretty difficult passing shots and I just stayed focused throughout the match.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No, not really. Especially, I felt like after the first set I got a little bit sluggish, like flatfooted a little bit and that worried me for the whole second set, you know. I didn't feel like I was sharp enough to come in and stuff like that, but it turned out good.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Maybe a little bit and maybe because of the humidity; that is tough to keep, you know, like sharp feeling all the time when it is such a humid weather.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: For me it is the most humid Grand Slam ever, the U.S. Open. I mean, it can get hot at the French, or at Wimbledon, I mean, that is pretty unusual for Wimbledon, but it can be pretty hard, especially this year I thought it was very hot. Australian Open, it is sort of hot, but dry, so it is not really a problem for me.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Well, there are a few hamburger courts around here, so like court 23, I think, yeah, that didn't smell very nicely. And I guess transportation can be a pain in the rear because it has been so many delays and stuff like that --

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I don't think I had pressure on my singles for at least in three years; yeah, I don't think I had pressure. I mean, it is always nice to come out and play your best, but there is no pressure. I mean, I don't say I can't like choke or anything. I can choke, I can get maybe a little bit nervous; maybe just tiny little bit, but there is no pressure.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No. No. Me and Gigi, we have a hitting partner that -- this guy in particular that sort of, I don't know, I have very good relationship, and it is very easy like if I want to practice, we will go practice. If I don't want to practice, we bag it. But I feel very comfortable and it gives me confidence in some sort of confidence.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Oh you got --

NATASHA ZVEREVA: No.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: I am definitely not looking forward to it. I don't think it would bother me, no. I mean, I had my pressure days before and the way I go out and play a match, I just go out there and try to do my best, if I lose or win, so I think that pretty easy way of taking tennis match.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: She was upset because usually when I shake hands like from my side, if I shake hands, it usually doesn't matter if I lost or won. It is pretty solid handshake and just a good emotions, you know, whatever, but she didn't seemed like she was really there, so I guess she was upset.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Yeah, and she shook my hand very quickly and sort of -- it was quick.

NATASHA ZVEREVA: Who knows.