ROGERS CUP

August 19, 2005

Kim Clijsters

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Kim.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I came into this tournament obviously with a jetlag, with everything I was a little bit tired. But every match I feel like I'm, you know, better than my first match already today. You know, I still think I need -- there's still a lot of improvement I think to work on. But I feel like I'm very happy to be in the semis and hopefully play a good match against Anastasia.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Just recover from the last few weeks as well. I think I'm just, you know, I'm happy to be here and to be playing those matches. These are great matches for me to play - although I got a walkover yesterday, which I wasn't too sad about (smiling). Yeah, you know, again, the match like tomorrow is going to be a great match for me. This is perfect to have these kind of matches in such a big tournament, yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, you don't. You don't try to think about it. You just try to play the ball and don't really worry about, you know, how she's feeling too much. I mean, she seemed to be -- I saw the first set today, and she was hitting the ball really well. She was hitting the ball clean. Some of the best tennis I've seen her play maybe the last, you know, maybe this year. I mean, you know, she looks happy. She's a good friend of mine. It's going to be fun out there tomorrow.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah, but, you know -- I don't know. It's a tough situation, I guess. But, you know, I'll see. I'm not going to finish every rally in a dropshot tomorrow. That would be stupid. No, I'm going to see. I'll see out there, you know, how she's feeling. I mean, she recovered. She was moving well from side to side today as well. We'll see. I don't know, we'll see out there tomorrow.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I've played enough matches the last few weeks. So, yeah (smiling).

KIM CLIJSTERS: I just had a 15-minute run and that's it. You know, nothing too much. I'll do my exercises that I have to do every day. I'll do that tonight. For the rest, I'll have a massage and go to dinner, just relax.

KIM CLIJSTERS: No, I don't think so. I think it's similar. I mean, I think my best game, you know, since 2003 has been, you know, the same. I've improved my serve, I think, and I've worked on a lot of things. I think I've become more consistent, yes. You know, I think I've become more consistent. The French Open, you know, I felt like when I lost to Lindsay there and after being up 6-1, whatever it was, a set and 3-1, you know, something snapped in my head. I said, "I want to work hard again. I want to get back, I want to get fit." I started training hard in Eastbourne. It pays off. The hard work pays off. I think I've become a little bit more consistent and patient I think as well on the court.