PILOT PEN INTERNATIONAL

August 27, 1998

Amanda Coetzer

Q. With all the success you had had with Steffi, of late is she much further -- obviously she appears to be much further along in her comeback.

AMANDA COETZER: Yeah, I think so. I mean, if I have to compare -- I played her in Mawah beginning of the summer and I felt like she definitely played a lot better this evening than she did then. So I think she is really -- yeah, she has progressed.

AMANDA COETZER: It is really hard to say. I think, you know, for a time there we really played each other a lot and I think that was probably a bit of an advantage for me because I really rely on my reactions, so I really kind of got a good feel for her game during that period. It is hard to really point it out to one specific thing.

AMANDA COETZER: Yeah, I mean, that was a really tough game and it seemed to have been a bit of a turning point too in the match, obviously. I get like I was playing well 'til that point and then just played a couple of bad games after that, but that was definitely a very competitive and tough game. I think we both really tested each other out.

AMANDA COETZER: I don't know if I have lost that many games in a row -- I mean, for a long time. But, yeah, I mean, I think -- she definitely got a bit of a boost after that 3-2 game, she won two really quick games and she definitely lifted up her game and her confidence definitely went to a different level.

AMANDA COETZER: Yeah, I think probably just the one thing that stands out to me would be the fact that I felt like she was really there on every point. In the past I felt like she let a lot of points slip in a row and it was almost the opposite, I felt like I did that a little bit this evening, I really felt like I lost my focus a bit and didn't really get it back right away. I just let a few points slip in a row and really couldn't stay with her the way she competed every point. I never felt like she laid off. She was always there.

AMANDA COETZER: Yeah, you can't allow it to run away from you. You really have to stay with it all the time. I think that was something that I was able to do the last few times that I played her. It is hard to say whether -- it was easier for me because she did it to me. She let a few points slip, or, you know, the other way around.

AMANDA COETZER: Yeah, she really seemed pretty strong. Again I really didn't feel like I -- that was a fair test. I have to be honest, I tested her for maybe five or six games in the beginning, but then really kind of let it slip a bit. But I think that I was up against -- it was a tough test for me to really stay with her mentally because she definitely seemed strong.

AMANDA COETZER: I don't know, I think -- she didn't make that many errors. Probably -- she kept it low and was really coming through a little bit, I probably could have done a little bit more, I don't think the fact that I went to her forehand was that bad of an idea, tell you the truth.

AMANDA COETZER: Definitely. I think obviously this tournament has really moved around a lot and it would just be great that it will be here next year and that we can come back and really prepare for the Open. I think it is just perfect time to have it here. The conditions are exactly like New York and it is a great atmosphere. It is a great stadium and I really enjoyed playing here.

AMANDA COETZER: You know, I have to admit, I would really like to see her do that. I think she could probably do with something like that and yeah, but I think there are a lot of people out there going for it. I think it is going to be an exciting competition next week and also the next few Grand Slams coming up next year.

AMANDA COETZER: Just I think, you know, because I have seen her struggle. In a lot of the Grand Slam tournaments I actually played her and I think that she is such a perfectionist that I think it is really tough for her to deal with losses against people that she probably shouldn't lose to. I think it will be nice for her to win another one.

AMANDA COETZER: I wouldn't know. I really don't know. I have really spoken to anyone about it. I think it is just exciting to be in women's tennis at this moment where somebody like her who is a great champion and all these young girls there are so many different people out there competing. It is a really a big competition at the moment.