U.S. OPEN

September 1, 1994

Lindsay Davenport

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, my first match on the stadium. Actually I played the Arthur Ashe charity thing on Sunday. That was my first time, you know, on it and today was my first match.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Right.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It was great. I am kind of glad I went out there maybe and won, you know, this year I have played on the stadium court and the other three in singles and lost all times, so, I played Graf in Australia, last to Halard at the French and Conchita at Wimbledon. At least I am 1 and 0 on the stadium courts somewhere, right now.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, you know, ever since I have been out of school I have been on the road. Haven't really been at home very much. When I was injured -- so it will be very interesting to see after Tokyo, I play the week after the U.S. Open, and then I am home for about six weeks so I am going to -- I don't know how it is going to be. I hope I have -- I am going to have a lot more time obviously to do off court stuff, and really work on my game, so I am kind of excited for that time.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I definitely want to get faster. I am a good player, but when I play the top players, they really kind of exploit that weakness pretty easily so far, so you know, I want to work on that, and we will see what happens.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, just getting the step faster every way. You know, just getting a quicker you know, read on the ball and getting to the ball and getting in position for most of my shots.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, Pam is, you know, been actually really great to me the last about year or two. You know, I mean, I don't know her that well, but we have had -- we had dinner together at a tournament, I think, in Paris, and, you know, I talked to her, you know, about the WTA stuff. She is very informative and she -- I like her a lot, but I don't like call her or anything. I have talked to her quite a bit in the locker room.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I do not think any special interest.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think she takes -- you know she really wants to see the younger players get involved more and what happens with our Tour, and to make sure we know especially what is going on. So I don't think it is just me, but yeah, she tries to help me figure out what is going on to try and pass the torch in the years to come.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: When I go out to play Steffi and Arantxa it is pretty much an uphill battle, I feel, you know, I don't think when I go out there, oh, I am going to lose; I am going to lose, but I don't think, oh, I will be off the court in an hour. I just -- you try and I really have to be up for those matches and, you know, really play my best tennis to win. I know that I am going to have to play my best. That is a lot of pressure.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Those two are, you know, obviously the best and those two are the worst to play. The other players I am not so afraid of, not so--

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I was -- I was, you know, anyone who comes to the net and plays aggressive tennis -- whoever plays aggressive I am a little bit weary of because they want to be on the offensive too and I don't like being on the defensive. So going against her, I have never played her and I didn't really -- I didn't know how, you know, well she was playing, so I was a little bit nervous -- pretty nervous.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, that is where I definitely like to be. I am still trying to get comfortable with the volleys and it will help definitely if I can be faster up there; be a little bit more nimble to get to the ball and don't feel so clumsy when I get passed every time.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I am going to go see a trainer when I get back in San Francisco, Don Chu, who has worked with the USTA and get on a program and I have about five or six weeks at home, so I am kind of looking forward to that. I will be able to train and not have tournaments coming up because I played a lot this year, so I don't know hopefully by January and maybe the Lipton I will be a little bit better.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I never was asked anything, but I think that I definitely think it should be older. I think it should be around 16. I just think at 14, you know, you are not -- you can't handle everything yourself. You have to have everyone else helping you out doing it. This is a job. I think when you get out there you should be able to handle things on your own; not have this person do that and that person do this and really if you can be a little bit more mature and there is a big difference between 14, 16 especially for girls, that if they are older and a little smarter and wiser, then I think maybe last a little longer and but there are some cases where it is individual, but I think it should older, 16.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I played the juniors-- that is another thing. I think these players, they play juniors until they are like 11 and then they turn pro at 14. You don't know where they went -- I played all the juniors, every age group, every year and that definitely helped me. I learned there is a lot of pressure in the juniors in the nationals because they only come one or two a year so you have to play well at those two tournaments or else you are out of luck, so I think I started -- I turned pro at almost 17 -- 16, and some odd months, so I think that was fine for myself, I was ready.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think there can be -- I think you have to know and if the person who wants something and who is there for you, and who really cares and who maybe doesn't. And so far, I have been able to distinguish that. You just have to be careful. You know your family is going to be always looking out for you, you hope, and hopefully your coach and the people that are around you are really for you and care about you and not really if you win or lose. But that is tough to find. But you have to remember that it is a game and if you do lose and maybe you get killed one day, or look stupid or whatever, it happens you have another tournament the next week.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, especially around this world, you can really tell like people maybe because they have a lot of money think they are real powerful and I don't know-- it is sad because there is a lot of money involved in this sport and it does kind of control a lot of things that happen and it is not right, but that is the way it is, I guess.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, you know, she had told me a couple of months ago that she might -- she didn't know how much longer she would be playing singles, so when you know, I did think about it a little bit and but, you know, it was my first time out there and I want to go on with this tournament. I am very nervous like that, if I am up if, they break me, hold, even, so it was going through my mind, oh, my gosh, it is 5-All, so I have a hard time when I am on top to finish out a match. I keep you know, let her back in sometimes. I was trying to do that which I have been able to do my last couple of matches.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I haven't -- we haven't said a thing about Steffi Graf or really anybody yet. With her, I definitely would have to kind of be on the offensive and try not to let her dictate play, but that is really tough with her serving and her forehand, but you know, if I get there, then maybe you can ask me then.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I guess I am not playing her. They just told me, USA, that she lost. So I said that on TV. She they said, nope, you are wrong.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think I give a lot of credit to the people that are around me; they don't take anything seriously, you know put me down jokingly and we have fun. No one is treating me like I am a queen or princess. I don't get what I want at all, ever. I wish I did. So I just try and, you know, like I said roll with the punches and I know, like I said, if I lose, I have next week, you know, big deal. Grand Slams, obviously, it's a little bit more pressure. You kind of have to maybe take some steps back from the tennis community. I haven't -- this is only my second day here. I haven't really been around-- been in the city and practicing there and, you know, just try to do other things, maybe.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, same with Sanchez, maybe you try and make it too good. You have a little bit of fear when you go out and play them. The more you play them, the more you get used to it, the more you realize that they are not goddesses and maybe -- the more you play the people-- the top players, the less nervous you get and the more comfortable you will be.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think when I played Steffi at Lipton, I had a couple of set points; ended up losing the tiebreaker. I felt pretty good out there and, Arantxa, never had a close set with her, so.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: That was great.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Every time I have played her she has played exceptionally well. She run downs every ball that I normally would be a winner or good shot she runs it down and just gets back in the point so fast, you know, and she is always on top; it is like she knows where my balls are going. She is always there and puts it back into another corner.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Not necessarily on the road, but not home long enough. After San Diego I hurt my leg there. I was home for about almost two weeks, but I couldn't really --

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I have been -- gosh. I come home in short periods, maybe like a week here and he really for a long time the most I have been-- I have been home more than two weeks was about April. I am just looking forward to being home for, you know, four, five weeks. Yes, Bud.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yesterday -- I love to shop. Yesterday I went shopping Greenwich Village a little bit and walked around a lot, and when I am at home, you know, it is just nice to relax and maybe stay up late and watch some movies or go to the movies at midnight, if you feel like it and here, well, I got to get eight hours of sleep so got to go to bed. There is no schedule when you are at home really except when you practice, and that is-- you know, it is nice to be able to just do what you want.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, they have tried to teach me, but I can't jump very high, so it is not very good.