VIRGINIA SLIMS CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 19, 1994

Lindsay Davenport

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I really don't know what's happening this week. You know, I've never been able to continue to play well, and every time I warm up and before the matches, I felt fine, you know, like, you know, I'm playing well and I'm moving better and, you know, really anticipating well so everything is going well.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it is a real relaxing tournament because, you know, it's the best players so it is not a bad loss. If they play well, you can't do anything about it, and everything really was a bonus. I've tried to go out there and go for it and try your best and if it doesn't work out, that's fine, you're still a great player.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I mean, I was laughing at some other things, but, no, like I said, I felt very calm, kind of comfortable out there which, you know, I like this court. I didn't like Philadelphia-- I think it's the same surface-- but I'm playing well and it is a great crowd here. Playing in New York and at the Garden and it's just really comfortable. I don't know.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think so. There really isn't anything to lose. Like I said, the best players, if you lose, you know, against Novotna and Pierce, I have -- I had to go for it. I'm not going to win by not playing aggressively and lettign them dictate, so, I really went for it and I'm really on my game right now.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah -- three out of five. That's the first thing. I'm going to have to worry about that before the opponent. It depends who I play. If I play Gaby, you know, I played her a lot of times before, and -- really I just have to concentrate on my game; how I'm going to feel; if I'm ready for it; and that's always how it's pretty much been. If I start worrying about the other player, that throws my game off. So, I have to worry -- first about myself.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't think so, you know, I'd like -- I liked the draw. I have a terrible record against Steffi and terrible record against Arantxa. So, I was kind of far from both of them, so the other players I haven't played too often. So I was glad when I saw the draw and excited that I can do something not really knowing how far really.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think so. My first time here and to really go out in the year doing well. You know, we have got another seven weeks until my next tournament so might at as well finish on a good note.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You never know with Mary, she hits the ball so hard, I was kind of worried that she was going to go for it and making the winners and hitting the lines, and like I said, she was late on a lot of balls and not on top of her game. Some of it had to do with me and getting the ball back deep, but you are never safe playing a player that goes in and out of streaks because 5-3 she goes on a streak could win five straight games so I was fortunate to close it out when I could.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I hope not. I think I've gotten a little more used to it the last couple-- at the Open, it was overwhelming because Martina didn't play and I was the highest American, but I kind of accepted it and now I'm kind of excited for Americans tennis because myself, I've done very well this year, but there's a lot of other players that just need to get on a roll and there will be a lot of us out up there, so I don't think I have all the burden but right now, it's fine.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, you know, this is the first day match, obviously, but when we were playing the night matches I went to Greenwich Village in So Ho and shopping and I saw a movie the other night and it's just, you can walk around the streets. L.A. you can't walk -- in New York can you walk around the streets and go shopping, we went to Fifth Avenue and bought Christmas presents and it's just -- you don't get board. I don't think it's possible whatever you do. And that's probably why. You know, there's not a lot of players here and not a lot of traffic, with tennis players and it's so much more relaxed here than at a Grand Slam where you jump on court for 20 minutes and you have -- it's just so much nicer here.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, obviously I was very nervous, I wanted to serve it out I didn't want to be in a position to possibly serve for it at 5-4. So she came to the net and I was able to hit couple good passing shots kind of saved me in that game. And really, you know, I served well again today. Maybe you know I'm not getting broken very much, I don't know if I did -- I don't think so. But you know, that's just be the key and I'm having confidence every time I go up to serve a game and so I felt I could serve it out but just, you know, not start hitting the fence and doublefaults.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know. Not really in the pros. I'd have a good win and then, you know, I've had my good win, I don't -- it's okay if I lose now and that's kind of the attitude I had for a while. I'm getting over that, I think or at least this is a start.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Probably.