U.S. OPEN

August 31, 1995

Lindsay Davenport

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: God, you know, she played an unbelievable first set, and hit all sorts of great shots, good volleys, good groundstrokes. She didn't make very many errors. The first set was over then, you know, I got killed. So I was a little, you know, a little more nervous; then you get a little more tentative on your shots. I probably didn't make her play many balls, but when she was killing me, I felt like I needed to attack her back; mine were missing.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I think today she did. I think she played -- you know, the other day I think she may have been down matchpoint, I am not sure. I know it was 7-6 in the third. She probably didn't play as well then, I would imagine, but she definitely played inspired today. I don't know. I guess she -- I don't know if this is her last one, I don't know if she decided not to quit.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I actually heard before she decided not to retire, but she's isn't going to stop, so ....

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I mean, she served really, really well today. I didn't get many second serves until the second set. And, you know, she keeps playing like that, it is going to be very tough to beat her. I was expecting her not to serve maybe as well, to give me a few more easier serves, and she was hitting her second serves at 89 or 85 which is pretty high for second serves.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think it should be the opposite. No, I don't think she should quit. I think -- I think she is one of the greatest ladies in the game. She gives so much back to charity and everything else. She has always been very nice to me, very, you know, pleasant to everybody that I know, and I know I don't want her to leave. I hope she stays.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think so. You know, I watched her play when she beat Chris Evert here in'88, I think it was and, you know, then all of a sudden I am out here or -- so that is a little bit tough, but there is a few players left on the Tour that I really watch. When I was growing up, she is one of them, but, you know, that shouldn't affect my play, but I don't know if it did or not.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No -- I don't know about that. I know -- it is hard for me to get very psyched up with people that I like and respect, but, you know, I have to learn to do that.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know. Do you have any advice? I mean, it is a lot easier to beat someone who, you know; you don't think about a lot, but for me anyways --

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I definitely respect her. She had to go through a lot when she grew up playing. Like I said, I think she is the person on the tour that gives the most back to charity and underprivileged children. And she is the role model for everybody.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I never do too well here. Yeah, it is tough conditions, and, you know, I was hoping -- I practiced a lot; was working very hard for this year and came in here, I thought pretty well. But, you know, you play one like she did today, and it is just very disappointing.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think so. She really went for it today; was hitting it really hard on the forehand and her slices. I seen matches in the past where she gets tentative and kind of blocks the ball back. Today she didn't do that. I imagine when she was at the top, at the height of women's tennis, that she was hitting the ball like she was today.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know how far. I don't know who she plays next, but definitely she can have some more upsets like she -- if she played like she did today; if she is very loose and very relaxed and just going for it, yeah, I definitely think she can go far.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know. I have had a cold for the last couple of days, sore throat. I don't know if that affects the tennis. Hopefully I can still hit tennis ball, if I can't breath -- I mean, breathe through my nose.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Definitely. I expected that she would come in a little bit on fire and going for it and she did. I thought maybe at the end, you know, I probably didn't make her play enough balls at the end, and make her really earn the match. I felt like I had to attack back and felt very rushed and definitely that hurt me.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Nicole Arendt could be a tough match for her, good lefty serve, comes in a lot. If she can keep Nicole maybe pinned to the baseline, she has a good chance, returns well.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Gosh, that will be a tough match. I know Conchita passes pretty well. But like I said, if Zina is hitting the ball hard and deep like she was today, she can hopefully keep on playing like that.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: That could be a tough question to answer. Gosh. Probably in Australia, maybe. It has been a really tough year. I had a lot of sicknesss and then injuries, just hasn't been the greatest year for myself after coming off a good end of the year last year, and pretty good beginning of the year. You know, keep hanging in there, and I am getting better and one of these days.....

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, this -- for the last couple of months, I have been with Lynn Rolley, of the USTA working out with Eric Amend. That has been going very well. I have been living in Miami; practicing also with Mary Joe and Harold Solomon, and that is what is going on now.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I am very happy with Lynn and hitting with Eric and going with them. I have been having a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I haven't been, you know, feeling the best and injury free, so, you know, when everything is straightened out, hopefully, everything will start going smoothly.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: The worst part is definitely feeling like you did today when you want to do well in your own country and in front of, you know, in your Grand Slam, and in the tournament, that is a tough feeling. I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well here every year, and it hasn't exactly worked out yet. The best part is, I take a lot of pride in that and, you know, even with Monica back, I think, I am still in the top 10, second-ranked American now, and, you know, not too many people get to that position.