STATE FARM EVERT CUP

March 14, 1996

Lindsay Davenport

Q. What was the matter with your toenail?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It broke at the very bottom. I never actually had that happen. I kind of noticed it this afternoon. It was a little cracked at the bottom. One shot I went for, I just felt it going, so I have no toenail now.

Q. How painful was that?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It was very painful running. I felt it more on the forehand side because I stopped and planted that foot. But I mean, it was painful in the beginning when it happened, but I think as any injury when you play a match, it goes away, your adrenaline goes. It was bothering me, but you don't really feel it.

Q. At the end of a match like that, what is the stronger emotion, frustration, having lost or pleasure in having played so well?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: That is the second time this year. I lost to Seles, like same score in Sidney, you know, gosh, I don't know, I am not sad. I mean, I think I played exactly the way I would have played on those points. It wasn't like I was within one point, but it is definitely a pleasure both times this year playing against the No. 1 player in the world, I have been this close to wining both matches, and definitely frustration starting to set in because there is -- both times I haven't won those matches. I think it is a little bit of both.

Q. What do you think made the difference Lindsay in the third set because you knew she was not physically at her peak either?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Right. I mean, I was a little down from not winning the second set and, you know, I just really felt that if I had served better, I would have won that match. Maybe there is other factors involved, but I really felt that I did not serve well and my serve let me down. You have to put in first serves against her and hit them well. I was not making many first serves at all. There is other factors out there, but I think, for me, that is the one main thing I was very disappointed in and next time, huh, that has got to change.

Q. Were you aware that Steffi was hurting before you got your own injury?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I mean, every match she plays, I guess there is something wrong and I think players, I don't know, we understand she is hurt, but we hear about it every tournament, every match, and so I think everyone just kind of goes, whatever, she is so hurt; she always plays really well and moves really well and serves really well, and so, I think the players are just kind of like, whatever, she is hurt, it doesn't, you know, there is nothing we can do.

Q. Does it distract you if she has her treatment there?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I mean, she was doing it within the changeovers, and I wasn't sure of the rule of how often she could actually get treated without being -- without calling an injury time-out and not calling an injury. I don't know, I mean, you know, it is Steffi Graf and she is No. 1 in the world, so whatever they do, you know, I don't know what the rules are or what the rules are for her.

Q. The last game, Lindsay, you are up Love-30, what happened. Did she just --

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: She put in some good serves, and, you know, it is the same thing, when I got close in the second set, same thing when I played Monica, the girls, they just don't miss at those times. They always put the ball in. Monica tends to step in and hit winners. Steffi steps in and hits a winner -- hits it really deep, and both of them are both just so great at that when it gets to be at that point of a match.

Q. Were you implying in the previous response that --

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No I wasn't implying that they change --

Q. -- Are bending the rules to accommodate her?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I wasn't. I didn't know if there was a rule if you can get treated a lot of times without an injury time-out. I don't know what the rule is. I asked about it on-court to the supervisor. She said you can get treated, I think it was, three changeovers in a row and I don't know anything about those rules, injury rules, because I don't really use them that often.

Q. She was treated; then you were treated at the same changeover.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: She was treated and then I guess I got an injury time-out so they could tape my toenail, toe.

Q. Maybe I missed it, what about your injury?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, just my toenail broke off on my left foot, the big toe, the nail came off, and so they just wrapped the toe and padded it.

Q. At the end of the game there seemed to be really a friendly atmosphere.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I have an incredible amount of respect for Steffi. She has played forever. I think she is a very nice person. I don't know her very well, but she has always been very friendly to me and very, you know, she seems like a very nice person and from everything I have read about her, I think she is a super person and I have a lot of respect for her, and, you know, obviously I am upset I lost, but she played a great match and she deserved to win.

Q. You both played a great match?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Thank you. Almost. No, just kidding.

Q. In terms of like your best matches, how would you rank this one?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think, you know, it is definitely up there. I referred to the Seles match I played in Sidney which was an incredible match also for myself that I thought I played. Those two were some of the best matches I have played. Except sometimes in these matches for a couple of games it is -- I play extremely well and then a couple of games I don't know where I am. And, you know, I have got to learn to, you know, maybe not be so flashy (sic) and hit the winners, but at least be solid in those games where I tend to make a lot of errors.

Q. Doesn't it hurt that you came back even --

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Four sure, I never give up and I always fight when I am down and both sets I came back from a substantial lead, but didn't get over the hump and win them both, so, you know, I fought hard, but at the end it wasn't enough. I can't keep getting down like that because it is too hard to keep getting back up and winning it.

Q. Was there any brief feeling at all after the second set tiebreaker that maybe you let the opportunity get away?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't think so. I think that early in the third it was like a little bit of, like a lull, you know, because we are so close, so close, so close; then it is all over again. Then I got it back going again at the end, as I said. I don't think I let this match go. She dominated the tiebreaker. 5-All I had three or four break points to go up 6-5. It wasn't like I had ball in the court that I missed. She hit first serves. She hit very deep, very hard. There is not much that you can do or regret about over that.

Q. The injuries tonight were relatively minor, but Monica pulled out; Gaby pulled out. Steffi doesn't go to Australia. Seems to be an inordinate number of injuries and physical problems on the women's side recently. Have you noticed that? Do you think that it is a matter of training or just the harshness of the circuit?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think it is all pretty individual. I think the circuit is very tough. I think Steffi has been playing for twelve years. I mean, there is only so much a body can handle. I think Monica has been injured a lot since she has been back and I don't know why. I mean, maybe she plays a lot, she practices a lot, and, you know, I don't know really how to answer that. I don't think it is anybody's fault and I don't think it is necessarily training. I just think the Tour is pretty tough on players.

Q. How do you think the tournament has worked out with the men and women playing together?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I mean, I think it is great. I think, you know, the fans, I think, enjoy it. As much as you know, people say they rather watch men's tennis which is probably true, but I think they enjoy seeing the women and especially if we give them good matches and I think tonight's match was an excellent match for the crowd watching. They got into it a lot. I think that -- I think it is tough when Muster and Courier are playing on the clubhouse court and I don't know, I felt kind of bad yesterday, every male was playing on the clubhouse court, but, you know, I think it is a great event. I think that it has been extremely successful no matter how it goes from here on out. I like, once in a while, playing with the men. I don't think we would want to do it all the time, but five or six times a year is nice.

Q. Any logistic problems as far as the court and practicing....

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I actually haven't had a problem. I practice over at the other hotel, Stouffers, Esmeralda. I think those courts are extremely similar and there is a lot of them and practicing; warming up here has been fine. I haven't had a problem.

Q. Are you going to play your doubles match tonight?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I am.

Q. How are you going to recharge and how much are you going to have left?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I don't know, my partner was commentating the match, so I don't know how into it she is either. I have been in this situation a lot, you know, maybe not this late at night, you know, it goes on and I think we will be okay. I hope she is not "arghh" from having to sit there and talk the whole time.

Q. Did you detect, Lindsay, when you were pushing so hard, did you think she was -- (inaudible)?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You think you get her to her point; all of a sudden she comes up with amazing running forehands or just the slice that stayed really low and every time I think, okay, she is on; I am getting up there, I am getting close. She came up with amazing shots, and that is why she wins a lot of matches, probably a lot of tournaments she plays. That is why she is No. 1. I think people -- I mean, people are saying, oh, she doesn't have enough matches, enough matches, but I think she has played enough matches and she knows when it is close to step it up and turn it on and she did that.

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