THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 28, 1996

Lindsay Davenport

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Really?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, well, you know, today, you know, I went out there because we had such a long -- so close two weeks ago that, you know, thinking that, you know, I could win this match and, you know, maybe that was my problem. I was trying a little bit too hard and, you know, she played well, but I thought I didn't play that well at all. I was forcing it a little too much and made a lot of errors today that I hadn't been doing the last couple of weeks or months, or whatever. It just seemed like I kind of stepped back again, so -- you know, it is tough. She is No. 1 in the world and you feel like you have to go for it better, I just felt like I was going for it too hard.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. No rhythm, I got grooved on her slice and was able to get them -- it was a little wind. So, I was moving the ball around a little at the last second. I just never felt comfortable hitting three or four shots in and then waiting for the right ball. I was maybe going for it too soon. You guys are really easy today.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, the same, I just have to get back to, you know, the way I was playing before. I played, you know, one bad match in a couple of weeks and that's not bad. I think what you have to do is like I said, is wait for the right ball, you have to keep them deep and then wait till you get the right ball. You just can't hit them in because she will probably hit a winner. Just hit them in. Get the short ball on attack. I just wasn't able to do that today.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it was such a weird match because she was in control 3-2 game point and she missed a couple of easy balls. I was like, "What was that, you know, she doesn't do that." It was so frustrating. I never felt comfortable out there personally and, so, it was very tough to ever feel like, okay, she is not playing that well right now,. Let's take advantage of it because I was going, well, you are not playing that well either, so.... But like I said, when you don't feel comfortable, you don't feel like you can go for the shots, you know, it was a tough day for myself.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, also playing a player like that, it is like oh, they can break you back. It is a great advantage to be up a break, but that's when you really need to, you know, focus more in and make sure you hold. You know, if she is down, she is going to come back even stronger and to break serve to get back even and, you know, the first set, you know, she was up 3-2 serving, I get back in and 4-3 and I lose three games in a row pretty fast. You just can't do that. You have to find ways to win those games, which I wasn't able to do.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I thought I had a good chance, you know, I've played some - like very close matches with both her and Monica's match point and almost match point and, you know, you never know when it is going to happen, you know, I felt before the match I had been hitting the ball great this tournament and, you know, I was hoping it would carry over. I didn't feel comfortable the first few games, I said, "okay, it is going to come. It is going to come." She just kept frustrating me, keeping that ball really low today, those backhands were really low and moving them all around the court.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, you know, I didn't play her at all last year, I played her two years ago here and then I played her a couple of weeks ago, that is pretty tough, God, from two years ago, I don't remember. She seems to be on the court fine pain free, that's what it seems like, you know, no one really knows, but she seems to be doing very well after all her operations and time off.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, you know, you are playing against, you know, one of the best players that's ever played and, you know, with her game, you know, what makes her so tough, it is not just her forehand or backhand, it is her serve. It is always pretty solid. You know, you are going to play against an unbelievable competitor because she hardly loses matches and she hates to lose. So, you know, when you get close, it is going to be even tougher. That is pretty tough to know, when you know you're like, oh, no, you made her mad.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. When you're up, you know, she is going to come back stronger and you have to fight even harder to get her down and it is the same with Monica, you know, they will always comeback.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Oh, I mean, there is a lot of things I need to develop. You know, normally I play pretty well when I am behind. I think it is an easier position sometimes to play when you are behind, maybe not today, but her and Monica, I think, mental approach is pretty comparable to the other players. Now, I think they are just so tough in the big points and when they're down, I think everybody needs to try and get to where they are mentally, so confident and so ready.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Really?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, right, I hit for probably 50 minutes to warm-up. Yeah, I mean I normally hit balls, hit volleys --

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: We were done probably about 11:30, so I still had an hour and a half.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, normally that is what I like to do. Normally it works.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Oh, no, not from practice. I mean--

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, it's been a long couple of weeks, I mean, I did well, you know, these kind of 10 day tournaments are a little weird because you are at a place for almost two weeks and, you know, I had a not too good a day. Hopefully when I play on Amelia Island I'll be back.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yes, much fitter. I've lost a lot of weight. I've been working hard on trying to get faster around the court. You know, when I go out there now, you know, you have -- I have a little more confident myself to run down balls than maybe last year.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, no, I won't say that. No, not enough yet.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: At first I thought it was a little ridiculous that we had Delray Beach, I had Indian Wells, Lipton, and then Delray Beach got cancelled. I like the 10 day events. It is weird that we only have two and they're back-to- back, so that was a little -- it is a little tricky, like I said because the tournament starts Friday in Indian Wells so you have to be there Monday or Tuesday, so it is kind of like two weeks at each tournament, same as here, I think it is great for the fans that we play men and the women together. I think they really want to see Pete and Andre and also Monica and Steffi and the other players. I think it is great for tennis in general, so I like playing, you know, where everybody is at.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Oh, a lot. That definitely will be one of the highlights. It is pretty tricky because there is a group of us, you know, that are pretty close to making it and we all but can't make it. Monica, Chanda, Mary Joe, myself and Gigi, I think we are all in the top 12 in singles, except Gigi, she is doubles, and only five of us will make it, so it is pretty tough and we are all pretty good friends, so everyone is just going to wait to see what happens when they announce the team.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: We know the team is named at the end of April, pretty much after, I guess it is Amelia Island we'll know, but I don't think too much between us, we talk about where we'd stay, you know, who -- until two weeks ago who the coach was going to be, but nothing like -- I think we all know one of us isn't going to make it, so we just kind of don't bring that up.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, maybe pride. You know, I just kind of went through a rough year last year with injuries and I never felt very healthy and, you know, all of a sudden when the year is over I looked back on the year and thought what a waste. I had a lot of injuries and, you know, I never felt like I really did anything for myself, so in the beginning of December I thought, you know, if you are going to do this just please try and, you know, don't waste your time or anybody else's time, and so I've put a lot of hard work in since December, you know, since it's paid off now and I know I still can improve a ton on my fitness and quickness I am going to keep going for it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I'm sorry?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: In December I hired Robert Van't Hof to, you know, coach me full time and he's been -- I've known him for many years and he's been really great to travel with and he's good about making me go to the gym and what to eat and running and stuff, so it is kind of nice when you do it with a friend because if I say, shut up, I know I still have to do it.