XXVI OLYMPIC GAMES

July 24, 1996

Lindsay Davenport

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, well, there is not too much to say. No, I think in the beginning I was very nervous. I know that playing my first Olympics and I think my first service game might have hit like two or three doublefaults. I was pretty nervous to go out there; nervous about the heat very much. I didn't know what to expect. I just didn't want to die out there. So -- but I thought I played pretty well. There weren't many long points, and she made a lot of errors. So, you know, I can't really judge my game really on the match because we didn't actually play it that much, many points.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it is -- the whole experience has been unbelievable. You know, last night, I had to play early this morning, was the first night I stayed in a hotel. In other words, I was like so bummed all night. I was like, oh, I want to go back. I had to hit at 9, so it was a little early to drive.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, we all have been staying every night, except nights before our matches. It has been so much fun. Especially all of us, it is Mary Joe, Monica, Chanda, myself and our team leader in a room. We have so much fun. We laugh a lot and talk a lot late at night, and it has been so much fun. I can't explain it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, you know, it was a tough match, really, to get into, because, like I said, there wasn't many points. But they were great, and they were really nice. And a few times maybe when I was in a little bit of trouble they really cheered loud. And I don't know if -- it is such a big event, I don't know if the crowd knows that, but when they get going, it makes such a difference out there.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I have gotten to know her in the last about month or six weeks, and I spent a lot of time with her in the Fed Cup two weeks ago. And she is really great. You know, she has been 100% normal and fun, and, you know, like young 20-year-old or 23-year-old, early 20s, she is unbelievable. We went to the volleyball game couple of nights ago, and we -- as soon as we get on the street, I didn't realize how many people really knew her. As soon as we got on the street, all of these people were coming up to her. She signs every autograph. She talks to every kid that comes up to her. I have not seen her turn down one. You know, middle of dinner they come up and she has been great. She just loves meeting the other athletes and going to the other events. And I mean, I didn't know her before this six weeks. I would say, that, you know, she is a really good person.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: He didn't come today, he had some volleyball meetings. So he is going to come the next time I play. Yeah, I went to the volleyball to see him, like, two nights ago. USA played.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, you know, actually didn't really find out he was in the Olympics until I was 10 -- actually, when I was 8, when the Olympics were in L.A., when I first was really kind of introduced to the Olympics in our hometown. And he is like, yeah, I was in the Olympics. My sister and I were, like, really? And so from then on we asked him about it a lot. And, you know, every time we talk about it, he'd say the best parts were doing the opening ceremonies and when the crowd was for you. They played in Mexico, so it wasn't really for them. He said watching the other events, really feeling connection to the other American athletes you are watching. The gymnastics last night we were all crying. It was so exciting. That is probably the Olympic feeling, just a connection with the same athletes from your country. He talked to us about that a lot.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Don't know if he was. No, he was six-eight. I don't think he would fit there.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, when I was about 9 he tried to switch me over from tennis to volleyball, because that is about the time you start. I said, oh, I don't know, I don't want to play volleyball, my sister played. I said -- my mom, she is fine, and he is like, well, she is so tall, and this and that,. And I think he is very happy now I stuck with it; didn't follow his advice like usual.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, obviously opening ceremonies. You know, walking in together with my best friends, probably on and off the court, with Mary Joe and Chanda and Gigi and Monica, was unbelievable. Not only did we get to go with people that I really like and stuff in the Village, just, I think, you know, for us, we have been doing the same stuff, going to eat in the big dining room and going to some events besides opening ceremony, nothing like too exciting like jumps out at me.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: She cut in line. I left that to Monica, I thought maybe I couldn't get away with it. I was with her, but I really would just say opening ceremonies and meeting other athletes.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I am a little bummed out that this is, like, individual tournament. I really think they should go to team format where maybe you play two singles and doubles in a day against another country, and that way -- because we do everything together; we practice together as Team USA and we eat together, and then we get up here in the morning, it is like okay, good luck, I got to go play or I got to go practice, that's a little tough. Individually playing, it is nice that there is other things to focus on. The media focuses on other things, the fans have other things to focus on, so I think in some respects, that helps a lot because, you know, we get to go do our business, and tennis isn't the main talk of the town. And I think that is good for the players to realize that tennis isn't probably the most important sport out there.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think I would now. I think this taught me. One night we went to swimming at 7:30, went to Hootie And The Blowfish at 9:00, water polo at 10:00, doing all this stuff, I feel fine, I am not like oh, I want to go to room service. So I think this actually has taught me a lot, that when I get to tournaments, I don't just need to say I am going to stay in tonight, that you can't keep going out.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, to be honest, I haven't looked past the third round. My second round play probably Sawamatsu of Japan, who actually is pretty tough for me to play.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Like I said, I think the team competition would be so much more fun, and helpful to even the fans. Maybe they can do one week as a team and if they really want to do it individual, maybe do that the second week or make the individual -- the team competition longer. But, you know, then we have the Olympic coach who is not allowed to sit on the court, we experienced that in Fed Cup, and I think all the players really want for us -- Billie Jean out there with us, because she does so much. And like I said, we are used to it. All of a sudden we go out there and, you know, we are by ourselves. So, you know, I think the coaches should be able to sit on the court.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Right. Like Davis Cup.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: If I got a medal here, it would be my greatest achievement in tennis in my mind so far. I wouldn't know how it would compare with a Grand Slam, because unfortunately I can't compare those two. So I think winning a medal would be huge. It is even tougher this year because you have to play third and fourth, so you get to the semis, you can't relax yet. I hope I will. I think the American doubles team has a great chance to win it in that. One time, I was a part of that, and luckily they let Mary Joe on, which was fine. And I said that was totally fine. But, you know, it would have been nice to play the doubles also, but hopefully singles I can bring home a medal.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know. I didn't really think about it until we got here and someone said that and the more I was thinking I said, yeah, this is so bogus. It is like a regular tournament then, you know, some players have their regular coaches here and, you know, I think this is totally a team thing. I think that is up to the Olympic committees and, you know, who knows, maybe if enough people suggested it, that it would happen. The men's side not many players are here. 4, I think, of the top 12 or something like that and they are also -- ATP is also staging regular tournaments in these two weeks and I know the WTA is not allowed to. I think that hurts the Olympics a little bit because some players are over playing in on the clay in Europe, and I think if enough top players keep suggesting it, hopefully, they will change it or at least add the team portion to the Olympics.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know. I think that, you know, I don't know how to say this. We all want to be so much a part of the Olympic experience. We are all pretty young. Monica is 23. Mary Joe is 24 and Chanda and I are both 20. Gigi is not staying in the Village. She said he she went through that in Barcelona and that was enough. I don't know, we really want to have a good time and meet the other athletes and, you know, we are young and we really want to have fun and we don't think that staying in a hotel room like we do 25 other weeks of the year is going to cut it when we have the opportunity not to. Thanks.