STATE FARM EVERT CUP

March 14, 1997

Lindsay Davenport

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: What do you mean?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: We're not as close as we used to be. We're talking and working on everything. It's really between us. Just goes through a little streak. The good thing is hopefully we're working on it. It definitely is not as tough when you don't eat every meal with someone. She's always been my best friend. I think she always will be.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: What?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. You don't just -- I mean, not at this moment we're not. Like I said, we're not as close as we used to be. I don't think we hate each other like people think.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think the Olympics was a huge moment also for both of us. I mean, the Olympics, to get to the gold medal round, was pretty huge. You're kind of part of a team in Atlanta. It's a little different. I think I've grown up a little bit in trying to handle stuff like that, trying to overcome that, because it's always been a problem with me if I liked whoever I played.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Oh, no.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It's just personal.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. I mean, like I said the other night, we both know each other's games pretty well. I think we both knew what to expect. Today I think I played one of my best matches and she didn't play very well at all. Those kind of circumstances sometimes happen.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think it helped me so much to have a day off. I was a little sore yesterday, also just kind of winding down and getting prepared for the next match, which is even a bigger match because it's a semifinal. I was able to do that. I like this kind of weather out here. I like it pretty hot. The ball goes pretty fast through the air here, it flies. If you can control it, it's to my advantage.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: In the tournament or this match?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, you know, it's so hard when you're playing so well. You're thinking, "Just keep it up for a little bit longer and it's done." Sometimes you know you're going to get worse because you have to. Like I said, I was aided today by some errors that she probably doesn't normally make. At the end of the match, I was glad to close it out so it didn't get close.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I mean, I was more worried that I was going to start missing. It's so hard. I thought I was hitting the ball so well, I was seeing where it was going. I was just trying to worry about me and not making errors.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Right. I watched her play so many times. I thought she was going to try to do something different. It's tough when someone all of a sudden starts coming in. I needed to make a few more first serves and not give her that chance. I was lucky she didn't start doing that earlier.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: The plan? Spirlea a play a lot like Graf. She slices, runs around, tries to hit forehands. If I can get some second serves, hopefully I can attack those. All week I felt like I've been playing some of my best tennis in a really long time. If I'm playing my game and attacking, you know, hopefully I can win my first big title on the Corel WTA Tour.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Like certain shots?

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Everybody wants Steffi's forehand, right? I don't know. You've got to let me think about that. Probably Hingis' backhand. I don't know. Don't make me do this now.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You can ask me tomorrow. I'll think about it tonight. I can change those first two answers, though.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Oh, I think for sure, especially when Spirlea played last night and had today off. I didn't want to be out here for three sets, a long match. I'm going to go to the pool now, get ready for tomorrow. It's been luck so far. I've been swimming every day. Maybe that's it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Maybe. I hope.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: The Olympics, I'll always say this, is going to be the biggest win I ever had. I should have specified tier one. I have won tier two titles, but I've never won a tier one or a Grand Slam. I think I should have said that.