COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

September 30, 1999

Lindsay Davenport

WTA: Questions for Lindsay.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't feel maybe as fresh as I have ever felt. But, you know, I've played a lot of weeks in a row. It's tough. But it's a decision I made a few months ago, that I was going to play New Haven, US Open, Fed Cup, Tokyo, here, then on. You know, I'm dealing with it relatively well. I'm just trying to stay relaxed about everything, play each match. It's tough. You get a little bit tired, a little bit jet lagged. Overall, I think I've been handling it very well the last few weeks. Today was a tough match, difficult match to play. A lot of balls being hit hard. But I'm happy to pull through this. I've got another chance tomorrow. You just keep going.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think, you know, obviously just trying to sleep a lot, trying to sleep the right hours. You get used to it, traveling so much. I don't think I've ever quite flown around the world like I'm going to do. Really just a lot of rest, just trying to be fresh when you do play.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I think I have a much better record against Venus than Serena. You know, playing each one is playing a completely different match. Actually, for as similar as they are, they do play a lot differently, I think. It's always a difficult match. They hit the ball very hard. They both serve well. It's always difficult to play them. You have to get a lot of balls back in, try and withstand all their power.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Who knows? I mean, I think she has a better serve. Venus can maybe sometimes hit them harder, but I think Serena places them better and has a lot more spin on her serves. But, you know, I mean, I spent a week with them both at Fed Cup. They both try extremely hard, trying to get better. They both have aspects of their game that are very good. You know, I've never been one to say like who's going to be better, who's going to be good, whatever. But they're both obviously great players now. That's the way I look at it.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, obviously there's no points here. To be guaranteed 200,000 no matter how I did today was a good reason to come here. But once you get out there, I don't think you think about it too much. It's just like playing. You get out there, and if it was just about money, you'd see more people not trying very hard. I mean, it's not what we play for. Once I got out there today, you don't think about it. You just try and play, think of it as a major tournament, because you're playing the best players in the world here, especially in the women's draw, such a strong field. You just go out there and play.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Oh, for sure (laughter). Right now I'm playing it one week at a time. If I feel like I can't play anymore, I'm going to take a break. I have this week and two more tournaments before three weeks off home, then finishing up in the States with Philadelphia and New York, then six weeks off. I think I'll be able to hang in there (laughter).

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: That's right. I can't stop there. I think I'll be okay. Right now I'm feeling good. I thought it was actually more beneficial to come from Japan here instead of going home for a week and coming back for Filderstadt. I think I'll be okay.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I just think it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the last two years have been the most successful and most entertaining. We've gotten so much recognition from all our great players and so many exciting matches, why we don't have a Tour sponsor is really frustrating for the players. On the other hand, we just keep going and playing. They always say, "We're going to get one." Hopefully one day they'll be telling the truth.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I mean, you never know. It goes in such cycles where it goes great, then maybe you have a few bad years with injuries. You can never tell. As it looks now, our game is stronger than ever. We're playing a very exciting game that the fans like to see, a lot of big shots, but still a lot of rallies. The game is getting more athletic with the Williams sisters. I think it's great. I hope more players come up. You never know who comes up in four or five more years. Ten years is a little bit hard to say. It looks really great for the new millennium.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I should (laughter). No, not yet. I know I'm going to make it around the world, and I've never done that, when this is done.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: New York, LA; LA,San Francisco; San Francisco, LA; LA, Tokyo; Tokyo to Germany, then I'll end up going Zurich to LA. Not so bad. Just a lot of tennis. It's bad, I don't know. You're laughing.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It's just hard not being able to go home for a few days and just relax. Planes in general, when you're going on such long flights, is boring, no matter what you're doing.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think they would love to do it in Newport Beach. It's weird to think we don't play Fed Cup for 14 more months, considering we normally play it every few months. I think it would be great if we could hold it in California again. More importantly, I think it's great we won it this last year and have a chance next year to do great in the Olympics, win the Fed Cup again. Such a strong team, hopefully we'll have many more in the future.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I've never thought about it. I'm not offended by it. I've never heard of that. I'll think about it and tell you tomorrow.