US OPEN

September 1, 2000

Allison Bradshaw

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Allison.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Either way, I had a great time. I'm a little disappointed right now. I just got tired, and I felt like I was playing well and I was in control. But, you know, she's a great player and, you know, I think she had a little more experience -- or a lot more experience over me.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah, yeah.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I definitely got tired. I just had, you know, to take in so much, the whole crowd and just being on that court and playing Sanchez-Vicario, just all my family and friends are here. And it's hard to, you know, stay calm and relax when all this is going on. I just -- it took up a lot of energy. Plus the match, I mean she's -- she runs every ball down and makes you play a ton. And, you know, she wears you down.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah. She's a great player.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah. I don't know, I -- every time I got up, 5-4, 6-5, I think I got really excited, maybe a little overconfident. I wasn't really ready to play that tiebreaker. I don't think I was focused enough, and, you know, I just didn't play the key points very well.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Oh, yeah.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah, it was very exciting. It was kind of unexpected. I didn't know my draw. It's exciting to be here.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: At least in the second set. The second set was a bit of a letdown. First set I felt like I was right there, I was in control. You know, I felt I really could have won that first set, and I think it would have been a lot different if I did.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Go home and take a little break. (Laughing.) And then try and go out and play some more challengers and get my points up.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I haven't really chosen which ones I'm going to go to yet, no.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: You know, just stay focused, don't really worry about everything that's going on around you, you know, I have a -- I'm a great player, and just to go out and play my game, you know. Just have fun.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah. Yesterday a little bit.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: You know, play her forehand, forehand is a lot weaker, try and attack the second serve. Just start out with my games, maybe overpower down the middle a little bit.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah. I love it. (Laughing.)

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Not that I know of.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I don't know what you mean.

VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS: She only went to college two years, not four.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Not really. Her game is basically to just run down every ball and just not miss. She did that today and I had to expect that. And, you know, she did exactly what her game is. Try to break me down.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Oh, yeah on TV.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Maybe once. I don't really remember.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: No, not with her. It was very exciting, you know. I was looking across the court thinking, "I can't believe I'm playing this player right now." It was fun. It was a great experience.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: A little bit. Not really, I just had to get used to my surroundings and just find my strokes. I don't know, just get used to the court.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I have to get in better shape. I got a little tired in the second set. You know, I just have to gain more experience. I need more of these matches, and I don't know, I feel like my game's there. I just maybe need a little more consistency, more first serves in. But mainly my fitness.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Not really. I expected it. I mean all these girls are so good and, you know, they're all in -- most of them are in good shape. You just have to expect the best out of all of them.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: They're top-notch. I mean they're professional athletes. They've been doing this for a while. They know their routine. You know, I haven't really gotten in the gym as much as I should. (Laughing.)

ALLISON BRADSHAW: You know, I felt like pretty solid in both matches. I thought I served well today -- or in the first set I served well. I think I was a little more focused and more determined to beat Marissa just because we have a history together. And this is a first for me, going out on that court with Aranxta. And I don't know...

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I think -- I know I'd only beaten her once. I can't tell you the number of -- .

ALLISON BRADSHAW: All throughout Juniors, in college.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Oh, it was in college, my freshman year.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Not really. I've dreamt about it ever since I was little. I don't know, I thought it over before going into college. I knew I wasn't going to stay all four years, but, you know, I talked it over with my coach at Arizona State and let her know early before I really decided that I was at least thinking about it.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Right.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Not at all.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: No. I mean I really do need to learn about it. I should have figured it would come up just because, you know, the big story I guess is with my mom and I and her background. I don't really know a lot about it. I need to find out.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: No, never.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Never.

VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS: My son knows more than Allison. He's a golfer.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Right. I mean she didn't need to explain all of her wins or her losses. She was always like in the present, just, you know, trying to help me with my game and not going back into the past. Just trying to help me more or less.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I don't know, I guess I was just at the club where she was teaching and I saw her teaching, it looked fun. I just wanted to go out and try it.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Six.

VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS: I'm hoping she'll be in the top 200 now. Inside 200 would be great after eight tournaments.

VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS: Yeah. You can't figure that out. You have to wait until the numbers shake out because everybody else is jiggled around, too, with their points from this event.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Oh, yeah. (Laughter.)

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah, so I've heard.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: A little bit. I had to realize after the first few games that she was just like anybody else, I had to treat her like any other opponent and just get down to business basically.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I don't know. I just went out there and, you know, I was just hoping to play well.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I am.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah. He's six-two I think.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: He just played all sports.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I think almost five-eleven.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: As far as ranked players, Sara Pitkowski. And then Marissa Irvin would probably be the second one.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Oh, very. It was revenge basically for all the times that she beat me, and especially doing it here just meant a lot more.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah, yeah. I don't call her up on the phone, but, you know, we're friendly in the locker room to say hi and how are you doing.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Hopefully I will eventually get into the Top 10. I don't know when. I don't know, just become a great tennis player and just be known for my tennis abilities.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: No, I don't have any hobbies yet. But I don't know, just go out with my friends, just do normal stuff.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I think I'll be able to, yes. Not right now. But eventually.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: Yeah.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: I know. That's another benefit.

ALLISON BRADSHAW: We'll see. (Laughter.) It's all in the same --.

VALERIE ZIEGENFUSS: I was hoping you'd say all of it back to mom. (Laughter.)