US OPEN

September 9, 2001

Marion Bartoli

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, very, very. I think it's very difficult to win today. She play very good. She had a very hard ball, you know. When she hits the ball from the baseline, when I hit the ball on my racquet, I have a very hard ball. It was very difficult to play against her for that. If I didn't go to the net, I think I can't win against her.

MARION BARTOLI: Yes. In the second set I say I must do that because if I lost, she's better than me. If I make very good, like I make it today, I can won. So I go, and I won.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah. I didn't think more important for to win against her, it's to go to the net. In the first set, I play from the baseline. From the baseline, she's more strong than me, so I can't win.

MARION BARTOLI: No, it's my first -- I think I go to Orange Bowl. It's a very important tournament for me. You know, for this year, it was very important for me to win one Grand Slam, and I say that at the beginning of the year, and I do that, so I'm very happy.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I really watch, and I support him from the TV. When guy to the court, always he lost, so I didn't go to the court. I just see on the TV and I hope he win.

MARION BARTOLI: Yes, I have a signed T-shirt in my bedroom. Paul is very kind with me. Pete, I saw him one time. I can't speak with him because I'm too afraid, you know, so I can't speak with him. I saw him on the TV. But on the TV, I support him.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah. Next to the T-shirt, the trophy of the US Open (laughter).

MARION BARTOLI: I practice from that about ten years ago.

MARION BARTOLI: When I starting to play, I play in court without - how do you say - we can't go after the baseline (behind the baseline). We must stay on the court. If you go out, you take the racquet on the wall, so you must go in. I beginning like that. After I've got a reflex for to see the ball and to take the ball very quick. I work that very hard. I think I do very good, and I think it was the key of the match today because the first set she serve lot of first serve. And after, when I beginning to go to the net, after her second serve, she beginning to make lot of first serve on the net or out. At the second serve, it's good for me. I think I won today because I make that.

MARION BARTOLI: In my small town because we have got three outdoor courts and one indoor court. These indoor court are like this. It was a very cold town. We play on indoor like four months in the year, so I beginning like that.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I have got. It's Laurent Rizzo in France from Tennis Management.

MARION BARTOLI: This year after Orange Bowl. After I won Orange Bowl, I got one.

MARION BARTOLI: My father. It's my father. My father beginning to make me some volley, strong volley. I beginning to make strong volley at ten years. I beginning to make this shot, the return of the serve at nine years, yeah.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I play on clay and do on clay.

MARION BARTOLI: Yeah, I played Wimbledon, but the first time. On the return of the serve, I've got no much problem like here, like on hard surface. It was the same for me. The ball are go more fast, no high one. It was the same, yeah.

MARION BARTOLI: No, never. It was a doctor. He is here.