US OPEN

September 4, 2005

Lindsay Davenport

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, it's just funny. I mean, I felt like I made a ton of errors there when I would get into a point, and at times when that's exactly what you don't want to do. I knew it could only be like maybe one break a set. I knew at Love-40 it was a great chance. Felt like I really let her back into that first set, that game, especially when I had Love-40. But, you know, the thing that I've done well all summer is serve well, you know, played really well on my service games to not let her at least get up a break ever. Then the tiebreak was just really close. I mean, you know, we both had a few set points. Was just able to win it there at the end.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Was it? I was supremely confident. Breakpoint down (smiling). I've been practicing them a lot surprisingly. But, no, I mean, I was inside the court. I mean, that's a better time to do it. But probably should look back at that and think maybe at a 30-Love point would probably be better to try the first one. But, you know, sometimes you've just got to go with the shot that comes. I don't know.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I didn't feel like I played that well. I mean, not to take anything away. I hate that, but I'm just being a little honest. I mean, I missed a lot of returns just trying to get them into play. You know, maybe that's myself putting pressure on myself to try and win those points when I'd get into them. But, you know, a couple times, you know, my forehand's been so great all summer and I felt like I made a few kind of careless errors with that in the first set. Really wanted to get up a break just because I knew that would be important, and just wasn't able to do it that first set.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, it's a tough draw. I mean, I knew that when I saw the draw, even playing Bovina was going to be tough. Every player I've played so far is a hard-hitter and hits the ball pretty hard, so hopefully I'm used to the pace of the shots. But, you know, if she wins tonight, it's definitely a tough draw. I don't think any player likes to see her in the Round of 16. She had a tough year and a very tough summer. But, you know, she's always capable of raising her game.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it would be different if I hadn't played her, you know, especially Stanford, and gotten the chance to see how she was playing this year. You know, you see her results, but it's another thing to face her and see what she's doing differently. So, you know, I'm happy I had the opportunity to play her this summer.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Probably. I mean, I feel great. I've had nothing but a fantastic summer, and nothing to make me think differently out there. I know if she gets through tonight, I hate to say before the match is over, but I'm sure she'll be fired up, especially after losing the last few times or couple times, and is going to want to change her year around. So I'm sure she'll be pretty eager to play better, you know, and I'm eager to keep going with how I've been playing.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Probably both, definitely.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, I just played her in Stanford. I mean, I just started seeing a lot of errors again, especially off the forehand side when it got closer. She was missing them. You know, sometimes missing them by a lot. When she was playing well there, she really cut down on that and was really more consistent. You know, if she's playing consistent and serving well, she's tough to beat. You know, so, definitely playing better, but she was giving me a lot of points there.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, I'm sure she's working towards it. You know, like I saw Mary Pierce beat her in Athens. You know, I think she struggled. She's come back, she started playing well again, and she got injured again in Berlin with either her ankle or her knee. I think that kind of disrupted her great flow that she had built. Then this summer again she hurt her wrist. I think it's been tough for her to kind of keep a steady stream going, because it seemed like when she got over that on the clay, she just got hurt right again, and that's always tough.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Who knows. I mean, you know, for me, I just want to make sure I go out there and play well. You know, that could mean I lose, that could mean I win. I don't know. That's all I can control. You know, LA I started off so poorly and then right when I was getting back into it, you know, it seemed like she hurt her wrist at some point along that line and wasn't able to finish. You know, all I'm going to worry about is just trying to play well.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, for sure. I want to be able to hold my serve in the match. You know, when she's playing well, she's obviously very aggressive and returning well. You know, she seems, I believe, to throw in more errors the closer a set goes. If it's 4-All. If she's up 5-2, she's a much better front-runner. So I'll see what happens. Hopefully I can serve well, play well, you know, not let her control the match.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, it's funny. I don't look at it like it's devastating at all. I kind of have felt like -- I don't know, I felt like I've played so well all summer, I've worked really hard, and whatever happens happens. If Venus plays well and wins, too good. If Bovina had played too well and wins, too good. I just feel like there's not a lot of pressure. I don't know why. Maybe that's because I feel I played so well all summer. I just have a belief in myself. But, you know, obviously the Grand Slams that I'm going to play in are getting less and less. I would love to win one again before no longer competing or no longer at a high level. But, you know, you can't control everything. I'm just going to play well and see what happens.