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VIRGINIA SLIMS CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 14, 1994

Julie Halard-Decugis

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

Q. Is this the biggest win in your career?

JULIE HALARD: I think it's the best match I ever did. I beat her once in Wimbledon two years ago, and it is not her best surface, supreme indoors is -- I know, she doesn't like it. And I know if I play well, I have a good chance to beat her and I did everything I can do today and I'm very happy with this win.

Q. You played the tiebreaker really aggressively. You serve and volleyed, what prompted the decision to serve and volley and what was going through your head right before the tiebreaker?

JULIE HALARD: Well, I know at the end of the match it's always good to go to the net to finish the point, and with Arantxa, it's difficult to finish already at the back of the court, and I know, if I have the chance to go to the tiebreak at the end of the set, I know I have to go to the net to make pressure to her.

Q. Did you get exhausted in the second set? It seemed like, you know, how to play her, but then you just seemed too tired?

JULIE HALARD: I played very well the first set and I think I did quite good in the beginning of the match, but we had tough rallies, running everywhere. At the second set, it was like I feel nothing, no more legs, no more breath, and I just couldn't go, and I just let it go a little bit and to make a run and continue to make a run and at the beginning of the third set I start again to do what I can.

Q. What changed it -- you were down 4-2 in the third, did all of a sudden you regain confidence or did your legs come back -- what happened?

JULIE HALARD: It was tough game. It could be like for me, it was very tough game and so I just play point by point and game by game and I come back and there was only one break and it's nothing in a match and I break her at 4-3, so I know I have a chance to beat her.

Q. Julie, at the French Open, how close were you to win that second set; do you remember?

JULIE HALARD: It was a tiebreak, yes?

Q. Yes, did you have set points there?

JULIE HALARD: No, I didn't have set points -- I don't think so. But it was tough sets too.

Q. Did you come back in that set or you were up 5-3 or anything; do you remember --

JULIE HALARD: I think I came back, no? I think I came back.

Q. Julie, you know you might be playing Martina tomorrow night, what do you think about that -- or the next round, what do you think about that?

JULIE HALARD: I think she has to beat Sabatini. It will be a great match, first round, and if I play Martina, I think it is a good thing to play her. The last time I will play her, it's the only chance to play her now. It's the championships and it will be good to have a great match. Now I have two days to rest.

Q. Did the mistakes you made at the beginning of the second set help you in the third set?

JULIE HALARD: Sorry?

Q. Did the mistakes you made at the beginning of the second set help you throughout the third set?

JULIE HALARD: I think the second set it was more because I couldn't move any more and I just couldn't breathe any more and, you know, nothing, so I knew I had to play well and it's hard to play-- mistakes when you are like this, but I had a second breath in the third set and I start again to play very well.

Q. Do you enjoy playing her knowing that you did well against her in the Grand Slams? Is it fun to play her?

JULIE HALARD: Most of the times I play good match against her. I don't know why, but it's like that, and, well I beat her once in Berlin and I played always tough sets on claycourt and she's better on claycourt, and I mean, I do what I can, but I know I can do very well against her.

Q. What were you eating between the sets?

JULIE HALARD: Just like cereal.

Q. Cereal?

JULIE HALARD: Cereal and grapes. We have to eat something against Arantxa.

Q. Grapes and what was the first thing you said; cereal?

JULIE HALARD: Like cereal, Corn Flakes.

Q. Are you aware of the crowd support for you late in the match?

JULIE HALARD: Yes, at the beginning, I think the crowd was great and they were supporting me and it was a great atmosphere and I like winning like this.

Q. Julie, in the first set you had demonstrated a psychological strength to believe that you could beat Arantxa given that she's more consistency; could you elaborate a little bit on what went within yourself in terms of believing that you could beat her; were there doubts the second time in the third set and when was the time that you thought that you really could beat her?

JULIE HALARD: At the beginning when I was leading 6-2, 1-Love, I think I have a chance, but then I have -- I was so tired I could not play or more. But when I come back at 4-All, I believe it very much. Before 4-2 I just played point by point and do my best and at the break again, I think about it very much.

Q. It seemed to me that the points -- you were hitting the ball too direct and to control the pace of the game; at times when you were more hesitant, is there a correlation in terms of being strong psychologically; in other words --

JULIE HALARD: It's too complicated for me.

Q. Let me put it in simple words.

JULIE HALARD: Yes.

Q. When you felt that you can psychologically -- were you going for your shots more as opposed to being more careful --

JULIE HALARD: I tried to make more pressure to her, but, I didn't want to make any mistakes, stupid mistakes, but I just like to go not for the lines too much, but to make pressure and to hit very well the ball and to go to the net if I got the possibility, and when I am not in good position, to just mix topspin ball or short ball to make her run and -- I don't know.

Q. Julie, before, what did you think was the biggest victory in your career?

JULIE HALARD: I think Sanchez was a great victory in Wimbledon two years ago, but I had some great wins at Roland Garros it was Davenport and Zvereva, it was good to beat two top ten players in a row, and beat Martinez, Mary Joe Fernandez and I was two points from the match against Steffi Graf in Berlin this year, and I know I can beat her.

Q. In Wimbledon, what round; do you remember?

JULIE HALARD: Second round.

Q. Julie, how important was the overall in the tiebreaker right after you severed the says and the lunching volley; did that seem to make you think, second chance, that this was destined?

JULIE HALARD: This point was not well-- what do you say-- well for me, it was not well, I was in a bad position to win this point and I think it was a good chance for me that make the next because I think normally I should have lost this point because she has a good topspin lob and I couldn't do anything with that, but I was lucky.

Q. Thank you.

End of FastScripts....

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