TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 14, 2002

Enrica Pastore

Philippa Stewart

Q. Who saw first the damaged hand of Venus?

PHILIPPA STEWART: Actually, Venus came to me first because I'm the primary health care provider. So I'm the first person, the first contact person.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Actually, the problem had been -- I think Venus already told you , she's been having problems throughout the day.

PHILIPPA STEWART: During the day. The problem was getting worse, is I think what she told you. So she first came to me around 7 o'clock.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Yes, it is the right wrist.

PHILIPPA STEWART: No, totally new problem.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Today. During the practice today.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Practice today. Practice today, yes.

PHILIPPA STEWART: No. I think she already informed you that she had hurt it two days ago, but she had had no problems for two days.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Actually, we're not quite sure at the moment. After I saw her, we referred her to the tournament doctor, who is here (Enrica Pastore), to evaluate her. What she has done - what we are going to do - as in the media release, we are actually going to wait another day. We're going to reevaluate her tomorrow and we're going to see if we can get a more definitive diagnosis on the situation. (Interview continued in Italian.)

BEATRICE MANZARI: They don't know exactly what happened to the wrist. Tomorrow there will be an evaluation. So they just evaluated that she suffered at the right wrist, nothing more.

PHILIPPA STEWART: We did, yes.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Okay. I'm sorry. We were first aware that there was a problem at 7 o'clock. But there was still a possibility -- she wasn't sure whether she was able to play or not. So she was -- had a practice session at that time to see whether she was able to play or not.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Well, she practiced until 7:30 or after - later than that, yeah. Because she wanted to be sure. I mean, she was... wanted to play, yeah.

PHILIPPA STEWART: How did she hurt herself? I think she told you she was lifting some luggage.

PHILIPPA STEWART: That she was lifting some luggage, yes. Yeah.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Yes, obviously. Yes.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Some luggage, it was luggage.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Yeah, she had no problem.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Yeah.

PHILIPPA STEWART: No, no, no. During the day she practiced. She had two earlier sessions during the day. And after that, it was gradually getting worse.

PHILIPPA STEWART: No. And that's why we're going to reevaluate the situation again tomorrow. She's going to have continued treatment with her therapist, and we're going to have her in tomorrow and we'll have a reevaluation tomorrow.

PHILIPPA STEWART: Not at this stage. Not at this stage. That's what the reevaluation is always about, to just see whether it's indicated or not.

RAQUEL MARTIN: We have to ask the player. We have to ask Lilia. But what I'm aware of - I'm not a spokesperson - but I do know that she was warming up for her doubles because she was scheduled to play after the Venus-Kournikova match. So she was on site because she had to play her doubles.