WIMBLEDON

July 3, 2002

Amelie Mauresmo

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I think she's right. You know, at least on this surface, I think I've never played a better tennis than the one I played today. You know, I'm very happy about the consistency. You know, from the beginning to the end, I didn't let anything go. I think that was the key today.

AMELIE MAURESMO: No, not really, not right after that match. You know, changing my game is coming with this surface, with the grass courts. I lost to her also on the slower surface in the Australian Open this year. You know, I knew I shouldn't let her play her game, do what she likes to do, which is dictating, you know, being into the court, going left and right. So I just take my chances, go forward, and it worked well. So I think that was, yeah, good tennis.

AMELIE MAURESMO: About my life (laughter)?

AMELIE MAURESMO: You know, I think it's experience. I think I had some bad experiences, you know, French Open last year, French Open this year. I was a little bit disappointed with my match on the Sunday. You know, I thought it's stupid to let it go like this. You have to play, you have to defend the chances better than this. And that's what I'm doing. I'm trying to let it go, you know, not have any regret when I go out to the court.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I think, you know, I play a very good game today. Again, they're playing very similar from Jennifer's game, which is hitting, you know, very hard from the baseline. Maybe better serves. But, you know, I just take it as it comes. I know I have my chances, and that's the most important.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah. I'll walk on the court, you know, knowing I can do it.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Today?

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, maybe. You know, my mental was a little bit up and down. I think, you know, I'm trying to put things together so that I am going very far in a Grand Slam tournament, which is two weeks. I mean, of course the head has to be good.

AMELIE MAURESMO: I think it's experience, again, maturity maybe, you know, growing up, learning from what I did. Sometimes, you know, you lose and you don't know why. You don't think why, why this happen. I always try to do that. As I was saying, you know, the French Open was very good experience for me because it make me grew up a little bit. And I hope it's going to last.

AMELIE MAURESMO: I think I wasn't at that time consistent enough to produce that like more often. I think I needed some time, you know, to get that consistency - and especially mentally, again. You know, I just give myself some time, and it's coming. You know, it's not easy, but it's coming.

AMELIE MAURESMO: My partner?

AMELIE MAURESMO: My expartner, you mean (laughter)?

AMELIE MAURESMO: No. I think, you know, the game I play today was really -- I'm not used to play this, you know, being aggressive, going to the net as often. I think, again, the grass court is giving me this opportunity, and I just take it. My third round against Myskina, you know, was the beginning of that. I started to be more aggressive and just let it go. You know, I thought, you know, good volleys. I have big presence at the net, so I just keep doing it. It works.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Maybe. I think I was coming to the net from far, not especially on the short balls. So maybe she wasn't expecting, yeah.

AMELIE MAURESMO: On this surface, probably, yeah. But I think on different surfaces, the point that you win here, you wouldn't win somewhere else. You have to adjust a little bit for the other, you know, like clay or hard court.

AMELIE MAURESMO: No, it feels good actually (laughter). It feels okay. You know, I'm having -- I'm feeling good on the court. I like to be out there playing that game, so it's the most important.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I think she's really playing serve and volley all the time - return, go to the net most of the time. So think I'm not that kind of player; I just take the chances I have. But it's not as obvious as this.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, like everybody. You know, it's just very tough to go on and off again. I don't know how many times we did it. It was a lot, obviously. You know, it's the same for everybody, again. I mean, I didn't have that experience here. It was the first time. So I had to handle that, you know, like her.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I could see she was getting little bit pissed off. But that's -- I guess that's the way it is. I tried, you know, to stay calm, as you say. I think was better for me, yeah, today.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, maybe at some point, I would have get, you know, a little bit excited about it, not understanding. But today wasn't the case, so that's good.

AMELIE MAURESMO: The big disappointment for me last year was just the French Open. You know, I wasn't thinking about beating this one or this one, whoever. I was just thinking, you know, I had great chance there, and I didn't take it. So, yeah. Then, you know, after a few month, couple month, I just came back. Yeah, you always think you always want to do it the quickest, as quick as possible, but you have to wait a little bit, I guess.

AMELIE MAURESMO: It's an angel.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, me (laughter).

AMELIE MAURESMO: No, I don't think so. It's still pretty dry. You know, they put the cover very quickly, so it's very dry.