US OPEN

August 30, 2003

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I think it has something to do with it. But also, I mean, you know, how much of a better tennis player you are, you know, how you can learn to cope with the kind of different conditions. I mean, so I guess that would be experience. I mean, usually in the end, you know, whoever's just playing better wins anyway, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I didn't think that at all. I was just expecting her to keep up the level of play. I was just going to focus more and concentrate more on my own game and try to step up the level of my play, too.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, maybe I wasn't moving her as well in the second set, so I did that a little bit better. You know, I was hitting more to her forehand instead of letting her just get grooved on running it around all the time, because that's what she was hitting her best shot. She didn't hit it on the run that well. I was just trying to move it around and still be aggressive.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A little bit, yeah. Yeah, I hate playing in that kind of condition. You know, it was windy. I played two night matches, so it was kind of different playing in the day a little bit.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I just asked if that blimp was going to go around the whole time.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I just asked if they were going to fly around the whole time. You know, if it was possible, you know, it doesn't hurt to ask. Maybe they won't do it, but you don't know.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Huh-uh.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I have no idea (smiling). I think it left, though.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It was loud.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Usually it's farther up. It just seemed to be much closer.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, there's a few more distractions here. That's why I did ask, you know, to try to make it as less -- cut some of the distractions out. I mean, I remember once in Paris, there was like a helicopter flying around the whole time. You know, it doesn't happen in Wimbledon, but...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That's just my pace.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I don't know. I mean, it bothers me. You know, when you're trying to concentrate... I guess, when you're playing worse, everything sort of becomes louder, you know, than when you're playing well. You know, if you can reduce the distractions as much as possible. I don't know about the other players. I'm sure other players would complain after a while.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: More than everybody?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know. I mean, I just do what I do out there. You know, that's it. If something is bothering me, I try to stop it or just focus a little harder.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, she's, you know, a hard-hitter. She must be playing some good tennis. Played her a few times before. I mean, it's pretty much straight up and down tennis, just hitting the ball hard. But she's a good athlete. You know, if she has an on day, she can really be tough to play, tough to handle.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Most of the girls play like that. That's kind of the game I'm used to playing against. Yeah, I would be more comfortable against that type.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I just was thinking about just trying to break right back. I wasn't concerned. You know, I was just trying to focus and concentrate on just breaking right back.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I just, you know, haven't celebrated the win too much. Just basically just let it go. Just use it as a confidence booster, and that's it, basically.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. It's hard to tell. I've had different opponents and kind of different matches. Over there, I just had some really tough matches, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm not tense at all. I'm just taking it one at a time. Really, that's what I've been doing each match the last couple tournaments so far.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Really, I'm just concentrating on the next match, and that's it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, that's what happens. You know, everyone gets older. No, I've pretty much gotten used to it, you know, just kind of being the older one now. But really, I mean, I don't feel that much different, except that I just have all the experience.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it's definitely the weakest shot in her game. You know, I played her in Indian Wells. That's what I think was very effective for me, is just trying to pounce on her second serve. That's when, you know, you just put pressure. That's when more of the double-faults come. You know, definitely, I just will try to step up and try to hit it. That's what I normally try to do anyways on second serves.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, she started playing a lot better. You know, maybe I just lost patience a little bit, you know, made a couple more errors. But, you know, she hit some great shots and she played a few good games there. You know, the slice, wasn't used to playing against that, so I had to adjust a little bit.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. See, it was just so windy today, the humidity and everything, during the day it makes the balls fly a little bit more. Like I said, I was playing night matches. Now in the day, you know, it was a little bit too loose for me.