PILOT PEN TENNIS

August 21, 2003

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Whatever it takes (smiling).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, she really moves well out there. She fights for every ball, just tries for everything. You underestimate her because you think, you know, the ball is like not coming that hard. But, you know, she's putting a lot of spin. It's hard to not just, you know, want to really just go for every shot and try to put the ball away. But either, you know, she gets to a lot of them or, you know, you get little too impatient and do it at the wrong time, which I think in the second set is what happened a lot.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Sometimes it is. I mean, it's a real test of your patience, your will to win out there, especially in the hot conditions. You know, it could be easy to, you know, just sort of, you know, give every shot and just go for it, whether it goes in or not. But, you know, that's why she wins a lot of matches. I think that's why she's up there and she is where she is, because she just breaks a lot of players down, you know.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, maybe it was a -- it was a little different conditions today. I think it was just really hot out there. You know, I was feeling it also. But, you know, I had the advantage of just being able to hit more winners, you know, than her. So she's probably working, you know, twice as hard. So, you know, it's not that she's in less shape. I think she just probably had to work a little bit harder.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think winning the match last night gave me a lot of confidence. You know, I came out definitely playing a lot better today. Yeah, you know, these type of matches, you know, these ones I usually win against maybe the lower-ranked players. But it's just when I get up against someone higher ranked, you know, maybe I'm not always winning those matches. So, you know, I'll just learn how to close them out and just learn by playing these kind of matches and getting through them.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, we took a shirt change and just a bathroom break, not the full 10 minutes. I mean, I didn't need the full 10 minutes. I don't think she did either. Sometimes I don't like to do that because, you know, you have to come back, then you kind of stiffen up. It takes too long to get back into it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. You know, I still have a few days. Even if I play Saturday, there still will be a day. You know, for me, I just look at it as, you know, a really long practice session anyways, that I would really need a good workout. For me it's good. I think this is helping me get into a little bit better shape going into The Open with my lack of match practice.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not really. Not at all (smiling).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's doing fine. Actually, I've been serving pretty good. I'm pleased with the way it's been feeling. Yeah, it's almost good. Sometimes something like that happens because then it makes you go back, you know, work on the things that are not strong. In return, you just get stronger muscles there, and maybe it will just help with my serve in the long run, so.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, I'm a little drained right now, but... (smiling).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Thank you (laughter). Yeah, most people, I don't think they really expected it to go in or me to make it, so... Yeah, I mean, the last two weeks, just remember doing a lot of stuff in the gym and fitness stuff that, you know, I've had to do that kind of running. I guess it paid off.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think that's almost more difficult than getting back. You had to, you know, fight so hard to get back. You know, definitely it doesn't come easy to stay on top. It's like a double-whammy there. You know, just takes a pretty head-strong person, someone who's able to really deal with the pressure - I guess with the pressure they put on themselves more than anything. You know, it's hard not to, you know, not feel the expectations I guess when you're No. 1 and on top.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I would definitely say that. I mean, I just got to change the motivation. You know, the motivation's been to get to the top; now it has to be to stay on the top.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I think I definitely miss being, you know, on the top. Still, it's not like, you know, I'm way down. I still think I'm pretty close. So it's definitely realistic. It's just a matter of a few things here and there I think for me.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not really.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You know, it's hard to say. You think you're doing everything right, and then you get in the situation, and certain things, you know, just don't go your way. You know, I've had some maybe bad luck here and there, getting some injuries or being out for a while, and also just mentally maybe being tired, not being able to go through with it, as you say. You know, it's just a matter I think of going out there and just playing, just not really thinking about anything else at all, just playing, and finish - finish it off.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not really. I mean, there were maybe a few times here and there where I felt my legs really didn't move that well, just felt a little bit winded. But not really. I mean, I was able to regain it I think pretty quick.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not even close (smiling). No, it's pretty hot. It's very humid out there. You know, just no shade out there at all, so it's just kind of like you're out there and the sun's constantly beating on you, you know, the heat from the ground is coming up. You know, but that's like Florida. I should be used to it, yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I try to just make the most of my time if I'm out with an injury, just take that time to make myself stronger physically, you know, also to relax a little bit, kind of let my mind relax, not think about, you know, what's going on on the tour, what I'm missing, all that. I think the rest would benefit me.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, uh-huh.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, they're not diamonds (laughter).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Does she wear real diamonds?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I lost one on the court. Some ball kid will be pretty happy, I guess (smiling).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: What time is it? Go shopping (laughter). Go to dinner, probably dinner, maybe a movie, yeah, because I don't play -- well, I don't know.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm confident. I mean, I'm not going to put in my head that I need a victory, I mean, because maybe that victory's never going to happen. You know, just take it one at a time and get confidence from each match that I play.