WIMBLEDON

June 26, 2003

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Again? Yeah, I felt I kept the momentum going today. I served well when I needed to. I really was having -- like a breakpoint down, hit a big serve, you know, makes things a little bit easier when you can come up with big serves. It just adds a whole 'nother level. You know, it was tough conditions. You know, No. 2 court, I haven't played on there in a long time. A little bit windy, but I was able to concentrate the whole match.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: The only thing I would dread is just if it's a noisy court, if there's a lot of people kind of walking around. But this is a nice atmosphere, that court. It's cozy. It's not so big. But I like it better than like the No. 18 court, because there's a little more room to move also. But I guess over the years it's been called the Graveyard Court. I don't really think about that. I don't believe in that, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I just have to get the press over with, then just basically go in the players' lounge. I can basically, yeah, go back to my house and just relax. I'm not playing doubles, so it's good.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, I've gone to one. But so far, I mean, I haven't really been into London. It's kind of far away, I mean, with the traffic and everything. It's not too often you go out there.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You mean the subway?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I haven't.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I just haven't needed to do that. But I just think I would just get totally lost, unless I was with someone who knew where they were going. No, it wouldn't bother me. Obviously, I wouldn't go alone.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think mostly everyone does their own thing. I'm not going to commentate on what goes on.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it's really our own place to just get away and relax. Some people like to just talk with each other, and some people just don't like to be bothered or just want to go in there and be by themselves. That's all I'm going to say.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I guess, yeah (smiling). I'm in the top-seeded locker room, so it's very nice. It's not like your average locker room. You know, there's like nice couches. I mean, the ladies that work in there, you have like teas, little biscuits, and stuff like that. It's a nice place to be, so I don't mind going in there.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's the top-seeded players.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: If you ask, I guess, yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Can we talk about tennis?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's fine, completely fine, all healed.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Actually, they don't get as irritated, yeah, especially at night, and as dry. It's definitely better. And they look a lot better, too. Yeah, I still want to be careful with the bright sunlight. Maybe that's the only thing, if it's really bright, I just have to wear my sunglasses, but I should anyway as a precaution.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, they were just red all the time. I would be asked questions all the time, even in here, like why my eyes are always so red.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I haven't. I did in Dubai and Miami. Really, if there's anything to get better, they will just keep getting better, yeah. I'm not really going to be worried as much playing at night.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I had pterygiums removed.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: They're like sunspots that are from the sun.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: (Nodding head.)

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not really. It's just they like to have their traditions here. I think, you know, there's just so much history behind it. You know, try to maybe make it a more classy event. But, you know, that's the only part of it. I think at all the Grand Slams, I mean, they're very good to the players, and especially in the locker rooms, you know, around the grounds and stuff. Although the tickets, it's pretty hard to still get tickets, even for players. They're not too nice about that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Aren't there 32 seeds? I'm not sure. I know it's singles and doubles, too.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I thought I saw that yesterday.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Like I think it was Roddick and Rusedski.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Roddick did it. Is it your choice?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Oh, it's optional?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know. It's kind of different. It's kind of cool that you're like playing in front of Royalty, so I don't know. I don't mind it either way.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think just before I went out on the court, they would show you how to do it. There would be a guy showing you how to do it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, the waiting room right before you go out and walk onto Centre Court.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: He was wearing pants.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Back the first year I played here - I don't know - '90, was it? I don't know.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Really, it's not that difficult.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think you're more nervous than anything. You don't want to mess up. Maybe you do it the wrong way, the wrong leg. I don't think they would really care much anyways. At least you're trying.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's hard to say. I mean, I've always said everyone's an individual and everyone copes with it differently. I don't think it's the tour's responsibility for the well-being, psychological well-being. They're just the tour. You're basically, I think, on your own, playing for yourself anyways. So it's just basically your support group. You know, seems like there's so many youngsters now anyways. Not everyone makes it. There's those special few out there. You know, it's just so few of those special ones that, you know, you can't just like say the same rules for everyone.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, uhm, you know, it's like I haven't really seen anybody that's been in my shoes. I mean, maybe the closest one would be Martina. Still a little bit different in a way. She was still a little bit older, I think. But, yeah, I mean, I would -- if anyone ever wanted to come and talk to me, I definitely would. I would offer my advice. What I would say was just to -- you know, it's only a game, and you can't let it influence the person you are and let it make you or break you basically. You know, there's just going to be a lot of talk, the way the press is, you know, all the attention and the pressure and expectations, you know, it's going to be difficult. But it's only a part of your life, and this part, and don't let it, you know, destroy you and destroy who you are as a person.