TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 16, 2002

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, it's a little bit of a surprise. I mean, I thought it might be a little tougher match, even though I knew I was playing well. But, you know, I thought she was playing a little bit better. But, you know, after the first set went by like that, I just kind of had the feeling that it was just -- things couldn't really change around, just because I was playing well and she was just making so many mistakes.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's been a long time. I don't know if any - any time really. I can't remember.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know. I mean, I never lost 6-love, 6-love (laughter). I mean, I don't think so. I would do anything to at least get a game, you know - even if I have to, you know, start serve and volleying or something, you know. I mean, whatever (laughter). Or hitting, whatever, left-handed - anything. But, I mean, it happens, I guess. And, I mean, you have to just forget about it. And I think there's another -- there's other ways probably you could forget about it - if you come back and, you know, play better the next time against the same person, or you have your revenge, or there's a way to redeem yourself. Or you just look at it, I mean, as it's just a tennis match anyways. Yeah, you don't get a game this time, no; but next time, you will. And, you know, you have to not look at it as being a big deal, I guess.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: To what?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Oh, we are? Oh, I don't know (smiling).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah (laughing). I'm sure she wouldn't mind anyways. I don't mind.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, this tournament, this time, I think I'm definitely playing better than I was last year. You know, at the French, I think I was playing really well, and I don't know if I could play better than that. I mean, I'm sure -- I think every year or every time I get better and better and stronger. I mean, I think I'm in a little better form this year than last year.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, to lose 6-love, 6-love (smiling). No. No, I'm just going to forget about this match and not take anything too easy - even, you know, what happened tonight. At least I could start fresh, I can be fresh for tomorrow, and that's the way I look at it. And I'm going to be expecting a very different kind of match. So, I mean, Mauresmo, she's playing really well. This is her surface. So I have to -- I think I'm going to have to play really well.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I guess it's good. But she, I mean, you can't really compare her now to the -- to, you know, when she won Roland Garros. I mean, she's been away for a long time and coming back from injuries. You know, so she's still on her way back.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, for me, on my side, I mean, I think I'm just playing well. Just look at the way I played tonight, and she made it easy for me. But, you know, I still -- I still played well. It's hard sometimes to play those kind of matches if, you know -- to not lose concentration or kind of just blow it, you know, whatever. And so for me, on my end, I'm very confident.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it's hard to say. I mean, you see those results, but you see a lot of the other kind of results, too. I mean, not every match is like that. I mean, maybe just the top players are playing so well. I mean, in a way it is kind of true. I mean, but still, I don't know. I seem to have tougher matches, I don't know (laughing). My matches are not easy, so I can't feel like it's -- there's no depth at all. You know... I mean, you still have the few upset losses. But, I mean, maybe the scoreline looks like that, but I don't know, I still think there's a lot of good players and a lot of depth.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, she has -- she has consistent strokes on the clay. I mean, her topspin and her backhand. She hits over the ball and then, you know, she hits the slice. And it gives -- keeps the ball in play and gives it, I mean, players like me trouble, who hit with the two hands. She has a big forehand. But, you know, she can really control a lot of the points, and she can also come to net. So there's -- she's a good all-around player. And I think on clay, when she has more time, then she can sort of toy around with the opponents a little more.