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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 23, 2007

Michelle Larcher de Brito

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How different was it playing in the big stadium?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Definitely different. I was a lot more nervous, such a big court and such a big stadium. At first I was pretty nervous, but I got used to it and just try to ignore it a bit and just play.

Q. Have you been in there before as a spectator?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Yeah, I hit there just to get used to it.

Q. Do you feel it affected the way you played, or did you get over the setting once you started hitting the ball?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: I definitely got over the setting before I started.

Q. What was the most impressive: Playing against Top 10 or Top 20 or the big stadium?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Sorry?

Q. What was the most impressive: To play against a Top 20 player?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Definitely to play a Top 20 player. She played a great match and she's also a great person. It wasn't very easy, and she definitely played really well.

Q. When you had Nick come out, what did you guys talk about during the commercial break?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Just staying my focus. Just trying to get my serve in, because I wasn't serving that well. It was really windy and just trying to keep my focus with my feet and just carry on playing, not really worry about the score because it was my first big match, my third professional tournament.

Q. How happy were you with your play overall then?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: I was definitely happy. I played really well. Well, I think I played really well. She played very well. She's a great player. I'm pretty happy.
Even though the score was 6-Love, I still think I played really well, and being my first time, as well.

Q. With the age eligibility rule and really kind of only getting one shot at this level, now you kind of go away for a year. What will you take away from this to work on for the next time you have this chance?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Just train hard. I'm playing some junior tournaments, as well and mis it up some: Some ITF, such as 50,000, 25,000, 75,000. Just going to mix up tournaments playing professionally and I'm still going to play juniors, as well.

Q. When you play on such a big court do you still feel you are only 14, or do you feel like a big girl, like a pro?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: No, I definitely think I'm still 14. I'm not a pro yet. I don't even have a ranking yet because you have to play three tournaments before you get a ranking. I still think I'm a 14-year-old playing on that court, and I just try and not think about it.
I just go there and play, win or lose. If I lose, work on what I did wrong and improve.

Q. Why didn't you call for a challenge before the last game? Were you shy?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: No, because the umpire said it was clearly out, so I decided not to challenge it.

Q. I don't know if you were asked this before, but what did it feel like to walk out of the tunnel and be on center court for the first time?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Nerve-wracking. I was really nervous, but as soon as I started playing I started forgetting about it and just started playing my game and see how the match goes.

Q. What did she say to you when you shook hands?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: She's a very, very nice person. She wished me good luck after, and she said I have a great career ahead of me. She's a great player. She's a great person, as well. She's very nice.

Q. After what you experienced this week, if there were not an age eligibility rule, would you want to play more tournaments at this level, or do you think it's just right the way it is?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Oh, yeah, definitely. The tournament is great, a great organization. I definitely would love to play this tournament. Maybe not all the time. I definitely would like to stay with juniors now so I play with my age group and sort of work my way up, because it's a big difference from juniors to pros.

Q. Your family seems to be very supportive. How important is it for you?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Oh, my family is pretty much my life. They come here, move with me and support me. If it wasn't for my parents, I probably wouldn't be here today, supporting me.

Q. What are your dreams in tennis?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Definitely be No. 1 in the world (laughing).

Q. What is the biggest difference between juniors and pros? What do you think is the thing that makes the big difference that you're going to have to overcome?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: That's a tough one. It's definitely the competition. I mean, the girls -- the girls as professionals hit the ball ten times harder. It's so much harder to keep a rally going with them.
With the juniors, I wouldn't say it's easier, but it would be less challenging -- not less challenging -- that's a tough question. There's not much of a difference, just competition-wise I would say.

Q. When a person as Nick Bollettieri has an interest in you, is it kind of pressure?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Not really. I've been working with Nick since I was nine, and my dad and Nick worked together. There's not much pressure. He definitely helps me a lot. He coaches me. He's with me all the time. There's not much pressure, no.

Q. Did you have a good cry in the locker room before coming in front of us?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: No, actually this is my first match I have played and not cried (laughter). This is my first match I've played and I walked off the court smiling because I was proud of myself how I played.
Seriously, this is my first match, honestly. This is my first match I haven't cried (laughter).

Q. That's interesting. I saw you after your match with Meghann and you were very emotional and crying afterwards and you won.
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: It was my first victory with the WTA. It meant a lot to me.

Q. You cry after wins and losses normally?
MICHELLE LARCHER de BRITO: Not every one. This was my first big one. Like she was Top 50, and the Sony Ericsson is such a big tournament, and just winning it, it was very emotional.

End of FastScripts

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