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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

March 25, 2007

Justine Henin

KEY BISCAYNE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you get out of that? How did you do that?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, I came back from nowhere almost. It's when I was down 5-1 in the third set, that I finally was calm for the first time in the match. I was really pretty relax at the time.
I don't know, I had a very good first set, and I lost my intensity, I lost my concentration just for a few games. And there was enough for the match to turn. She played really well in the second and in the third.
And she gave me some oxygen at the end, because I felt she was a little bit nervous to conclude the match and starting to do a couple of mistakes that she didn't do until that time. And I did hope at the time that I could come back in the match, and I did.
So it was typically a match that I can play. I do this kind of situation pretty often.
JUSTINE HENIN: So at 5-1 you felt relaxed?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, because it's like the match is lost. You just, you know, you play point after point. And you don't care anymore what could happen. You start to be a little bit tired. You just try to play your game, and it worked pretty good.
So, yeah, I'm glad I won and I have an opportunity tomorrow; I'm still in the tournament. That gives for sure confidence, even if you don't play your best tennis but to win this kind of match.

Q. Justine, you were speaking with the French reporters about breathing problems. Is it an allergy or asthma?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, apparently it could be. Because I don't feel really sick, but I feel very tired with that. But it's very hard for me to breathe normally, and it's hard to get my air and my oxygen.
So, yeah, I'm under treatment now, and I hope I'll get better soon. It's getting better. Today was better already. But two days ago after my first match I wasn't feeling good at all. It brings a lot of fatigue, but I hope I can get better soon.

Q. You seem to be finding every different way to win matches this year. This was an unusual way, maybe.
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah. I am an unusual person, maybe; I don't know. I have very, very complicated personality, maybe.
No, it's like I love to play tennis; I love to fight. Sometimes you don't play your best, but you have to keep going and fight on every point. This is what I tried to do from a couple of years now, but from the beginning of the season a little bit more.
There were a lot of changes in my life, too. I think I need a little bit of time emotionally to find a good balance again. I just tried to, yeah, do my best on the court. I did it pretty well from the beginning of the year. Everyone knows it's not my favorite event, but I hope match after match, being focused on every point, I can build something better this year.

Q. I think some of us in the room can relate to going through a big personal change. Sometimes it's harder before as you're making the decisions than it is after, and the relief. You've made a decision and you're going forward. Do you feel that's what's happened with you?
JUSTINE HENIN: That remains pretty private, and very personal. But I can -- I mean, making decisions is tough for everyone, and that's life. In your life you have to make decisions and to assume that. But it's been a big change in my life, and even if I feel good, I feel happy now, you know, I just have to find my place again on the circuit, in my life.
I'm getting better. I'm on the good way, but it takes probably a couple of months to feel 100% about that.

Q. Were you disappointed with your court placement today? As the No. 1 player in the world, did you feel you should have been on stadium court?
JUSTINE HENIN: I could be, but I'm not getting focused on that. I have to do my job, even if it's on court ten, doesn't matter for me. I'll have another opportunity.
I hope I'll play in the stadium tomorrow. But I don't make a big deal about that. I don't know, no. No more comment; that's better.

Q. You've said a few times that it's not an event you've ever really loved. You said partly because it's March, it's a difficult month for you personally, and also is it the conditions here? What is it that doesn't suit you?
JUSTINE HENIN: It's a bit of everything. Yeah, it's a difficult time for me, for sure. I don't know. The conditions are pretty tough. They're tough for everyone.
It's true, I don't know what makes it very special for myself. It's very difficult to play here. But it's okay. It's life. In Dubai I played four times; I won four times. Here I've never had big success here in the past.
Doesn't mean I will never play well here. Who knows what's going to happen. But you have to accept that and just try to be focused on what you have to do and your job. I feel lucky I can do what I love so much.
So I'll start to feel better here in the last two, three days than I was last week when I arrived. So I'm getting better.

Q. What is the farthest you've gone here?
JUSTINE HENIN: I'm sorry?

Q. What is the farthest that you've gone in this tournament?
JUSTINE HENIN: Quarter, I think, two times.

Q. To explain the way you did today, is there a sense of, I have a second life here this time, something you can build on?
JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, well, you have -- yeah, when you win you always have another opportunity. So I don't see it as a second chance. You know, I will do my best to have another match and do a better result, and we'll see what's going to happen. I will work hard for it.

Q. You used the word, I think, clarity, finding that clarity. Under that kind of pressure, how do you do that? Is there a mantra you say to yourself?
JUSTINE HENIN: About what?

Q. You said you found when you were down 5-1 it was one of those points where you were able to find a clarity of thought.
JUSTINE HENIN: It's because you think the match is lost, maybe. I don't know. But maybe I know it's because it's my last chance to really get calm and really try to get the good ideas in the match and do what I have to do at that time.
Because I probably understand it's my last chance, so I don't know. It's pretty hard to explain, but it's this kind of situation that I play my best tennis. I proved it many times in the past, and I think I will never change that because I am like that.
I probably love to be under pressure, but it's good to win in two sets easily, too.

End of FastScripts

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