US OPEN

August 28, 2001

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Thank you.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't even think about that match ten years ago anymore, and I think I'm a totally different player. I'm more mature, I'm stronger out there. I just mix up my game more. It's just that, I think it's I'm more (inaudible) power tennis than what I was playing back then, personally, what I've improved on. And that's how I evolved, that way.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No pun intended (smiling).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. It was a first.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not really. It was just a little smoky, you know, a little bit, which wasn't very pleasant, but... So it really didn't bother me though.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Maybe it's because of that. They just get irritated under the lights, yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I thought it was very cool. I did see the sign. I saw it earlier when I was practicing, too, and, yeah, it's great to look up and see that and to see my fans and they're really rooting for me. It's a lot of support. I feel the support a lot out there, and I did tonight especially.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I guess a little bit. I mean, they're just behind me maybe for different reasons. And maybe part of that is inspiration and that, you know, never-say-die on anything, and it's never too late to do what you really want to do.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Ashley?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You know, I really can't say because I'd have to talk to her and see what she's like as a person. I mean, it's just -- depends on the individual. I mean, she might like all the hoopla, who knows. So it would have to depend. And, you know, I would just give advice on whatever she asked. I would let her ask the questions.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. There's only so much I can do of that stuff without losing focus, and I think it's the same with everybody. You know, personally, I never -- I don't like all that stuff. And, yeah, just I lose my focus when I do all that stuff. So I try to keep it to a minimum and, you know, I'm here to play tennis and that's it. And basically, I just want to let my tennis do the talking, and I feel that's all I have to do.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I didn't really have that many endorsements. But I'm not into doing like commercials and a bunch of advertising and all that stuff. I figure just, you know, whatever the necessities are, obviously clothing, racquets, you know, that's good enough. And, yeah, the more endorsements you have, the more of your time you have to give. So, you know, I do try to keep it to a minimum.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You know, I've really kept it in perspective and I kept it at a distance because I knew that maybe that was going to happen. And so I've learned how to do that. And, you know, where I live, it's pretty private and quiet. So when I go home, really that's where I get away from everything. And even at the tournaments, you know, I just try to stay low-key and not really read the papers, you know, watch television and try not to listen to what everybody's saying and, you know, because that just influences a lot of what I'm thinking, you know, not by choice. I think it just does that automatically. And so basically, you know, hasn't been too bad. Could have been a lot worse if it would have got out of hand. But it's the end of the year now. After this there will be more time to take a break.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think it's possible. You know, just depends on where you stay and, you know, who you have around you. And, I mean, it's very easy to just go and do your own thing, just come to the matches. And then the rest, you know, I make a point of that - to really not have to do a lot of things other than the tennis, a lot of the media. Hopefully, I get it all done before so I don't have to do it during.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't really think they have. Basically, it's just taking a different turn. It's just become more of a positive thing than it was. It was just I felt maybe more negative before, so that's why I really asked to stop. But now it's just -- it's coming more in a positive way. It's hard not to be positive about the whole thing, the whole year. So, you know, it's my fault, too, because I could still -- I still -- I don't close the door on it. You know, I still kind of answer the questions and I could just very easily say just "Let's not talk about this stuff. Just tennis." But I don't.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean there's a lot of people that don't know what's going on and to them it's still new. I think that's the news, is just to keep people informed on what's happened in the past. It's the way people then form their opinions about it. It's part of you. I mean, it's part of the person. I learned that that's very hard to do, just not talk about it. So...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, I'm pretty relaxed right now. Tonight, I think I played really well. I just feel comfortable. I feel confident. Really, I'm not feeling any pressure. You know, I feel like I'm playing well. And when I know that I'm playing well, you know, that sort of takes the pressure off. So, I think I'm fully prepared for this, and, you know, I just have the attitude that whatever happens, happens. I've had a great year already and no one's gonna take away what I've done just if I don't do well here. I mean, no one's gonna put me down either regardless. I mean, I really don't think I can be put down for this year. So...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean it's completely different. And I just have a lot more confidence this year. And a big difference is, you know, I look at the draw and, I mean, I know where my name is - down at the bottom. I mean, that's really different and I'm really happy about that. And last year I really wasn't too sure of my game and how I was playing. You know, I think I underestimated myself a lot, and other people underestimated me, too. And I think this year is totally different. I mean, for sure it's the real deal. And for myself, I mean that's what I really believe.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: More bonuses, I guess, if you're No. 1. (Laughing). No, not really. I mean, I don't need to see it on paper. I mean, there's just so many good tennis players, it's just hard to say who's really No. 1. It's about the consistency also. And Martina, I mean that's why she's been staying at No. 1, just because she's been so consistent over the, you know, last few years. And maybe for the year it's a different story. But, you know, there's just -- everyone's so close. So on one day this player could be No. 1 and then on the next day this player could be No. 1. So it's just, I think, a paper thing.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I did look at his comeback and, you know, it was the same time that I was trying to come back. It was a bit of an inspiration for him because it showed me that it can be done. But I mean he's had a lot of those anyways, you know. So, I knew even before.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A little bit, yeah. And so what was the next -- the other part? Oh, if anyone else. I mean, just basically the support of my family and my close friends and just that I would just look at people who are really down-and-out and either sick in some way or really just down and having a lot of troubles in their life and I thought, "Geez, what's so bad about mine? If they can survive in there, then, you know, I can."

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I didn't. Hmm. (Smiling).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Sometimes. Yeah, I mean it kind of sort of goes hand-in-hand. Like what I'm showing on the court may be what I'm feeling off the court. If I'm irritated it's maybe some other things. And it's really hard to always try to, control, you know, because the spotlight's on you so everybody's watching you so everybody sees every little detail. Some things I definitely have a right to be annoyed about, some of the calls and whatever. But a lot of it is just venting out and, you know, it's -- people don't realize how difficult it is out there.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Maybe a little bit of everything there. You know, but I think probably that was just a one-time thing that -- something that really irritated me at that time and, you know, just on the court. It was kept on the court. That's how I wanted it to be, just kept on the court. And it maybe got blown out of proportion there.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think it definitely helps me. I think there's other people that like it, too. The crowd, they get into it. You know, they can see it's -- sometimes it gets my adrenaline going. Sometimes it might bring me down and maybe make me lose my concentration.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I think -- I think she just came out and played really well. I mean that was also because she played really well. And I mean, the conditions were a little bit tough out there. But...