PILOT PEN TENNIS

August 23, 2001

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I was really off. Yeah, I think I definitely served a lot better today and made up for yesterday for sure. So, you know, I'm real happy about it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it just gave me a little bit more of an edge there, you know, kind of helped my whole game. You know, 'cause my serve was up, and so it just made me -- my whole -- the rest of my game go up on another level, too. And so I just got a lot of momentum from that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's not possible.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: We're in the same half of the draw, so semi.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Maybe in the first set. But I think in the second set or at the end of the first set, I definitely cut down on them. And, yeah, I mean, I go for the shots. And, you know, her game, too, is tough because, you know, it's hard to just really -- I mean, if you just give the ball to her or hit short balls, she's pretty aggressive and she's pretty solid off the ground. So she'll just, you know, try to hit the winners. And so I'm just going a little bit -- I'm going for more of my shots against her. But I definitely cut down on it towards the second set.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I think I was definitely more prepared out there from the first ball, and I definitely went out there really warmed up and, you know, ready to play. Because I know she's a tough player, and I always have tough matches against her. So, yeah, I was just a little more used to the conditions also.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. It's a pretty different court, the surface. And just the weather and everything is just different. It's definitely more humid here.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, I think in the second set my level really picked up and I just started playing a lot better, more aggressive and cut down on the errors. You know, I was just real aggressive and I came to net a few times and won the point, the important points there. So I think my confidence just went up also.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it went both ways I think. Some were really obvious, and then others, you know, you never know. So I just learned to just play every ball like it's in 'cause you just never know with them. So...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Sometimes. I mean, when it's just really close, like how it was in the first set, you know, maybe you'll just get a little more upset about the calls than you would normally if it's just going easier. But since it's so close, you know, it just, you know, maybe makes you a little bit more nervous because you're not really sure. You know you're hitting the ball well, you know you're doing your part, but you don't know -- you can't really trust the other person to do their part. So, you know, whatever...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's hard to say. They're both so different. I mean, what if I just said they were equally the same? (Laughing.)

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: (Smiling.) I have no idea. I mean, it's just -- I don't really have any comment on that 'cause so far my experience with another tennis player hasn't been the greatest. (Laughing.) So I don't know. It just depends. I mean, it doesn't matter if it's a tennis player, another tennis player, whatever. If you just meet someone that you really love, it doesn't matter what they do. And as far as the baby...(Laughing.)... I don't know.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, I wouldn't know if my kid would want to play tennis for sure. I mean, I really haven't thought about it. You know...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, on some shots I can, I feel like I can. I think like today I did, I was a little bit stronger. And maybe when I'm really on, I feel that way. Like today I just, you know, in the serves and some of the shots, I'm able to maybe just finish off the points. So I think that's maybe, you know, an advantage that I have a little bit.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know. I mean, I think there's room for improvement for her - for her, you know, fitness level and for her physical condition. I mean, maybe if she did work on that, you know, getting a little bit stronger and a little more in shape, you know, I think that could help and maybe add more power to her shots.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Definitely I think it helps in tough situations. You know, I mean, I think it just helps even like before I go out on the court. You know, I'm confident before I go out and play a match that I know, you know, I've put in the work and like I feel confident that I am going to go out there and play well. And even against the top players, I'm always going to give them a good match and make it hard for them. So, you know, maybe it even starts before in the locker room. And, you know, that's helped me a lot. And maybe, you know, the other players don't play as well because of that. And just also the tough situations, you know, I can really draw on -- in from those experiences and think how I handled it before. I think to myself, "I've been in this situation before and I've pulled it out." So, you know, "Just try to do the same thing."

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Probably. Yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I mean, it doesn't matter. I mean, especially now, like before the Open, it really doesn't matter. It's just about getting out there and playing matches. I mean, obviously it's the Open that really counts, you know, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it was very important. We could still be out on the court right now playing, you know. So you just never know. I mean, it could have really gave her a momentum if she won the first set and started playing a lot better. We'd be out there now, or just lost the match. So, yeah, it's very important that I won the first set.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Everybody.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Very helpful. I mean, especially in the summer. That's where he traveled with me most of the time. I mean, the rest of the time he's at school, going to college. But I mean, he's just there also as a support factor, just like the rest of my family. So... And it's great because he's also like a friend and someone I can really talk to.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: We're gonna try.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not now.