WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2001

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think I played well, even though I made some mistakes. I think I cut those out towards -- in the second set. But, yeah, it's just some easy mistakes here and there, but overall, I felt pretty good on my game today.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know. (Smiling.)

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It would be a tough, tough match I think. It would go on forever. Are you just asking what's the --

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think so. At that moment, at that match I definitely played great at that final there. So, I mean but the difference now is just I'm really consistent every match. You know, I'm playing that same way, the same intensity.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, many times that went through my mind.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That I couldn't, you know, come back. You know, it was just a tough period there when just nothing, you know, was going my way. Just having losses, and just in tough matches, long matches, or just everything was going wrong, like the luck and getting injured and stuff. I just thought everything was just kind of going against me.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, basically I just -- I didn't want to give up on it. And, you know, still it felt like I had a long life to live still ahead of me. You know, I wasn't -- you know, what was I gonna do with the rest of my life? I wouldn't feel good about looking down the road, you know, in the future and looking back and feeling like I never gave it 100 percent or, you know, any regrets or anything of coming back. So I just kept going, and eventually just things get better. It's, you know, one thing after the other and just turned it around and just became more positive.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I guess maybe I just stopped being so critical of myself and so harsh on myself and just expecting so much from myself. I just kind of like, you know, just gave in, like, "I'm gonna try my best and whatever happens, happens." You know, I got to be satisfied with it, with myself. And I stopped listening to what others were saying and I stopped reading the things -- I stopped believing those things, actually.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I've always had popularity. Right now, I mean, I'm not surprised by anything. You know? I'm not surprised with my comeback. I mean, it's just something that I've worked hard to attain, and it's just I've gotten the results. I mean, I knew I could still play good tennis, and I could -- I mean, I was up there once. So it's not like you lose it all of a sudden or something that leaves you. I think you're born with it, you're born with it. So it's just a matter of putting it all together. It's not, like, that surprising. You know, it's just maybe I'm a little surprised I won two Grand Slams in a row now. But right now it's just becoming more believable for me.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, every time I come here, the people are always great to me, they're always supportive. I think the people here just like to see good tennis, and they appreciate it when someone's trying and really giving it their best.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I guess. I think everyone -- hopefully, everyone likes to see a good story. I know I would feel the same way if I was reading it about someone else, so...

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Right now, I'm not thinking about her. I'm just taking it one match at a time.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think just like that, even other parts of my game, everything goes off sometimes. I think overall my game is strong, and I feel like my serve is getting better and better. It's just definitely, I mean, getting more powerful, I think, and just getting more confidence. So I think, like everywhere, every part of my game, sometimes I'll maker errors on my forehand, backhand and it's a matter of getting it back.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, sometimes it is on my forehand, something structural. You know?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I've been getting asked a lot about Roddick. It's great. I mean, he's got a lot of pizazz, it looks like. He's got a great serve. I really haven't -- I just watched a few matches, not like whole matches either, just some certain points.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I just took a few days off.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not really hard because I didn't want to, like, wear myself out. But it was enough, I think, just playing in Florida in the heat there. I mean, it was so hot, so it's not like I needed to do a lot. That got me in shape pretty quick.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it's just maintaining it. I mean, my desire has gotten greater, and my motivation now, you know, even my trainers say that, you know, now it's like I'm working harder than before because, you know, I like the taste of success. I like the victories. So, you know, I really am enjoying it. I think if I just keep it going like this, I mean, I don't have to work harder. So I'm fine at this pace.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think definitely it's like a groove. It's just maintaining. It's definitely easier to maintain it than to get there, at the level. So, yeah, right now it's just automatic for me.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, it does, of course, to know that there's a mutual respect. I mean, I think whatever happens personally, however we treat each other, you know, that's one thing. But I think everyone, most of the time, respects each other's game and the player that they are. You know, who cares about the personal stuff? We're not all here to be friends anyway. So it's just -- I mean, it's flattering, and it's satisfying that they would actually come out and say it and talk about it. But it just shows that, you know, they're quite professional on their part to say something like that. So...