WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2001

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not any more than usual. I mean, every time I come here, the crowd is always like that, very supportive of me, very warm. But, I don't know, maybe a little bit - a little bit extra.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, or just from the accomplishments that I've done this year. I guess, they want to see me continue with the success that I've had. But, like I've said, I think they've always been like that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's just the same thing from the French. The tendonitis in my knee I felt. I'm just taking care of it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I've put a lot into it. Definitely made the commitment. I mean, I started my comeback a long time ago. It's just something that doesn't happen so quickly and overnight, you know. I wasn't out of the game, you know, for a week. It would take a long time. In a lot of ways, it is sweeter because when you really have to work for something, you appreciate it a lot more; when it just doesn't come so easy to you, you really value it because you're the only one who really knows what you had to go through to get there.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Started when?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I was taking it as it comes. I was just a teenager, too. I didn't look that far ahead into the future. Really, I was just enjoying the moment, you know, everything that I was just experiencing at that time. I didn't look ahead. You know, you have time to do that when you're an adult, I guess. That's when you're supposed to do it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I've always felt comfortable on the grass. I mean, I think it's definitely one of the hardest surfaces, that's for sure, because it's just a whole different game. You know, you have to be in shape. I mean, there's a certain mindframe you have to be in to play on this stuff. You never know who you could play against. You could play unbelievable serve, volley. The points are so short, you never really have time to work your way into it. But, you know, I think I have a pretty good game plan of how I want to play on this stuff. I've been practising well on it for the last couple weeks.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I mean, I'm not surprised. You know, you don't expect anybody to win these days. You don't expect anybody to lose. You just never know what's going to happen. Every match is different. Every tournament is different. It's not always just about you anymore either. It depends on your opponent also. You know, so she lost. You know, stuff happens. You know, just to the next one.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Before today?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Last year.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Against Lindsay, yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Always, you know, when I look up and I see my family there, it always gives me support and strength, yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Well, I hadn't played any matches on grass. This is my first match. I'd just been practising. So I think, I don't know, she came out playing well. It wasn't that I was playing bad. I just didn't find my groove right away. That's the grass also. I think I picked it up after, and I played a lot better. You know, I'm happy that I pulled that one out, you know, had a little bit of a tough time out there.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, the reason is because, I mean, two weeks later is another Grand Slam. You know, that's the most important thing to think about. Doing all that stuff, I think I would lose my concentration, my focus. You know, I want to forget about it so I can go on to the next one. Doing all those things would just, you know, keep living in the moment, not that it's bad, but do that stuff later. But I'm not a big fan of talk shows anyway (laughter).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Hard?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, so far I haven't really felt any expectation or pressure. I'm sure now, you know, we'll see what happens. Okay, the first one maybe is just like a one-time thing, a fluke. The second one, maybe there's something else here. Maybe there's going to be more attention now. I know for sure there's going to be more attention. You know, we'll just see how it goes. I think quick to handle it. That's why I have my family and my friends, where I don't have to think about the pressure so much.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Actually, it hasn't been so bad or so out of control. It's all been pretty low-key. I just learned that I'm in control of that. You know, I don't have to let it get out of hand. I value my privacy. All I want to do is just come to do what I have to do, and that's it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Actually, I haven't practised with her for a year.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't really want to comment on her. I just talk about my game.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yes.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, nothing's similar to here, but it's grass. It's as close as it will get. It's good. The worse that is, the better this seems. So easier.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I remember all of it, just being here, playing here. That wasn't the first year that I beat Martina?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: So, I mean, that definitely stands out in my mind. I mean, it seems kind of like a long time ago, but everything's changed, you know, even just the locker rooms, this new facility. I mean, everything is so different now.