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TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 31, 2001

Jennifer Capriati

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. You had so many chances to win. Tell us what happened.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, just on those matchpoints didn't go my way. It was just really close and nothing happened. I mean, I don't know what happened just, you know, just so close and just on those points didn't, you know, I didn't have the luck or I just was, you know, I missed a few shots by a little and, you know, too bad it didn't make the points that I won on the matchpoints.

Q. Had you ever lost a match with so many matchpoints?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't think so. I remember coming back being down matchpoints like that and coming back, but not actually being ahead.

Q. Did you feel tight at all?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. Not at all.

Q. Was it your foot, your ankle? You had something wrapped late in the match?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just getting a blister, yeah.

Q. Did you figure out any lessons from the match to take out, positive for you yet?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it was all positive, you know, I mean, being so close I still-- I mean, I think I should have won the match. So just a few improvements here and there and being so close and if I-- I don't think I played like, my best tennis today. I think the conditions were really, really tough out there. The wind and then the sun and being on one side and just, you know, it was for both, but still -- so the next time for sure I will take advantage more, yeah, I will learn a lot from this match.

Q. Was it the wind that was the problem with your serves? You seem to have had a hard time with it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think, yeah. I guess the wind and also I mean, the sun was really bad on one side. Just maybe, I felt like I had to go for it too much when I didn't have to. But yeah, mostly the wind was just tough to maintain a rhythm.

Q. Did you ever hit that many double-faults in a match before?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.

Q. Do you remember the number?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No.

Q. The number is 16.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it was a long match.

Q. Being able to rivalize in power with Venus and Serena did you think you could make it before this tournament that well?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, absolutely. I never -- that is something I never doubted anyways.

Q. Wouldn't you say that your performance against both Williams sisters solidified your Australian Open title even that much more because people have said just that you won, but you didn't beat the Williams sisters, I mean, toe-to-toe if not winning here?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think I couldn't have gotten closer than actually winning today. Yeah, I mean, for myself, that is something I don't need to solidify or confirm. Just other people of course, are always going to be, you know, have the criticisms and the doubts and this and that, but I don't need to prove anything.

Q. If you can step back and change one thing about this match aside from obviously winning, what would that be?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Really there is not a lot I could change. Just change, maybe on, you know, if I would have served a little better, I mean, but, you know, it was so hard with the conditions. I think I played for the day it was, I think I couldn't have done much better.

Q. She seemed to hurt you with some dropshots she was trying. You also tried some. Were you tiring especially in that last long game before the tiebreak?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think just maybe like mentally I was just kind of-- got really discouraged after just letting so many matchpoints go; especially two games in a row that I had. So, I just kind have had a letdown in the tiebreaker, I guess, maybe, the first few points. I mean, I was just got a little bit fatigue there because, yeah, I mean, I was like, you know, fighting hard to win the last game.

Q. The matchpoint, I think it might have been No. 7, the backhand down-the-line you hit a similar shot for a winner I think just the point before. When you hit that ball did you think you had it?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it was like a passing shot or something?

Q. Yes.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I thought I had it, but I don't know, just I guess it was just really, really close, so.... Yeah.

Q. When you say fatigued do you mean mentally or physically?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think -- I was feeling physically pretty fatigued. Just my feet were, you know, bothering me. I mean, it was pretty hot out there and so the ground is pretty hot and everything. Yeah, I think just physically and then tiebreaker probably just mentally.

Q. The double-faults, I think it was 14 altogether?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, he just said 16, so....

Q. Sorry, I didn't hear that question. Do you think that that was a great advantage, free points, too many free points to Venus because I think she made half of yours, so the difference is because there were moments it was -- it costed you again twice, so was the conditions that made you serve badly today?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well for serving so bad and being like having 10 matchpoints ahead I would say that is pretty good. So imagine if I just got a few more serves in and few less doublefaults, so yeah we will see next time.

Q. Is this a match that because you feel you did as best you could that you let go easily or you think it will sit with you for a bit?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know yet.

Q. What has clicked in -- you have been right there every time since Australia. Is it just confidence or is there something different about your game that's really clicked in?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think just confidence and just feeling in good shape and just, yeah, mostly confidence in my shots. I think I have always had the shots and the tennis. It is just a matter of having the confidence to execute my shots.

Q. What is your schedule from here?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I will probably play one of the clay court tournaments and then go to Europe. I don't know starting when.

Q. As you said in your speech obviously one had to lose, but what fantastic show you gave to the people in the third set. Did you see the -- did you feel the reaction of the crowd and how much they supported you?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Oh, yeah. I mean, yeah, on those matchpoints I mean, a couple of people were like chanting and stuff. So I definitely feel like the support from the crowd, yeah.

Q. When Venus charges off her good dropshots do you feel you have many options and secondly did it feel good for you to counter with two or three of your own dropshots?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, well, if somebody is drop shooting you a lot, it could mean either, you know, two things, either they are too tired to hang or they just don't feel like they are hanging with you from the baseline. So that was a sign to me that that is the only way, you know, she could maybe win the points. Fortunately because she is like so tall in her reach it is just hard to get the shots by her. I think I was there on -- she did hit good dropshots but I was there a lot.

Q. One of the early matchpoints was a let cord volley that flipped wide. Did you think you would be able to hit that for a winner or just a set-up shot and maybe get it on the next ball?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You mean the shot that I hit that went wide on mine?

Q. Yes. Net cord --

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't remember. I don't know. I probably was going for it, yeah.

Q. Not considering the outcome, especially of today's match, I would describe you as warrior. How would you describe yourself?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, I have always been like that, just I love the challenge and the competitiveness and, you know, it was such a tough match out there today but I mean, I enjoy that. I thrive on that. I guess, yeah, it will be cool to think of myself as a warrior. Have to think of a name or something, you know.

Q. You refer to Venus as having a long reach. I realize players have to do things automatically without thinking too much. But do you get tempted in the middle of one of those games to think, gee, it feels unfair almost, in other words, against most players you have that point won but Venus can get to those shots because of the long reach?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I mean, it is not unfair. She is definitely beatable. It is not like I wasn't close or anything. So she is beatable. It is not like she shouldn't be out there playing or, you know -- so -- yeah.

Q. Who would you say is the toughest opponent you have had in the last few months?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think there is so many top players it is tough. I mean, -- they are all good. They are all so tough to play between Hingis and Davenport and, you know, the Williams. They all have different styles of game and that is what makes them so tough because, you know, you just got to expect something different every time you play them.

End of FastScripts....

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