US OPEN

September 4, 1999

Jennifer Capriati

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I'm very excited to be in the next round. I'm happy about the way I played, too. I think I had a little lapse there in the second set, just didn't play well. She upped her game a little bit, but overall, I felt like I hit some great shots and just really felt confident and on -- on my shots.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, I've played her already a total of three times. You know, the last two times were just like a couple weeks ago. I played her in Canada. I know the way she plays. Yeah, I mean, just got to take advantage of her weaknesses. I think her second serve is not that great, but she has a great first serve. She's got great volleys, her net game. I knew she was tough, but I like playing people like that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I'm just -- I'll talk about the tennis part. Just stronger, you know, just a little wiser out there on the court. More than anything, just bigger and stronger, just more aggressive. Maybe just I have a little more variety.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That it was a very close match. I mean, two points away from getting to the finals, you know. I mean, that was just one of my best matches.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Really? I didn't know that. Yeah, I mean, for a while there, it stuck with me, for a long time, that match. You know, maybe that was like a little turning point. But now I really don't think about it. It's just so far in the past. It's just so long ago.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Both. I mean, just really happy. Yeah, just excited.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I knew coming into this tournament that I was playing better. I knew that I'd been working hard. I felt that I could have a chance at least to compete well. I've been doing well in the past few tournaments. Against Nathalie, I won the last two times, so I felt really confident in this match.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, there are a few points, of course, that crossed my mind a few times.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It really scared the hell out of me. Yeah, I just thought, "God, you know, I mean, what if that is?" Then I just thought, "How ridiculous?" I mean, why? Why not? You have the power in you, just do it, if you want.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm thinking one match at a time.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I'm just different. I think my body's changed since then, just like I said before, bigger, stronger.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Probably not. I don't know. I don't know. I would think. When you're younger, it's like you have just so much energy, quickness. There's no extra weight back then, you know (laughter). I don't know. You know, maybe.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think they're both pretty difficult, to get to the top, period. There's a lot of other great players out there. You think of yourself as good. They're just as good. They want to get to the top also. It's difficult anytime.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I think maybe now that's what's different than in the past. Before I would have just lost the third set just as easily, I think. Now, I was just more determined just to fight back and not give up and regroup, just get it back. Maybe before I didn't have the confidence to do that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just maybe tired of losing, sick of losing, sick of not reaching my full potential that I think I can reach still. You know, just more determination, just feeling better about myself, you know. Harold, my coach, has helped me with that. A bunch of things.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's great that he could do it still. You know, a lot of people just never thought that at all, that he would have come back and won. Anytime is a good time to win a Grand Slam. It doesn't matter whether you're the youngest or the oldest or whatever. I mean, it's just -- it gave me confidence, that I felt like I could do it, too. If he could still do it, maybe I could still do it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Before this tournament?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I didn't really think about it. I just was going to try to take it round-by-round, match-by-match. I really didn't have any expectations whatsoever because I know that that would get me in trouble, you know, to think far ahead. You have to concentrate on each match.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just pretty much I think what I'm doing now, if I could just keep going. I'm working hard, being focused, doing all the right things. Just keep doing it, keep going.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I think as I get closer and closer, it's like I want to more and more. The feeling of winning, getting far in the Grand Slams or just getting higher ranked, you know, I see it more maybe now.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think that level, it is mostly mental because on any given day, anybody could beat anybody, you know, as far as the top players. Everyone's got the skills; it's just the frame of mind you're in that day. That's a big part of it, and that's what I guess I will find out, if I have that mental toughness.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, first she has to play, she has to win. You know, I'm not thinking about it until I know who I play.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: What do you mean?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Maybe a little bit. I mean, I think our lives are completely different, you know. But just maybe that she's had to come back, and I've had to come back, too.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Sometimes, uh-huh.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's good, very good. I mean, it's great practice.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Can we just stick to the now and stop asking about the past?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I answered that pretty much before in the last few questions. Maybe if you listen, you would know.