US OPEN

August 31, 1999

Jennifer Capriati

WTA: Questions for Jennifer.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It was very important. I mean, even if it wasn't a real tournament or anything like that, you know, it was a good test to see where I was at at that time. I hadn't played any tournaments for a while. To just get some matches in. I played well those matches. It was just maybe the beginning of kind of a roll I was going on, just continue the roll that had started maybe like by May or whenever the European tournaments were. I mean, it was good. Any win is good. It helps.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. It was hard to really kind of get into a groove, kind of a rhythm. I don't think Iva played that well. Especially with the wind, it was hard to get a really good groove going, so there wasn't a lot of rallies or anything. You know, despite all the conditions, I think I played well.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Good, great. I mean, this is the best I've felt in a long time here tennis-wise. I feel like I'm just ready to play some tennis.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, kind of it's hard not to look ahead and see what your chances are, just kind of like think about, you know, the rounds ahead and stuff. I just try to keep focused on the next round .

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I am. I think I really believe that. I know I really believe that (laughter). We'll just take one match at a time. Hopefully with each match, I'll just get better and better.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it's just gone up. I don't think it could get any lower than where I was at. My game is just getting better and better. You know, with Harold, we just work on it every day, work on things every day. Just every day, I try just to stay positive about it and just am really looking forward to the matches, playing as much as I can.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, definitely.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: So far it's good. Maybe I didn't have the best results in the tournaments over in California, the summer tournaments after that. You know, this obviously is the one to do well at. I'm just concentrating on here now.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I was a lot younger then. I think obviously I would have a different kind of attitude - I would hope I do - ten years later. I don't know, it's just different.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, maybe I'm not as like goofy as I was before (laughter). That's changed. You know, I'm not going to go around saying I'm so excited after I win a match here.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: He's helped a lot. Really, since the first time I talked to him, the first time he came up to see me, already from that moment on, we just had a long talk and went over everything. I really trust him and have a lot of faith in him. I believe he knows what he's talking about. He just helped me believe in myself.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Everything, everything, strategy, technical, mental, everything. I think that's what makes a good coach, is to be knowledgeable in every area.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I basically don't even think about it, don't think like that, like, "Oh, God." That's kind of a negative frame of mind, thinking. I just see her as what she is, and that's it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Probably not take the press too seriously.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm sure it's not the people thinking that. I think they're just victims of whatever they read. If the media keeps writing about it, always adds that line to my name, of course it's going to be refreshed in their heads.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I think I've come a long way from that. That's maybe been one of the obstacles I've had to come over. Maybe that's why it's taken me so long to get back. I think I've risen above it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, of course. I mean, whether I am or not, I mean, that's what I'm going to believe. Otherwise, there's no point of me being here if I'm going to think, "I'm going to win three or four rounds," then I don't even want to be here.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A good tennis parent?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I just think to be a good parent, basically. I mean, if you're a good parent, no question that that's it, whether it be around the tennis or off the court, it all is the same.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I think they've been really sportive. I've actually been a bit surprised of how supportive how everybody has been. It only makes me feel good, I feel that they're really sincere about it.

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