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SONY ERICSSON OPEN

April 1, 2008

Justine Henin

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you assess the match, Justine?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it's still little bit early to talk about that, but it was a lot of intensity at the beginning of the match and it took a lot of energy. But she just has been better every part of the game, and I didn't do enough to win and she has been consistent.
I mean, I didn't serve well enough, I didn't take my opportunities enough, and I felt she was on every ball, but I probably -- I wasn't moving her a lot, but it was quite difficult today.

Q. Were you surprised she was coming in a lot?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, no. I knew she was going to be really aggressive, because the last time, last three times I beat her, so I knew she was going to go for it.
She has been -- she did a good job. I mean, she's very aggressive attacking the ball, and I think she did what she had to do, and I didn't do what I had to do, so that makes a big difference at the end.

Q. Are you bothered by the conditions at all?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it was hot and windy, but it's always in Miami, so it's for both players. It was really hot, but that was okay.

Q. Was she any different than, you know, the last three times you had played her? Do you feel that she's maybe playing better this year so far?
JUSTINE HENIN: Looks like she was moving much better than last year, for sure. But I have a feeling that I really didn't do enough, you know, try to take my opportunities.
So many games I was leading and I didn't take my chances, and, yeah, it was quite difficult.

Q. Are you worried about your form this season, maybe?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it's like it's been tough for me in the last -- since the beginning of the season, but I understand why. A lot of things happen and what I did last year was pretty amazing.
Yeah, it's not that easy, and I took the time to work hard in the last few weeks, but sometimes it's not enough because you face players that want the same thing.
She was simply better than me, so I will have to keep working and one day will get better.

Q. Are you mentally maybe still processing everything you did last season?
JUSTINE HENIN: I mean, it's going to be -- what happened last season is far away from now, but still I knew it was going to take some time to really, you know, realize and accept everything that happened last year.
Then I'm maybe still a little bit in it, but we'll see. I need to keep working, be focused on this moment, and we see.

Q. Can you just kind of clarify, are you setting up some sort of base in Florida, or is that just lending your name to a facility?
JUSTINE HENIN: No, I'm not going to be there that often. Carlos is going to be really involved in it. As soon as I get some time between tournaments here in the States I'll be over there, so it's a good thing.

Q. As the match progressed, what things did you try to do to get your backhand, recover your backhand?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, probably not enough. But it was -- she did put a lot of pressure, especially on my backhand side. I wasn't solid enough, I wasn't consistent enough, and it was too many ups and downs. That makes a big difference, because she's been really consistent during the whole match.
She didn't have these ups and downs, and so she did a perfect job, and I didn't. It makes it quite a big difference.

Q. Did you try to do some different things, like putting more air under the ball?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it was difficult. I had the feeling that it was going very fast and that I didn't have the time really to organize my game, and so it was -- you know, it's still very early to talk about the match and take some distance with it.
So maybe in a few hours I'll be -- I'll understand maybe a little bit more.

Q. Is there something about when you play her here? Is there anything about this particular venue? Obviously you beat her in other places, but last year here, also. Is it just the conditions? Is it she's close to home?
JUSTINE HENIN: Oh, I don't know. I don't know about that. Who knows?
She's feeling very good here, that's for sure. The reason I couldn't -- I couldn't really play my game, I don't think so.

Q. Do you feel like you were playing too defensively or she was making you play too much defense?
JUSTINE HENIN: Kind of both, but I was -- yeah, I was too defensive, for sure. Against this kind of player you don't have any chance if you play that game, and I didn't have really any courage to do something else.
When you're on the court it's not that easy. Now I can say it wasn't enough, but when you are out there and you feel the pressure, it's not that easy.

Q. Do you remember the last time you lacked courage?
JUSTINE HENIN: Well, it's -- you know, these kind of things happen sometimes, and I need to really keep working and fight a lot, and that's what I'm going to do.

Q. Is it because maybe you haven't played much of your top tennis yet this year that you're maybe playing a little bit too defensive, or like you say, lacking courage?
JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, I mean, I missed some confidence from the beginning of the season, and that is for sure. I didn't have the opportunity -- I mean, here I played three first good matches, but I wasn't at that level today, and it wasn't that easy to make that difference. It's one of the reasons.

End of FastScripts

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