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FEDCUP FIRST ROUND: ARGENTINA v USA

February 7, 2009

Jill Craybas

SURPRISE, ARIZONA

J. CRAYBAS/B. Jozami
6-2, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In the first set when you broke her, she broke you back, then you went to deuce four times. Did you really feel like that was the turning point early?
JILL CRAYBAS: Maybe. I mean, I'm not too sure about that. I think we were both kind of nervous in the beginning. So it took us a while to kind of get into the match.
But I think what broke it for me was that long point at the net when I ended up winning the point and I started laughing. I think I just needed to laugh because I finally felt a bit more relaxed after that, so...

Q. To open the match, did you feel a little tight, a little pressure? You said you needed to relax a little bit.
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah, it's a completely different situation from any normal tournament that we play every week on the tour. You know, you're playing for your country, so there's a little bit more pressure - I feel like. So it took me a few games to get into the match.
But I was even nervous throughout the match because I definitely got more comfortable as the match went along. I think in the first four or five games, I tried to hit out a little bit more. Even if I missed it, it just eased some tension for me. Then after that I think I felt pretty good.

Q. What did you think of the support out there? It was a pretty loud, enthusiastic group. How much did it help?
JILL CRAYBAS: It definitely helped a lot. You know, the fans were great. No matter what happened in the point, even if you made a bad error or hit a winner, you could feel that they were behind you a hundred percent. So, I mean, I think that made a huge difference.

Q. It was kind of windy out there. I don't know if that was a problem during the game or you didn't really feel it.
JILL CRAYBAS: No, it was fine in the beginning of the match, and then it did start getting a little bit windy. The flags were really blowing. But actually on court, it wasn't as bad as the flags.
It did get a little bit windy, but overall it wasn't too bad.

Q. How would you characterize your play today?
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah, I mean, that's sort of the style of game I play in general, I'm usually pretty consistent. But especially today, I think being a little bit nervous in the beginning, I was just trying to get a lot of balls in the court.
But, yeah, normally -- I mean, I don't know of the statistics of the match or anything, but I don't think I made that many mistakes.

Q. Could you go back into that long point and take us through it. That did seem to be the one thing that kind of broke it all your way.
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah, I actually can't remember how I got to the net. I think she dropshotted. I think she hit a dropshot maybe. I know she tends to throw in some dropshots during the match. I knew that was kind of her style of game. I was prepared for that, I was ready for that to happen.
I was just busting my butt up to the net every time it happened. Once I got there, I ended up guessing on every ball. I ended up guessing right three or four times until I hit the volley winner, which was kind of lucky but nice.

Q. It seemed like she was hitting a lot of high, looping shots. Does that bother you at all to have to move back and forth?
JILL CRAYBAS: No, she wasn't doing it in the beginning. When she started doing it, I kind of just tried to be patient. It didn't really bother me. I just knew that if I was just patient I would get my opportunity to move forward into the court and try to take control of the point.

Q. She was saying that Gisela had warned her she had to be a little aggressive in her game. Julie is the only one that played her. Did you have any tips on her game? Did you try to adapt a little to the way you knew she was going to try and play?
JILL CRAYBAS: I definitely didn't try to adapt my game. I thought, you know, I've been playing well, I've been practicing well, and I thought if I just stuck to what I know, I could do well, that I would be in a good position to win the match.
The other players on our team had seen her play a little bit more so they were giving me tips on the style of play. They told me she mixes it up, dropshots, throws in looping balls. So I was prepared really for anything to come.
I did think that helped me a little bit, knowing that I was to expect that from her.

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