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BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 15, 2009

Jill Craybas

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

J. CRAYBAS/N. Vaidisova
6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Pretty good run you're putting together there, Jill. What do you attribute it to?
JILL CRAYBAS: I think I've been working really hard the last couple of months in the off-season. Worked on a lot of different things that my coach wanted me to experiment with a little bit.
I think it's starting to come together. And, you know, I just keep fighting. I've been competing hard, and I think it's been a big difference.

Q. So what's the couple of things you've been experimenting with?
JILL CRAYBAS: Just some different stuff (laughter.)

Q. They're state secrets?
JILL CRAYBAS: They're not secrets, but just -- I don't know. Just some stuff I've been working on personally.

Q. But it's on court, I'm assuming.
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah. Well, both on court and off court, yeah.

Q. You say it's just starting to come together, but obviously each day that goes by it's got to be a little easier or a little more ingrained in you, isn't it?
JILL CRAYBAS: Well, I've just been trying to focus on what I need to do. And obviously, you know, we talk about the opponents that I'm playing, their weaknesses, and how I need to tactically do things on the court.
But a lot of it is just competing and doing what I do best, and just try and take one day at a time.

Q. So why has it changed week, Jill? Because the year hasn't gone particularly that great for you.
JILL CRAYBAS: I think, you know, mentally the last few weeks I've been a little bit stronger than I was at the beginning of the year. I've just, instead of, you know, worrying about what I'm doing well or what's not going well, I've just kind of taken at approach of even if things aren't feeling quite the way I'd like them to, just going out and competing my hardest.
The competing has really helped me, focusing on that a little bit more.

Q. More than what? Shot selection and what you're doing with the ball or what...
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah. I mean, that's always in the back of your mind, but more -- instead of worrying so much if something is feeling right or if it's not feeling right, and worrying about if the ball is going to feel good today or not feel good. It's more about just going out playing and playing with heart and competing your hardest.

Q. I notice you've got an ice pack. Is your wrist hurting?
JILL CRAYBAS: It's preventive. It's just been a little sore the last two days. It doesn't bother me much when I play, but just to keep an eye on it, just to ice it.

Q. How does it feel when you go out there? Almost every round, except when you were playing Date you were the older player.
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah, that was a first. I was like, Wow, I'm actually playing someone older than me. You know, that doesn't really enter my mind. I take care of myself. I go to the gym and I try and keep healthy and I eat healthy.
I've been feeling good, and I've been feeling good physically. I know that I can pretty much, you know, try and run everything down that I can. My body has been feeling great, so I don't really think about that factor.

Q. So have you lost any speed at all, you think? Usually by your 30s at some point you lose a little bit. Have you felt that?
JILL CRAYBAS: I haven't necessarily felt that. I have felt a little bit more aches and pains occasionally, so I try and take care of it right away. But I haven't felt a step slower, no.

Q. Does experience really matter for you?
JILL CRAYBAS: I think it does a little bit. I think after playing on the tour for so many years, I feel a little bit more relaxed than I used to. I mean, I still get nervous. Obviously everyone still gets nervous. But I kind of take those nerves and kind of try and look at it like it's giving me energy rather than making me worried about things.
I think that comes partly from experience.

Q. How would you describe the difference between earlier in your career where, well, there's a lot more English in the locker room, a lot more American players, and now they're far and few between.
JILL CRAYBAS: The Americans are doing great at this tournament right now, so I think that's a great thing. There are a lot -- even on the men's and women's side. I think everyone is doing great at this tournament so far. I know there has been a lot of talk about that, but there are a lot of talented Americans out there. I think it's pretty much cyclical.

Q. So how long are you going to play?
JILL CRAYBAS: I don't know.

Q. Are you year to year now?
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. I'm still enjoying it. I still feel good on the court. So as long as I'm having fun, I'll continue to do that.

Q. What were your thoughts last year going into the off-season about how long you wanted to play?
JILL CRAYBAS: Um, I knew I still wanted to play, because the last tournament of the year that I played last year was Quebec. When I finished the tournament I was kind of sad the year was over, so I knew that was kind of an indication I still wanted to play.
You know, I just take it, what you said, year by year. You know, if I don't enjoy it anymore then I'll stop. That isn't the case right now.

Q. Have there been times in your career where you felt you've had too much tennis?
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah, I mean, I think -- I mean, that's, again, the experience comes into play, because I've learned over the years when I should be taking a break. I tend to play a lot of tournaments. On average I think it's been 27 or 30 tournaments a year.
My coach tries to get me to play less, but I just -- I love it so much, I keep going to the tournaments. But I can -- I mean, after just years playing on the tour, I can pretty much tell when I need to take a break, and so I'll take a week off. So you kind of learn that along the way.

Q. With all this travel, you've been so many different places, unusual places. What would be like the most unusual, offbeat, bizarre incident that's happened in all your travels?
JILL CRAYBAS: Oh, God, I would have to think about that more than just a spur-of-the-moment answer. But I don't know, there's a lot of interesting places I've been to.
I played a tournament in Uzbekistan where it was -- it was a good tournament and they did a great job, but it was kind of -- I didn't really know -- my whole family was wondering where the heck I was.
So that was a little interesting, but...

Q. Is your win over Serena at Wimbledon, is that your career highlight, or is it something else?
JILL CRAYBAS: It's definitely one of them. That was a few years ago now, so I'm trying to get more highlights.

Q. Memories of that match?
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah, great memories. I had -- I mean, there are great memories from wins, and I have great memories from losses, too where I competed well and didn't come up with the win. But it was a great memory because I learned a lot of stuff about my game and about myself.
I mean, over 10 years there's a lot of great memories. I mean, that was definitely one of them.

Q. You see a lot of the young American players. Who comes to mind first? I know some of them are probably your friends, but if you're thinking of one or two you feel are really talented and can make a big move. Women, I mean.
JILL CRAYBAS: In the women?

Q. Yeah.
JILL CRAYBAS: I know like Melanie Oudin and Coco and Alexa Glatch. They're all really talented. I think there's a lot more talented Americans out there that don't get mentioned, as well that aren't so much younger Americans, but that have just been unfortunate because they've had a lot of injuries.
For example, like Bethanie Mattek, when her back was injured. She is a really talented player. Shenay Perry, Jamea Jackson, Laura Granville. They've all been injured, and you don't hear their names that much because they haven't been playing.
I just wish, like because there's a lot of talk about there's no Americans out there or whatever, and people forget about these talented players that just haven't been out there because -- you haven't seen them because they've been injured.
But that's a little bit unfortunate, because there are a lot of Americans out there. But, you know, they've just been struggling a little bit.

Q. Do you think the Williams sisters have set the bar too high for American women's tennis?
JILL CRAYBAS: No, I don't think -- no, I think they're great. I mean, the Williams sisters are great.

Q. But what I mean is that the expectation from a lot of American fans is that American women should be winning Slams or getting close to it rather than, you know, playing to the third or fourth round?
JILL CRAYBAS: I wouldn't say they've set the bar too high. I wouldn't want to say that, actually.

Q. But wouldn't you say it's more a situation of reality than hype or misunderstanding? Aside from Venus and Serena, there really are not even a small number of Americans who are really challenging deep into big tournaments or majors.
JILL CRAYBAS: They are here. You can see a lot of them are playing well here.
I'm not saying -- obviously their rankings aren't showing that, but I think there's an amazing amount of talent out there among American players, both men and women.
I think it's unfortunate everyone looks at the number next to someone's name. Because, I mean, that is the reality. You know, what matters to a lot of the public is the number. But I think there's a lot of talent out there that people aren't really recognizing.

Q. Are you still coached by Raj?
JILL CRAYBAS: Yeah.

Q. Didn't he go to music school? Am I wrong about that?
JILL CRAYBAS: He did last year for a few months, yeah.

Q. And then what happened?
JILL CRAYBAS: It's still something that he wants to pursue, because one of his dreams is to play music. But the way the school was structured, he really liked the gentleman that started the whole program. That's the reason why he went there, is because he wanted to see that particular person.
But the way it was structured and the classes he had to take wasn't really the route he wanted to go, so he's going to do it on his own now.

Q. He didn't just miss coaching you full time?
JILL CRAYBAS: No. I mean, he did miss coaching in general, but it was also the way that it was -- the way the program was. It wasn't the way he wanted to go.

Q. The toughest stroke you've ever faced?
JILL CRAYBAS: Toughest stroke?

Q. Like Serena's serve or someone's forehand?
JILL CRAYBAS: Probably maybe Venus' serve. Either Venus' or Serena's serve, yeah.

End of FastScripts

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