OLYMPIC TENNIS TOURNAMENT

August 21, 2004

Alicia Molik

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah, I mean, my results have been great, but I've been working incredibly hard. I think today was a pretty special moment because if I came out the loser there, you know, I wouldn't have much to remember the Olympics by. So that was playing on my mind last night. I knew it was the last bite of the cherry. So, you know, it was difficult out there. I was obviously pretty emotional and very, very nervous. But, you know, I think it's something that I've been working really hard on, is handling myself and my emotion on the court. Such a critical time today, playing for a bronze medal. I think that I used everything that I've been working on the past 12 months, the past 24 months. So it just goes to show that, you know, I've made huge gains and huge steps with my tennis and what I bring to the court each time. So I was really, really, really happy with my performance today.

ALICIA MOLIK: Oh, without a doubt, absolutely. You know, Olympics is something I've watched from a child. You know, every sport -- obviously, I follow tennis, but I follow every single sport. But it was my dream as a kid to be an Olympian. I managed to be in Sydney. I have some fond memories of Sydney, but there's not too many people that hold a medal to their name or wear a medal around their neck. Today my bronze will be something that I'm going to cherish for the rest of my life now.

ALICIA MOLIK: Well, I have my coaches around me, I have my teammates around. I know everyone's supporting me. Not only that, but I know people back home, my friends, my family, people close to me, the general public who follow tennis and fans out there, I know that they can't all be in Athens, but I know every single person out there that I'm close to, you know, is barracking for me and wishing me the best and following my progress. So in times like these, the Olympics, and when I do put the green and gold on, it's a really special feeling. I'm not just representing myself, I'm representing my country, and I want to win for my country, you know, because I love it so much.

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah, I think it's a priority for a lot of us, especially for me. I hope in the future it becomes a priority for every single tennis player out there. Because, you know, for me, the feeling I had today after winning and the feeling I have now, I don't think it's something I can substitute at another tournament. I don't know yet. I haven't won a Grand Slam. I haven't been in a final of a Grand Slam, apart from mixed doubles. But, you know, it's very dear to me, and I hope that, you know, in the future that, yeah, the tennis event is as strong as any single other event in the world. But I think the tennis event here has been a class act. The last four were the No. 1, 2, 3 in the world and me. So I've obviously been playing some great tennis, but it just shows that the top girls really hold it -- regard it very highly, both in their schedule and in making time for it in the year.

ALICIA MOLIK: No, I'm not usually an emotional person (smiling). Oh, I have to say I cried after that. I cried right at the end. And I think I reduced my team to tears, as well, I'd have to say. But it was very emotional and I probably will still be emotional for the rest of the day. But I guess it's a mixture of satisfaction, it's a mixture of relief, it's a mixture of I guess a reward for hard work and, you know, the hours and difficult times that I've had, I guess the time I've dedicated to my sport and tennis, you know, my profession, I love it so much. So to finally get a reward I guess is an incredible feeling. So, yeah, I was incredibly emotional out there. I think it was a mixture of all those things: relief, happy for myself, happy for my friends and my family because I know they're probably happier for me than I am.

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah. I think my game is suited perfectly to this surface, the US Open, the balls as well. It's quite warm there, so the balls move quick. The conditions are very similar to here actually. You know, I have been playing some great tennis. You know, I want to -- I don't want to move ahead to the US Open too soon. I want to enjoy this moment for the day or a couple of days. Don't often get to do that too much. But in a few days' time, I'll start thinking about the US Open. I'll have a few easy days. There's plenty of time to get ready for that. I have to come out of here incredibly confident at the same time, relieved at the same time, which I guess is the mixture when I play some of my best tennis. So I'm really looking forward to the US Open and I guess the rest of the year. I'm sitting pretty high in the rankings. I'm somewhere I haven't been before, unchartered territory, but I think I seem to be handling that pretty well these days.

ALICIA MOLIK: I wasn't really concerned. I think I was a little bit disappointed. I don't think she won those games; I think I lost them. I think I won the first set. I won the first two games. But I think I lost the next three. You know, my service percentage wasn't high enough. She hit a few deep balls and I just played a few really loose errors. I was getting excited. I've got such a holding game, often when I do get a break, I jump the gun a little bit and I look too far ahead, which I think I did. In saying I lost the games, I really don't believe that she won them. So it was just a matter of calming myself down and bringing myself back to the state that I was in in the first set and playing aggressively, you know, moving the ball around. I don't think she was feeling too comfortable out there.

ALICIA MOLIK: Yeah. Well, I thought it was an ace to begin with. I mean, I'm not going to have a go at the umpire on match point when I'm 40-Love up. So luckily she overturned it. But Anastasia, I think she knew it was an ace. So what a way to finish, yeah. I couldn't ask for much more.