US OPEN

September 4, 2003

Kim Clijsters

KIM CLIJSTERS: It's definitely a great feeling. Making the quarterfinals, already better than last year. That was already nice. But definitely, the further you get in Grand Slams, is always nice and always very motivating I think to take you to the next round.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah, now you already mentioned three points, so...

KIM CLIJSTERS: Yeah, I mean, definitely. It's definitely, you know, there's always gonna be few points that calls a break or, you know, calls a rebreak. Definitely I think there she had a few points she could put away maybe a little bit easier. Even then, I just kept hanging in there. And even with the smash, I tried to bring it back, then she missed. So, yeah, I mean, definitely there to have that break was definitely, you know, a very positive feeling for me. I definitely felt like so far in the match she didn't have any chances to break me. So that was very, you know, motivating. Just hoping I could keep that going.

KIM CLIJSTERS: And in Rome I played against her, too.

No, it's -- I mean every, you know, it's the same opponent but every match is completely different I think. Only thing you can compare it with, the weather was bad then as well. We had a long wait, a long delay and stuff, too. I'm definitely playing better now than what I was then, because I had a pretty tough, you know, few months there. Especially with the two previous Grand Slams last year and at the French Open and Wimbledon. But, yeah, you know, so far I don't think there's any very good, you know, comparison, I think, with all the matches so far.

KIM CLIJSTERS: It was hard. It was tough and a little bit confusing as well. Yesterday when we got here, you know, we were supposed to -- even yesterday, already play at 11. It started raining. All of a sudden they tell us, "You'll be up at 5 p.m." at 11 o'clock they tell us that. We're like, "What can we do? Should we go back to the hotel?" They tell us traffic was bad and stuff like that. Today as well, I think at 2:30, 3 o'clock, they tell us we will be scheduled for the night match. It was raining then, too. We were like, "What should we do? Should I stay here for, you know, the whole day almost or go back to the hotel?" But, you know, I decided to stay here and try to get some sleep or some rest, in one of the stretching rooms or the gym. Yeah, try not to worry about the weather and try to make sure that you, you know, from the moment that you have to go in court, make sure that you're fresh and that you're fit to go, because then you have to be there from the start.

KIM CLIJSTERS: I pulled out, yeah.

KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, you know, I don't think like that. I just want to, you know, focus on what I have tomorrow and that's playing against Lindsay. That will be very tough. I've had some really good matches against her. I'm sure the crowd will be against me tomorrow. I'm sure it will be a great atmosphere. Definitely all the night matches so far that I've played here have been very, you know, a lot of fun to play in. So, yeah, but I'm definitely looking forward to play against her. It's always a very, you know, fighty match, I think. We always play very close matches.