French Open Interview #2
June 1, 2001
Q. It was your first match on Centre Court. How did you like it?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I really liked it. I mean, like I went out there to practice this morning, that was the first time I played on it. But it was a nice court. While I was practicing, I felt fine already, yeah.
Q. The conditions are the same among the other courts?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I think Court 1 was a little bit quicker, I think. But, I mean, it's fine. I played a good match. It was nice.
Q. You were happy with what happened today?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I'm very happy with the way I played, with everything. There were a lot of Belgian people. It was really nice to be out there.
Q. Do you normally make so many dropshots or it's a shot you're trained to do?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Against her I really tried to do more of them. She's running side to side. From running forward, she's a bit slower. I knew her volleys weren't great. I was sort of meant to do it a little bit more. Maybe I did it a little bit too much. But I won all the points, so yeah.
Q. Belgium is a little nation, but has many players. What is your secret?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I think it's because we all work hard. Yeah, I mean, I think we all have good coaches. Yeah, I think the main thing is that we all work hard. We've got good facilities in Belgium to practice - outdoors, indoors, clay, hard court, everything. I think our work is probably one of the main reasons.
Q. What is your long-term goal for the season?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, nothing. I mean, for sure I'll try to do as good as I did last year. I always try to win every match that I play. We'll see where it ends, so yeah.
Q. Now you're in the Round of 16. What kind of expectations did you have before the tournament started?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Really I sort of hoped that I could do better than I did last year. Everything I'm winning now is just better for me. I'm feeling confident. I'm playing better than I was in my first match.
Q. Are you looking forward to the second week?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, I have to play Sunday now, so I'll hope I play the second week.
I'm looking forward to play. I don't know who I play yet, Dechy or Nagyova. It's going to be a tough match. They're both in the third round. Nagyova beat Dementieva. Dechy beat some good players. It's going to be a tough match. I'm looking forward to go out there Sunday.
Q. After three matches like this, you played really well, how do you feel on clay? Do you feel as comfortable as you feel on some other surfaces?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I feel good. I mean, I feel a lot better than I was feeling last year on the clay. I think that's already a step in my career. I'm improved. I feel that I can even play better, yeah.
Q. And when you were younger, the French Open, was it your favorite tournament, the one you wanted to win?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Well, it was always nice because you had a lot of Belgian people. My family could come when I was playing Juniors, that was probably the main reason. When I was playing in Australia, at the US Open, it was always far for my family to come.
But, I mean, I played doubles with Jelena Dokic, we won the doubles. Yeah, I've got some good memories here.
Q. Have you played Nathalie Dechy before?
KIM CLIJSTERS: Yes, I played her. I played her in Bratislava, a year and a half or two years ago, I won. I don't know when I played her again. We play so many matches, I can't remember (laughter).
I think I played her twice. I think, yeah.
Q. What about her game?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I mean, she's a very good player, very consistent player, doesn't make any mistakes. Yeah, I mean, she moves very well. She's a good clay court player, I think.
Q. Jennifer Capriati was asked yesterday if she was surprised at the way the female side of the tournament had fallen apart. She said she didn't think it had fallen apart, that there were some good young players. She named you and Dokic. How would you respond to that? What do you think the way a lot of the top seeds have dropped out on the women's side?
KIM CLIJSTERS: It's very tough to say, I mean, because a lot of players who had beaten some good players, Barbara Schett, she's in the tournament, Kandarr lost in the second round. You have a lot of players that can beat a good player and lose in the second round to a less higher-ranked player.
It's really nice for Jennifer to say that she named Jelena and me. You've got Justine Henin, of course. She's in the bottom half of the draw, as well. Yeah, we've got some good young players. I think it's very good for women's tennis, to have some new players who keep going on in the tournament.
Q. Do you sense like the top players are afraid of you now, really afraid?
KIM CLIJSTERS: No, not really. I mean, I think they know me more now. I've played a lot of them already. I've beaten a few. I think that's what I know. I mean, the top players, I'm seeded. But I don't really feel that they are scared of me or anything, no.
Q. You act as if there's no pressure on you at all at the moment. Still you are in the back half of the tournament schedule, you're the highest ranked player at the moment. Doesn't that change anything?
KIM CLIJSTERS: I don't even think that I'm seeded. I don't think that way. I'm just Kim playing in the tournament. Doesn't matter if I'm seeded No. 1 or if I'm not seeded. I mean, I try to win every match. Like it all depends if I keep winning or if I lose. I mean, if I lose, bad luck. But I'll try to win every match. Doesn't matter if I'm seeded or not.
Q. You're not dreaming about being in the finals yet?
KIM CLIJSTERS: No, no, no, for sure not yet. Like I've got my next tough match coming up. I'm only focusing on that. I'm not even in the quarterfinals yet. I have to focus on my fourth round first.
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