2nd round (Rippner)
3rd round (Rubin)
4th round (S. Williams)
quarter final (Testud)
Second round
J. CAPRIATI/B. Rippner
7-5, 6-1
An interview with JENNIFER CAPRIATI
WTA: Questions for Jennifer.
Q. You're up 4-1, what happened? She played better?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, after about a 20-minute break, you know, it was
kind of difficult to just not lose my concentration there a
little bit. I guess
that's just what happened.
She came back and raised her game up, her level. That kind of like threw
me off. I just kind of lost my groove there. I was able to get it back,
get that set,
then I just kind of picked up my game and got on a roll there.
Q. What was the break?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: She called the trainer just in the middle of the game,
the first point of my serve. I'm sitting there waiting for the trainer
to come out
about five minutes. The trainer gets there, and it's another evaluation.
It was all that kind of stuff.
Q. What were they working on?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It was her groin, I guess.
Q. Do you feel good about this tournament? Obviously you played good early
in the year, you had a rough time in Indian Wells. How is your form coming
in
here?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I feel good. I feel like I'm playing really well. Physically,
you know, I wasn't that good in Indian Wells. I didn't feel I was like
in shape
as in the beginning; maybe lost a little bit there. Gotten sick a few times.
Now I'm back working with my trainer again, so I feel a little bit better
physically. I think that has a lot to do with my game.
I feel confident and eager to play here.
Q. Harold still with you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Uh-huh.
Q. It's been a year since you started working with him?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Uh-huh.
Q. How do you feel after a year about your progress?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I've come a long way since a year ago. I mean,
I was almost going to have to qualify for this tournament a year ago. I
think
I've made a lot of steps to just get to where I am now, made a lot of improvements.
I feel very good.
Q. Do you owe some of that to Harold?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, of course it's a team. He's helped me with different areas of my game. It's a team effort.
Q. Is Xavier Malisse part of that team now, having him around for support?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, but of course I just want to talk about tennis, no personal stuff.
Q. Not even, were you at his match earlier today?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No.
Q. Why do you think there's so much interest in kind of the personal off-court lives of some of the top players on the Women's Tour?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Because it makes the news, I guess, or makes the story.
That's what people want to read, it seems like. It's more interesting to
write about the romances than, you know, who's hitting their forehand great
or something. I don't know.
Q. Does it seem like there's more of those kind of stories on the tour now than when you were first coming up, more personality?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Maybe a little bit because there's just so many like
different kinds of different personalities now than when I was playing.
I mean,
there wasn't like so much hype with some of the different players. Some
of the other players have quite a bit of charisma, attraction there. It's
maybe
because of that a little bit, you know. Asking for it more. I don't know.
Q. Speaking of the hype, when you look at that, do you think that's good for the game or maybe there's too much of it at times?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think personally it's too much. It would be nice to
have it just stick to the sport, the actual sport and what's going on,
the game,
not personal.
It's great when it's all good stories, but it's not so great when it's
negative, you know, just negative stories. If it was always good then,
yeah, why not? Then
it can turn into bad, kind of hurt the person they're talking about, so.
It's not maybe all factual, too, so.
Q. Too much rumor?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, I think there's a lot written that may
be not a hundred percent true. How would they know, you know, what's true
or
what's not? The people really get the wrong idea and think one thing when
it's really something else.
Q. You might have a match down the road with Serena. Do you feel like you could stay with anyone at this point?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I do feel confident. I'm happy to get this match
out of the way, get through it. Then also I play Chanda probably tomorrow.
I
think with each match, hopefully I'll just get better and better as far
as, you know, just my strokes and my movement. If I come against Serena,
hopefully
I'll be prepared and ready, you know, feel grooved in the tournament
Third round
J. CAPRIATI/C. Rubin
6-1, 6-3
An interview with JENNIFER CAPRIATI
WTA: Questions for Jennifer.
Q. Ice?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A little precaution.
Q. Heel?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Achilles.
Q. It's definitely okay?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.
Q. How did you play tonight?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I played really good. I was happy with the way
I played. From the beginning, I came out strong. I've played her many times
already. She always plays well. I knew I had to just be really ready for
her.
I was pleased with all the parts of my game really.
Q. Do you like a player who gives you a lot of pace, with flat shots?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, it doesn't really matter. I think, you
know, I can adjust to anybody. You know, she hits the ball hard, really
hard, so
sometimes it's difficult, you know, to play a player like her. Really,
I can just adjust to everybody, I think.
Q. Talk about your next opponent.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's Serena. Yeah, I'm looking forward to playing her.
I haven't seen her play in a while, so I don't really know how she's playing.
I've
just got to go out there and play my game and feel good, you know, see
what happens.
Q. Going to be a power-on-power match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, that's my game and that's her game, so I guess so. Hopefully I just play my game, I'm on, and feeling good physically.
Q. Her serve can be huge. Go back to matches where you have players like Lindsay with big serves. How do you usually deal with a big serve?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I do okay. I mean, I think I return well enough. I mean,
it's not like, you know, they're hitting bombs all the time, certainly
not like
men's tennis. It's not like they're unreturnable.
If I play well in all parts of my game, if I can hold my own serve, I should be okay and not feel so much pressure in returning.
Q. To a lot of people, this is a huge match. A win here is a symbol that
you're not just Top 20, you're Top 5. How are you going to resist having
that
additional pressure?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm just not going to think about it at all. I'm just
going to go out there like it's just a match, that's it, play my game and
not think of
all the hype, not really think about the question you just asked (laughter).
Fourth round
J. CAPRIATI/S. Williams
7-6, 1-6, 6-3
An interview with JENNIFER CAPRIATI
WTA: Questions for Jennifer.
Q. Was it strategic to throw her off to hit the first serve against the fence?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I wish I could say that, but no (laughter).
Q. Have you ever done that before?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Never. I've never done that. I think that was like the wind, the wind shot there. That was kind of cool, though (laughter).
Q. How big a win is this for you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Oh, it's unbelievable. I mean, it is the first time
I've beaten, I mean, a player ranked so high in a tournament. So I'm just
very excited
because I think I played really well, and of course you have to play well
to beat someone like her.
You know, I'm just very happy because it shows I've really come a long
way, you know, all the hard work has paid off in my fitness, because I
think I kept
up with her pretty good.
Q. This may be your biggest win in Florida since the first tournament years ago down here.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: The biggest?
Q. Biggest single win since long ago.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I wouldn't say that.
Q. Just here in this state, in this tournament.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, I remember beating Monica, you know, way
back to get to the semis. One of the biggest. I would say next to that
one. They're pretty equal.
Q. Excluding Florida, what was your last win of this stature?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, if you can count Hong Kong, but that's not -- it was an exhibition. I mean, I beat Martina there.
No, I guess for a long time, this is my biggest win, yeah.
Q. Early on in your career, there were hundreds of us reporters running
around. You must have been really sick of us, didn't want to see another
one of us.
Now quite a few of us here. Does that somehow give you a little bit of
pleasure that so many of us are interested in your story?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think for a while everyone's been interested in my
story, whether I'm good, bad, whatever. You know, it's fine. I'm used to
it. I'm
used to seeing you guys.
I don't think really it's changed much. Yeah, it goes to show I must have done something really good or really bad, I don't know (laughter).
Q. Does this feel like winning the tournament today or do you know there's more work to do?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I know there's more work to do. It's definitely a big
win. I'm going to enjoy it, you know, for today, for a little while, then
just, you
know, forget about it and go to the next one. I play tomorrow already.
Q. Why do you think you won this match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I think, you know, I played really tough. I played
aggressive. I hit big shots. But I didn't overhit, you know, which sometimes
I
could have a tendency to do. You know, I think that's the way I have to
hit to beat someone like Serena.
So I played within myself, and also I didn't underhit either. I mean, I
was still going for my shots and was aggressive even in the tight moments.
You know,
I was just able to move well. I made some good gets. You know, maybe that
threw her off a little bit.
You know, even though I made, you know, my double-faults, I still served well and I came up with big serves. I think mentally I stayed tough.
Q. You played Venus here at night a few years ago. Are you playing exactly the same game now or do you feel like it's a whole different look?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it's a whole different look. I mean, now I can
say that, you know, I've had definitely more matches, just more match
experience - even just this year, the last couple years. Now I feel back
to my old self as far as just, you know, being mentally tough out there.
You know,
maybe just that pressure situation. You know, when I first came back, I
maybe not would have been as tough and maybe would have broken down.
You know, I was able to stay in there, stay positive, and just keep fighting. And that didn't happen against Venus in the first match.
Q. You served for it at 5-1, you have a match point, you lose it. You serve
again for the match, you double-fault twice, three breakpoints against
you.
Obviously, you stayed mentally tough. You won, but how? How do you counteract
that when you're out there, that discouragement?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I just try to get back to playing how I was
playing to get up to 5-1, I mean, in my mind know that I've been winning
the
whole time, so why at this point do I have to let the momentum change.
I just kept going for it. Really I don't know. Some of those things you
just can't explain. You know, you just don't know. It's something supernatural,
I don't
know, it seems like.
Q. How did you turn it around from the second set to the third set? What was difference?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I had a little bit of a letdown in the second, as far
as energy-wise I think also. You know, she played better. So I think it
was
important for me to get the first game at least, you know, to kind of break
that momentum that she had.
So that was good that, you know, I won the first game, then to get the
break right away. You know, I just felt like I started playing again like
I did in the first
set.
You know, I think I played really well in the first set, then I think she
got just a little nervous, a little tentative on some shots, and that helped,
some free
points there. So I just, you know, got on a roll there.
Q. Can you tell us what happened on the volley that she made that apparently was out?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: But the lady didn't call it. She didn't call it because
the head chair umpire had stopped play because I had stopped play because
I
thought it was let. I had seen something out of the corner of my eye. I
thought it was something blowing on the court again. It turned out that
it just was
fuzz from the ball. Obviously it was a lot if I saw it. I mean, it was
something that distracted me.
She heard me. No one else heard me. Serena didn't even hear me. That's
what happened, so I lost the point for that because I had stopped play
for
nothing.
Q. Can you evaluate yourself to the last time you were playing at a high
level? Can you give us a thumbnail as to how you're different as a player
both
mentally and technically?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Different back from when I was a top player?
Q. Yes, 1993.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I think I'm getting pretty close to being that
level, top level, and maybe even just better now. I feel physically stronger.
I mean,
I feel myself hitting shots that I could have never hit before. I think
that's just strength-wise.
I mean, the game is different now. I mean, there's a lot more power. You know, she hit a 118-mile-an-hour serve. You didn't see those serves back then.
It's different. I think I've just -- definitely just gotten better and stronger than when I was in '92, '93, you know, so it's almost like I'm better now.
Q. Do you think you're smarter now?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: And smarter, yeah, definitely smarter. You know, I think
I'm able to change my game if it needs to be changed, just to adapt to
the
way my opponent is. If I need to, you know, a change strategy-wise. Just,
you know, I've added a little more variety in my game, too. I can come
to the
net, you know.
Q. How has Harold helped you in that aspect of the game?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, he's just helped me believe that I can do it.
I mean, I knew that I could do that. But we just worked on it. I mean,
he just told
me that, you know, I can do those shots and I can come to the net, I have
great volleys, and I should, you know, mix that in my game. So we just
worked
on it and he gave me confidence on that, you know.
Q. Were you glad to hear that foot fault call?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I was (laughter). I mean, I had been, you know,
getting some bad calls, I thought. So it was good that I got something
to go
my way, at least.
Q. Is that a personal best record for distance on a serve, the one you hit into the stands in the third set?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think so. I don't know. Somebody caught it, whatever.
Q. Do you also feel lucky? That last game, she had a breakpoint, you missed
the first serve, she broke her string, came a first serve again, you won
the
point immediately.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You know, that was definitely to my advantage, too. I think it just evens out both ways.
Q. Getting back to the point where the you were said you called a time-out for no reason.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: The let.
Q. Where were you at mentally? Seems like you were pretty upset. How did you regroup?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I was fine. I mean, I saw something, then I called
the let. I saw what it was. I knew probably for that it wasn't going to
go, I was
going to lose the point.
Q. But she hit the ball out.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, and then I saw that, too. So I thought maybe nobody
would hear me, but I guess she did hear me. Serena didn't hear me, I
know that.
Q. In all your years playing, have you ever experienced as whacky a point as that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, never.
Q. But then the crowd was booing. Seemed like they were really behind you.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Because they thought I think it was the call, because it was so obvious that it was out. I don't think they knew what was going on.
Q. A little ankle problem or just precautionary (referring to iced ankle)?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just precaution. I'm really leaking right now (laughter).
Q. Can you win the tournament?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I have a good chance to win it. You know, just
take it one at a time. I definitely believe in myself that I can win it.
You know,
I'll just take it one at a time.
Q. At one point during the match, the chair cautioned the crowd about cell phones. Are they ever a distraction to you out on the court?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think sometimes they definitely are, you know, for
both players, for each player. I don't know, there's so many of them now,
you
just kind of get used to it. You're going to hear those rings, whatever.
You know, when you're winning and it's going good, you don't hear them as much. When you're losing, I mean, they're definitely much louder.
Q. Should they be banned?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I never thought about that. Yeah, or at least make sure
they're off or something. I don't think that could be possible. How would
they
ban them? That would be cool, though, yeah.
Q. Aside from banning cell phones at tennis matches, if you could get any
wish in the game, if you could change a rule or improve a stroke, win a
tournament, what wish would you want for yourself in tennis?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, right now everything is just going pretty
good, seems pretty good right now. Just wish that you were able to have
more of a say in the line calls and stuff, disputing those. Wish you could
win one of those arguments one time. That's pretty tough.
Q. What about your new relationship, does that give you any extra power for your game, too?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Which new relationship?
Q. The young guy from Belgium.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I'm just very happy. That's all I'm going to say
about that.
Quarter final
S. TESTUD/J. Capriati
6-3, 6-4
An interview with JENNIFER CAPRIATI
WTA: Questions for Jennifer.
Q. How tough was that coming right back out after such a big match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It was tough. You know, when I just got out there, that's
when I kind of felt the fatigue. I mean, I knew I was tired today, but
I
thought I'd be okay.
I mean, I started out well in the match, but just she played -- I think
she was really on today. You know, she wasn't missing very much. You know,
with the
wind swirling around, it's just tough.
Q. Fatigue, you think may be more mental than physical? Maybe a little of both?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A little bit of both. I mean, I really -- it was more
my mind telling my body to, "Come on, move." That just wasn't happening
as well
as I'd like it to be, how it was just yesterday and in the previous matches
I've played.
Q. Do you think the fatigue took a toll on your serves and some of the unforced errors you had?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think definitely it had, you know, a lot to do with
it, or some to do with it at least, with the wind and everything. It was
just a
combination of everything.
You know, I felt myself maybe coming back there in the second, but I just
couldn't get any breaks there. Especially with line calls, I thought I
was getting
really hooked a lot. You know, just those days happen.
Q. Are you cognizant when you're out there playing like yesterday with
the crowd behind you? Today they were subdued, but it's so obvious that
people
are so behind you. Is that something you're always aware of? It's got to
feel pretty good.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it does. I mean, sometimes I feel like they want
me to win so bad, I don't know, if I'm not playing as well or not hitting
winners on every shot, you know, it's like, you know, letting them down
or something.
Q. In some way it could occasionally bug you a bit because you start worrying about it.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A little bit. I start to feel a little pressure.
But, I mean, it's still good. I mean, I still like it. You know, I think
they could tell today that it maybe wasn't going to happen. You know, it's
just one of
those days.
But, I mean, I always love the support from the crowd.
Q. How much did frustration set in? A lot of times, you'd miss a serve and just slam a ball because you missed it.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, it's frustrating, especially when you're tired.
The more tired you are, the less tolerant you are of things. You know,
just a
combination of everything.
But, you know, I still held, tried to fight, tried to stay in there, tried
to be tough still because you never know what can happen, you know, just
do the best
that you can do.
Q. A lot has been said about the way you're playing right now. Your effort,
Harold has been helping you. How much has Martina's moving right down the
road, now you're out there and able to hit with her, a motivational thing,
that's added a little to you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'd have to say not really.
Q. Not really?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't hit with her all that much. You know, after
Australia, I didn't hit with her at all. Really, I'm just there doing my
thing and she's
doing her thing. That's it.
You know, I get motivated in other ways.