May, 16th 2002
Capriati D Pierce 6-0, 6-0
Q. Surprising for you to win 6-love, 6-love?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, it's a little bit of a surprise. I mean, I
thought it might be a little tougher match, even though I knew I was playing
well. But, you know, I thought she was playing a little bit better. But, you
know, after the first set went by like that, I just kind of had the feeling
that it was just -- things couldn't really change around, just because I was
playing well and she was just making so many mistakes.
Q. Can you remember how many times you've inflicted the 6-love, 6-love
defeat on a fellow tour player?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's been a long time. I don't know if any - any time
really. I can't remember.
Q. Do you think a tennis player, professional tennis player, could forget
about a 6-love, 6-love loss? She said that after this, they are still
friends, you are still friends. Do you think you can forget something like
that, after you lose 6 -love, 6-love?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know. I mean, I never lost 6-love, 6-love (laughter).
I mean, I don't think so. I would do anything to at least get a game, you
know - even if I have to, you know, start serve and volleying or something,
you know. I mean, whatever (laughter). Or hitting, whatever, left-handed -
anything. But, I mean, it happens, I guess. And, I mean, you have to just
forget about it. And I think there's another -- there's other ways probably
you could forget about it - if you come back and, you know, play better the
next time against the same person, or you have your revenge, or there's a
way to redeem yourself. Or you just look at it, I mean, as it's just a
tennis match anyways. Yeah, you don't get a game this time, no; but next
time, you will. And, you know, you have to not look at it as being a big
deal, I guess.
Q. So tonight you will go out together?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: To what?
Q. You're going out together, you and Mary?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Oh, we are? Oh, I don't know (smiling).
Q. Dinner together?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah (laughing). I'm sure she wouldn't mind anyways. I
don't mind.
Q. In comparison with last year, you lost here the first round but you won
Roland Garros. If you should compare your form with last year, how is your
level? Higher?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, this tournament, this time, I think I'm definitely
playing better than I was last year. You know, at the French, I think I was
playing really well, and I don't know if I could play better than that. I
mean, I'm sure -- I think every year or every time I get better and better
and stronger. I mean, I think I'm in a little better form this year than
last year.
Q. What do you expect tomorrow, to win 6-love, 6-love?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, to lose 6-love, 6-love (smiling). No. No, I'm just
going to forget about this match and not take anything too easy - even, you
know, what happened tonight. At least I could start fresh, I can be fresh
for tomorrow, and that's the way I look at it. And I'm going to be expecting
a very different kind of match. So, I mean, Mauresmo, she's playing really
well. This is her surface. So I have to -- I think I'm going to have to play
really well.
Q. When the scoreline is analyzed, we'll see that the current French Open
champion beat the previous French Open champion 6-love, 6-love. How
significant is that with Roland Garros in mind?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I guess it's good. But she, I mean, you can't
really compare her now to the -- to, you know, when she won Roland Garros. I
mean, she's been away for a long time and coming back from injuries. You
know, so she's still on her way back.
Q. From your point of view.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, for me, on my side, I mean, I think I'm just
playing well. Just look at the way I played tonight, and she made it easy
for me. But, you know, I still -- I still played well. It's hard sometimes
to play those kind of matches if, you know -- to not lose concentration or
kind of just blow it, you know, whatever. And so for me, on my end, I'm very
confident.
Q. I don't want to sound like Marcelo Rios in Australia, but you won 6-love,
6-love. Mauresmo won 6-0, 6-2. Serena Williams won 6-1, 6-2. Do you think
there is too much of a disbalance between the top players and the others, or
no?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it's hard to say. I mean, you see those results,
but you see a lot of the other kind of results, too. I mean, not every match
is like that. I mean, maybe just the top players are playing so well. I mean,
in a way it is kind of true. I mean, but still, I don't know. I seem to have
tougher matches, I don't know (laughing). My matches are not easy, so I can't
feel like it's -- there's no depth at all. You know... I mean, you still
have the few upset losses. But, I mean, maybe the scoreline looks like that,
but I don't know, I still think there's a lot of good players and a lot of
depth.
Q. On TV you said Amelie was one of the best on clay. What makes her one of
the best on clay?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, she has -- she has consistent strokes on the clay.
I mean, her topspin and her backhand. She hits over the ball and then, you
know, she hits the slice. And it gives -- keeps the ball in play and gives
it, I mean, players like me trouble, who hit with the two hands. She has a
big forehand. But, you know, she can really control a lot of the points, and
she can also come to net. So there's -- she's a good all-around player. And
I think on clay, when she has more time, then she can sort of toy around
with the opponents a little more.
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