THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS 1st ROUND

March, 18th 1999
Capriati D Talaja 6-4, 6-3

Q. Talk about this match.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I played really well. I think I came out and played exactly the way I wanted to play. I could always play better, I think, but I played exactly how I've been doing in practice. What I've been working on is my movement, just being aggressive, attacking second serves, just moving forward, trying to come in. That's what I've been working on in practice, just keep hitting the ball. I was able to do it in the match, which I haven't done that in a while. I'm pretty pleased with the way I played.

Q. What did you think of the crowd?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think the crowd was good. I mean, they're always good. Maybe they're a little surprised I played well (laughter). I don't know. They were just expecting maybe the same - or not expecting - taking anything, which is good. I didn't feel any pressure or anything at all.

Q. Was it nice to be on the big stage, stadium court?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, it's nice. It's nice to be there and play well, too.

Q. Harold Solomon is really not an attacking player, but it sounds like he's getting you to attack some. Is that the case?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That's my game. I mean, that's always been my game. I think in his own way, he was an attacking player. Just from playing him in practice and stuff, the way he played, he just gets everything back, he is a grinder. He moves you. I mean, I hate playing him (laughter). But that's my style. So he's just trying to get me to play my game, what my game is.

Q. Can you talk a little about what this win means? You haven't won in a while now. When was your last win?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, in Australia I won a first round. That was the last one.

Q. Can you talk about what it means to start off just like this here?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it feels good. I can't really explain what it means. Just through all the losses that I've been through the last couple of years, the battle, I think finally I'm maybe seeing the light a little bit again in my tennis. I think I'm finding my game again.

Q. How hard has it been? Those of us who sort of saw you when you first burst onto the scene, then all the things that happened, how hard has it been to come back and try to recapture those days again?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I can't explain how hard it's been. I can't really explain it so you would understand.

Q. It's a huge, long story. Too long a story to tell?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it's a long story. I mean, it's just things that I've been going through that have been deep. It's kind of like what's been going on on the outside and then what's really been going on on the inside. It's hard. You know, I know that people have sort of counted me out. I don't know if they've forgotten just because I haven't been playing well. That's just difficult because it's something I wanted to do, which is come back and play well again. I wasn't doing it. I was trying, but I didn't know what to do. There's obviously things missing, stuff going on. Really, I'm the only one that can work it. It's nobody else. People can be there, support you, help you. But really it's your own time. Who knows how long it will take.

Q. What is it from within that drives you on when you're sort of getting knocks week-in and week-out, just keeping going?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I think I've never been a quitter. I've always been a fighter. I think that's what got me when I was younger, was just that attitude. Now, you know, I still have that attitude. I found that attitude again. I realized that I don't have to play for anybody, just for myself. I really love the sport of tennis. I enjoy it. I mean, it's been since I was like crawling, so I love it. It's just about playing good tennis for me.

Q. It must be difficult to continue to love the sport when you keep losing?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it is. But that's the challenge. It's the ego in me, the challenge, to try to get back to it, overcome it, not give up.

Q. Couldn't ask for a much bigger challenge then your second round opponent here, could you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I know (laughter). I'm really looking forward to it. I don't know if you can tell, but I'm just excited about playing the next round. I haven't played her since I came back, since she came back. I think she's playing well now, and I think I feel good enough about my tennis that hopefully I can give her a good match.

Q. In a sense, you're kind of kindred spirits; you've both been through difficult times and are striving to get back into some kind of groove again?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: In a way, yeah, I think so. But still she's going to go out there and try to win, do her best. It's the same. I mean, that's fun.

Q. Is she someone who you've particularly admired over the years?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yes. I admire her and I respect her a lot for just the way she is, the way she handles herself. She's different than a lot of the other players. For a champion, you can really call her a true champion.

Q. You mentioned earlier about just playing for yourself and not playing for anybody else. How have you come to that? Has it been a process for you to get to that point?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Many times I could have just said, "Forget it," hang it up and just quit. Maybe that's what a lot of people were expecting me to do. My parents, too, people around me, my family, they weren't pushing me or anything to come back and play. I realized that I didn't have to play for them; I don't have to play for my dad. They just want to see me happy, contrary to what a lot of people think, especially about my dad. He wants to just see me happy and succeed in whatever I do. He's just there to help me. Of course, he's going to be there while I'm doing this. He put the racquet in my hand. For him, this is why I'm here. But I realized that they don't expect anything from me. I'm older. I'm more mature. I mean, this is my life. I got to make the decision now. I'm not a baby now. They can't do anything for me. It's up to me to decide what I want. I can't have people there, you know, taking care of me all the time.

Q. Does it matter to you how people perceive you, fellow players, the media, people outside of your family and your close friends?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I do care. I mean, I care to the -- I try not to read or I try not to hear things that are said. But, of course, I care to a certain point. I mean, I can't live my life day-to-day trying to please everybody. Of course I care because I'm still a human being. Some of the things do, you know, they go to the heart, and sometimes they hurt. But that's when you just have a good support group around you. And the most important thing is to love yourself, so.

Q. I was curious as to whether you ever kept pictures or videos of the old days? You're very young now, but do you ever look back at those, the 14 -, 15-year-old, and say, "Did that really happen?"
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: In my dad's office, his whole wall is covered with all my covers, magazine covers, all this kind of stuff. It was in the living room. I moved it.

Q. You didn't want to see it every day?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I didn't want people to come, my friends, and be like, "Oh." They would spend the whole time looking at the stupid wall, so I moved it. Actually, Harold had me looking at my old tapes to see the way I played, the kind of attitude I had out there, just things that I did, good matches that I played in, to see that I'm still the same player. I can't just like lose it.

Q. What was the exact date you started working with Harold?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It was like the week before -- this past week, the beginning, and last week.

Q. So like ten days?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, about that.