US OPEN 3rd ROUND

September, 4th 1999
Capriati D Tauziat 6-3, 1-6, 6-1

Q. How do you feel about the way you played? How do you feel to reach the fourth round?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I'm very excited to be in the next round. I'm happy about the way I played, too. I think I had a little lapse there in the second set, just didn't play well. She upped her game a little bit, but overall, I felt like I hit some great shots and just really felt confident and on -- on my shots.

Q. It looked like you really attacked her second serve, really tried to punish that. Was that part of your game plan going in?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, I've played her already a total of three times. You know, the last two times were just like a couple weeks ago. I played her in Canada. I know the way she plays. Yeah, I mean, just got to take advantage of her weaknesses. I think her second serve is not that great, but she has a great first serve. She's got great volleys, her net game. I knew she was tough, but I like playing people like that.

Q. How are you a different person and player now than when you played Monica here in the semis in 1991?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I'm just -- I'll talk about the tennis part. Just stronger, you know, just a little wiser out there on the court. More than anything, just bigger and stronger, just more aggressive. Maybe just I have a little more variety.

Q. What do you remember about that match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That it was a very close match. I mean, two points away from getting to the finals, you know. I mean, that was just one of my best matches.

Q. It's one of her fondest memories on court. Do you regard it as one of the things you look back on and remember? I don't know if you spend any time doing that. The fact is, if you ask her about the highlights in her career, that's one of the things she points to.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Really? I didn't know that. Yeah, I mean, for a while there, it stuck with me, for a long time, that match. You know, maybe that was like a little turning point. But now I really don't think about it. It's just so far in the past. It's just so long ago.

Q. You were quite animated when you won, seemed to be, when this match was over. Were you really happy, really relieved?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Both. I mean, just really happy. Yeah, just excited.

Q. Does this come as a surprise to you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I knew coming into this tournament that I was playing better. I knew that I'd been working hard. I felt that I could have a chance at least to compete well. I've been doing well in the past few tournaments. Against Nathalie, I won the last two times, so I felt really confident in this match.

Q. Was there a point when you really didn't think you'd be able to get back to where you are now in tennis?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, there are a few points, of course, that crossed my mind a few times.

Q. But how did you feel about that? Were you kind of panicky? Did it really motivate you to get back on track?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It really scared the hell out of me. Yeah, I just thought, "God, you know, I mean, what if that is?" Then I just thought, "How ridiculous?" I mean, why? Why not? You have the power in you, just do it, if you want.

Q. Do you feel that you can maybe get to the semis? What are you thinking right now about that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm thinking one match at a time.

Q. Are you fitter now than you were six, seven years ago, or as fit? How do you feel about that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I'm just different. I think my body's changed since then, just like I said before, bigger, stronger.

Q. That ball you ran down in the last game, could you have run that down a few years ago?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Probably not. I don't know. I don't know. I would think. When you're younger, it's like you have just so much energy, quickness. There's no extra weight back then, you know (laughter). I don't know. You know, maybe.

Q. Do you think it's more difficult to rise up to the top when you're a teen or to rise up back again once you've been there already?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think they're both pretty difficult, to get to the top, period. There's a lot of other great players out there. You think of yourself as good. They're just as good. They want to get to the top also. It's difficult anytime.

Q. You said you were pretty confident coming in against Nathalie because you've beaten her the last few times you played her. When you lose the second set 1-6, do you have to go back on that mind set to rebound as strongly as you did?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I think maybe now that's what's different than in the past. Before I would have just lost the third set just as easily, I think. Now, I was just more determined just to fight back and not give up and regroup, just get it back. Maybe before I didn't have the confidence to do that.

Q. Why is that? What's brought the change about?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just maybe tired of losing, sick of losing, sick of not reaching my full potential that I think I can reach still. You know, just more determination, just feeling better about myself, you know. Harold, my coach, has helped me with that. A bunch of things.

Q. Were you at all inspired by Agassi winning the French Open? He's had a career that's kind of gone up-and-down, to be able to come back and do something like that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's great that he could do it still. You know, a lot of people just never thought that at all, that he would have come back and won. Anytime is a good time to win a Grand Slam. It doesn't matter whether you're the youngest or the oldest or whatever. I mean, it's just -- it gave me confidence, that I felt like I could do it, too. If he could still do it, maybe I could still do it.

Q. What would have been a satisfying result for you before the tournament?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Before this tournament?

Q. Yes. What was your goal?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I didn't really think about it. I just was going to try to take it round-by-round, match-by-match. I really didn't have any expectations whatsoever because I know that that would get me in trouble, you know, to think far ahead. You have to concentrate on each match.

Q. How driven do you think you are now to get back into the Top 10, maybe in the Top 5? What would it take to do that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just pretty much I think what I'm doing now, if I could just keep going. I'm working hard, being focused, doing all the right things. Just keep doing it, keep going.

Q. Bring that intensity up even more, anything different?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I think as I get closer and closer, it's like I want to more and more. The feeling of winning, getting far in the Grand Slams or just getting higher ranked, you know, I see it more maybe now.

Q. The difference between the Top 2 or 3 or 4 players and the rest, it's just the skills, the mental approach. Do you think that's true for yourself?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think that level, it is mostly mental because on any given day, anybody could beat anybody, you know, as far as the top players. Everyone's got the skills; it's just the frame of mind you're in that day. That's a big part of it, and that's what I guess I will find out, if I have that mental toughness.

Q. What would be the keys for a possible victory against Monica? Can you describe your thoughts on getting the opportunity to play her, assuming she does make it to the next round?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, first she has to play, she has to win. You know, I'm not thinking about it until I know who I play.

Q. What kind of parallels do you see between yourself and Monica?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: What do you mean?

Q. The way that you have fallen back, come back up; Monica has fallen back and come back up. Do you have some understanding for her situation more than for other players? Do you see some parallels?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Maybe a little bit. I mean, I think our lives are completely different, you know. But just maybe that she's had to come back, and I've had to come back, too.

Q. Are you practicing at all with Martina Hingis now that she's at Saddle Brook, or plan on it?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Sometimes, uh-huh.

Q. How is that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's good, very good. I mean, it's great practice.

Q. What's the big difference when you were up in the top before and now going up to the top in this time with the Williams about?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Can we just stick to the now and stop asking about the past?

Q. Just the sports, if you just consider the sports, the type of players being in the top then and being in the top now.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I answered that pretty much before in the last few questions. Maybe if you listen, you would know.