23 gennaio 2001
Capriati D Seles 5-7, 6-4, 6-3
Q. When you were one set down and 4-2 down in the second set, one had the
feeling that you were going to be able to change completely the match, and
you did. Did you have the same feeling at that stage?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Uhm, yeah. Well, I mean, I think I'd been playing well
the whole match. Even in the first set, I think I had so many chances. You
know, I felt really good. Maybe, you know, the first set I thought should
have been mine. You know, at that point I didn't want to change my game plan
because what I was doing was good. I just wanted to, you know, cut down on
my errors and just execute my shots better. You know, that's what I did. I
just, you know, changed making so many errors and kept the ball in the court
more. She started missing. Before I knew it, you know, I won that second
set.
Q. You kept your strategy from beginning to end. That is what you mean?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.
Q. One can see that you tried to put Seles out of the court all the time,
no, then go to the right.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, that was my strategy to begin with. Maybe I wasn't
doing that so well in the beginning. That's what, you know, I wanted to do.
I mean, maybe, yeah, I just wanted to try and move her a little bit more,
and just go for my shots more. You know, at the same time just still not
make errors, so.
Q. This is the first time you've beaten her at a Grand Slam. This was your
sixth match against her. Is that kind of nice to know finally?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's my first one, huh? Yeah.
Q. That's what the stats tell us.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's great. Now we don't have to talk about '91 anymore (laughter).
Q. That's a sore subject, that people always bring up that match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not really. I mean, I kind of just got tired of
hearing about it. So now I don't think I'm going to hear about it anymore.
You know, I mean, that's past for me anyways. I hardly think about that. I
mean, I don't think about that. It's just a new time now, you know, so,
that's it.
Q. How gratifying is this victory for you, not only you, but your father,
your supporters?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Oh, it's great. I mean, I'm just thrilled, and he's
thrilled. You know, it's a lot of hard work that's paid off. You know, I
know there's maybe some expectations, you know, coming into this tournament,
last year, trying to make the semis again. If I'm in as good of shape, you
know, my new coach, my dad's my coach, all those things. You know, I think
it's just made it more gratifying, you know, to kind of live up to those
expectations and go beyond them.
Q. After the match, you looked at the camera and said, "I love you." I didn't
catch the last word.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I said, "Hi, mom. Hi, Steven," which is my brother.
Q. They're watching at home?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think so, yeah.
Q.
After the match, you sat down and it seemed to me you enjoyed the applause.
Is this a very special moment for you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, it
was great. I was just so happy that I won. I mean, the whole match, you know,
I really didn't think about, in the third set, if I could really win this. I
was just taking it point by point. I didn't think I was ahead, I could win
this match. It just kind of hit me after that, you know, I did win. Maybe
just a little bit surprised from it, you know, just felt really happy about
it.
Q. You seemed concerned with the break Monica took between sets. Were you
concerned at the length of the break?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it was in the rule book, she's allowed to do that.
Q. It seemed to go on for a while, people started slow hand clapping. You
seemed concerned.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I thought it was kind of long. But then, you know,
the umpire said, "It's the rule." What can I do?
Q. Did you sense she was tired?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Maybe it was that. I mean, I think we both did a lot of
running in that match, so we were both tired. But, you know, I don't think
it affected me too much.
Q. How much more time do you spend on fitness work and physical work now
compared to when you started ten years ago? Do you think the game is
physically much more demanding than it was ten years ago?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I spend a lot more time doing fitness than I did before.
I mean, it's just because I have to, probably because the game is that way
now. You know, you look at some of the other players and how fit they are.
You know, really it's no problem hitting the ball; it's just how many times
you can run around and hit it, have the power and the strength to just hit
with the big hitters and match their power?
Q. You seem to have this great happiness that you're just exuding. You look
beautiful, maybe more pretty than ever. Your game is really sharp. Do you
think this is a reflection of maybe your whole life, your home life,
personal life, your tennis game, just everything really hitting stride and
coming together?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Well, thank you for those compliments (smiling).
Yeah, I think those things come first, and then, you know, the tennis sort
of follows that. Once all those things are there, then it's just always been
with me that, you know, I'm just happy playing tennis, you know, just kind
of feel like free and relaxed with it, not too much expectations or pressure.
You know, I just have a real peace with it.
Q. You've mentioned in the past that you have a great group of supporters.
How important do you think that is for a player who is out on the road all
year?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, it's very important. I don't think anyone can do
it alone. I mean, you always see all the players, they have their own kind
of group of people, you know, close by. You know, I think it's just
important. It kind of stays closely-knit there. You can't just trust a lot
of people, that's the way it is. You need your support group there. Alone
would be hard to do it.
Q. It probably would be better if a woman asked this question. You seem to
have lost quite a bit of weight in the last few months since the US Open. Am
I indiscreet to ask you to put a number on it?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That's okay. I don't really know.
Q. Guess maybe.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You know what, I don't really know. I don't really know
how much weight, you know, I gained or how much I was over. I read maybe 30
pounds, maybe 15 pounds. It was like, I don't know, you know. I look in the
mirror, and you don't see it yourself a lot. You know, I just could tell by
the way I was moving on the court. That's obvious. So I don't know like how
much. I don't go by that. I just go by how I feel.
Q. When you're down a set and 4-2, what is the motivation to get back?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, I came out playing really well. Like I said,
you know, I thought maybe I should have even won that first set. So, you
know, just at that point I didn't think I was the one who should be losing
because I felt really good out there. I had a good game plan. You know, I
just felt confident. You know, I just took it point by point, and that was
it. I just kept saying to myself that, you know, I can do it, "You can do
this, come back, just point by point."
Q. I wonder, if you had to pinpoint a moment in your career or in your life
when everything turned around in your world for the better, when would you
say it was?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, that's kind of hard to say, an exact moment. I
mean, just -- just the last few years. I mean, every moment, actually every
day is just a change and growing experience. So I'm constantly doing that
all the time. I can't really like give a specific moment. It just sort of
started happening.
Q. If Lindsay wins tonight, what can you do to make the result different
from last year?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I don't really want to comment yet on that
because, you know, I just want to wait to see who wins the match. You know,
right now I'm not going to think about it until I know who I play for sure.
Q. How do you go about preparing for a match, a semifinal in a Grand Slam? I
mean, what would you do?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Really it's no different than preparing, you know, for
the first round. You know, I mean, every match is important, just as
important as the semis, so I'm not really going to do anything different.
Just take the rest of the day off and tomorrow just do my usual practice,
just kind of relax, you know, just start gearing up for the match.
Q. What is your attitude from here on? Is it like nothing to lose now? Will
you be chronically disappointed if you do lose in the semis?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, well, I didn't get to this point to just be happy
that I got to this point. You know, of course, I want to do the best I can.
Hopefully I'll be able to play my best tennis. Whatever happens, that's what
happens. At least I know I did my best, whatever the result is.
Q. Was it special today to play Monica because you have an impressive
rivalry between you? Do you get more up to play Monica?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I mean, well, my record against her, you know, the
last couple years, I mean, I haven't won a lot of matches. Basically just
tired of losing to her. Yeah, I mean, that and being in the quarterfinals
here of a Grand Slam, I mean, it's just -- you know, I'm feeling confident.
Just all those things.
Q. Your history doesn't have anything to do with it?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. Like I said, I put that all -- that's history.
Q. You said you worked harder than you did ten years ago. Can you just
describe briefly what sort of physical work you do? Do you do gym work or
running every day? Roughly what's your program?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just about every day. I mean, during tournaments not as
much. When I'm at home, I mean, part of the everyday routine is just, you
know, practicing on the court, then going with my trainer afterwards. I use
this one trainer. Her name is Karen Brunette (phonetic). She mixes a lot of
things in. I do Tae-Bo. She does Tae-Bo. Just gym stuff, running, cycling.
Q. Is it fun or is it tedious?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Actually, she makes it very fun, so.
Q. How did you feel physically at the end of two hours out there today? Were
you ready to go another hour, a bit drained, what?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I really felt fine. I felt like I could have kept
going. I don't know if that was just my adrenaline just pumping so hard, but
I feel great.
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