27 giugno 2001
Capriati D Schiavone 6-3, 6-1
Q. How did you feel the game went for you today? There were one or two unforced
errors at the beginning. Were you pleased with the intensity of it?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think I played well, even though I made some
mistakes. I think I cut those out towards -- in the second set. But, yeah,
it's just some easy mistakes here and there, but overall, I felt pretty good
on my game today.
Q. What would happen if the Capriati that won the Olympics in '92 played the
Capriati who is playing so well this year?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know. (Smiling.)
Q. What would be the strong points of each?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It would be a tough, tough match I think. It would go on
forever. Are you just asking what's the --
Q. Obviously, you think you're better now and that this Capriati would win.
But that one was pretty good, too, wasn't it?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think so. At that moment, at that match I
definitely played great at that final there. So, I mean but the difference
now is just I'm really consistent every match. You know, I'm playing that
same way, the same intensity.
Q. Was there ever a time during your
comeback when you doubted you could get back to this top level, and did you
ever consider giving it up at all?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, many times that went through my mind.
Q. Giving it up or not reaching the top level?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That I couldn't, you know, come back. You know, it was
just a tough period there when just nothing, you know, was going my way.
Just having losses, and just in tough matches, long matches, or just
everything was going wrong, like the luck and getting injured and stuff. I
just thought everything was just kind of going against me.
Q. What turned it around?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, basically I just -- I didn't want to give up on
it. And, you know, still it felt like I had a long life to live still ahead
of me. You know, I wasn't -- you know, what was I gonna do with the rest of
my life? I wouldn't feel good about looking down the road, you know, in the
future and looking back and feeling like I never gave it 100 percent or, you
know, any regrets or anything of coming back. So I just kept going, and
eventually just things get better. It's, you know, one thing after the other
and just turned it around and just became more positive.
Q. Did you change anything?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I guess maybe I just stopped being so critical of myself
and so harsh on myself and just expecting so much from myself. I just kind
of like, you know, just gave in, like, "I'm gonna try my best and whatever
happens, happens." You know, I got to be satisfied with it, with myself. And
I stopped listening to what others were saying and I stopped reading the
things -- I stopped believing those things, actually.
Q.
Are you more surprised by your success in the comeback, or by your
popularity now?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I've always had popularity. Right now, I mean, I'm
not surprised by anything. You know? I'm not surprised with my comeback. I
mean, it's just something that I've worked hard to attain, and it's just I've
gotten the results. I mean, I knew I could still play good tennis, and I
could -- I mean, I was up there once. So it's not like you lose it all of a
sudden or something that leaves you. I think you're born with it, you're
born with it. So it's just a matter of putting it all together. It's not,
like, that surprising. You know, it's just maybe I'm a little surprised I
won two Grand Slams in a row now. But right now it's just becoming more
believable for me.
Q. Can you give us an idea of what your reception has been like from the
British people here, bearing in mind everything that's happened to you in
the last few years?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, every time I come here, the people are always great
to me, they're always supportive. I think the people here just like to see
good tennis, and they appreciate it when someone's trying and really giving
it their best.
Q. They like a good story. You're maybe halfway through providing a fabulous
story this year.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I guess. I think everyone -- hopefully, everyone
likes to see a good story. I know I would feel the same way if I was reading
it about someone else, so...
Q. Did you watch Serena's game today?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No.
Q. Are you weary of facing her in the quarterfinals?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Right now, I'm not thinking about her. I'm just taking it
one match at a time.
Q. How is your serve compared to the rest of your game? In other words, if
you had to measure forehands, backhands, volleys, how does your serve stack
up now?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think just like that, even other parts of my game,
everything goes off sometimes. I think overall my game is strong, and I feel
like my serve is getting better and better. It's just definitely, I mean,
getting more powerful, I think, and just getting more confidence. So I think,
like everywhere, every part of my game, sometimes I'll maker errors on my
forehand, backhand and it's a matter of getting it back.
Q. But you don't think there's a structural error or mistake? How about the
serve, you think the motion's fine, everything's okay?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, sometimes it is on my forehand, something
structural. You know?
Q. Did you watch Roddick at all last month or so in matches? What do you
think of what he's doing?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I've been getting asked a lot about Roddick. It's
great. I mean, he's got a lot of pizazz, it looks like. He's got a great
serve. I really haven't -- I just watched a few matches, not like whole
matches either, just some certain points.
Q. When you went back home after the French, did you hop back into physical
training pretty hard again or did you take it pretty easy in the time off
between?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I just took a few days off.
Q. Then went back into hard training?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not really hard because I didn't want to, like, wear
myself out. But it was enough, I think, just playing in Florida in the heat
there. I mean, it was so hot, so it's not like I needed to do a lot. That
got me in shape pretty quick.
Q. You've obviously worked incredibly hard to get to this level. Now that
you're in this great groove, do you still feel like you have to expend a lot
of effort? Have you reached a point where it's just a smooth run right now?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it's just maintaining it. I mean, my desire has
gotten greater, and my motivation now, you know, even my trainers say that,
you know, now it's like I'm working harder than before because, you know, I
like the taste of success. I like the victories. So, you know, I really am
enjoying it. I think if I just keep it going like this, I mean, I don't have
to work harder. So I'm fine at this pace.
Q. I mean, you work so hard. You're at the top right now. Is it easier for
you at this moment than when you were working hard? Are you in sort of this
groove?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think definitely it's like a groove. It's just
maintaining. It's definitely easier to maintain it than to get there, at the
level. So, yeah, right now it's just automatic for me.
Q. On the one hand, women's tennis is sort of known for a kind of caddiness
between the players, or a competition. Yet, in Paris, Martina was very blunt
and said that you were very definitely the best player now. Yesterday,
Lindsay said that you were the player to beat in everything these days. This
kind of recognition from your peers, from fellow players, does that give you
a particular satisfaction? Could you talk about that, please.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I mean, it does, of course, to know that there's a
mutual respect. I mean, I think whatever happens personally, however we
treat each other, you know, that's one thing. But I think everyone, most of
the time, respects each other's game and the player that they are. You know,
who cares about the personal stuff? We're not all here to be friends anyway.
So it's just -- I mean, it's flattering, and it's satisfying that they would
actually come out and say it and talk about it. But it just shows that, you
know, they're quite professional on their part to say something like that. So...
|
.gif){kind=small}