06 giugno 2002
S. Williams D Capriati 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2
Q. For you, what was the key of this match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I think I had my chance in the second set -
especially at 6-5. But I really don't feel like I did anything wrong. You
know, in the tiebreaker, she also played well. In the second set -- I mean,
in the third set, we were right with each other up until I got broken. I
mean, I think on some shots, a lot of points, I kind of let her be more
aggressive. When I definitely played my game, I think everything was going
in my favor. Especially the first and second set, that's what I was doing.
But I think she definitely played a lot better towards the end, and that was
the difference. I think probably I got a little bit tired in the third set.
Q. You fight so hard to get back in the second set. You get up 6-5, don't
play a great game. I think it was the third or fourth point in the
tiebreaker, you hit a forehand unforced error. You yell at yourself, "You're
choking." Did you feel the match slipped there?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not at all. I didn't feel that. I thought maybe I
decided to not really get a letdown after that, because I was just exerting
myself so much, all the tension, everything on that point. I mean, I came
out and I really in the first game -- okay, she served, but it was important
for me to stay with her, not get broken early. I mean, I still felt like I
was in there with her.
Q. Did you feel like maybe the 6-5 game you needed to play a little more
aggressively - or in the tiebreaker?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, there wasn't really much that I could do. I
think she served well in that game. I mean, it's tough when every point is
so important. It seems like you play bad on those points, but if it wasn't
so intense or wasn't so close, it wouldn't really matter if you played a few
mistakes here and there. It's just at those key points, it seems like a lot.
I mean, I don't think I played that badly. I maybe made a few, you know --
like one easy forehand error. I've got to give it to her, she really played
well. She made me -- you know, she either forced the error or made me try to,
you know, win the point.
Q. In a match like this when things are so tight, how much do you feel like
every single point means everything? Seems like there was a lot of emotion
after every single point today.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, yeah, that's what I just said. It seems like a lot
if you make a mistake here and there. But when every point means so much,
you can't really afford to make those mistakes. That probably puts more
pressure I think on both of us, too, that you feel more tense than you would
any other time. And that's why maybe those errors that come out, like I
never, you know, would make previously, maybe I just make a winner on that
shot. It's just because you just can't really play a relaxed game because
every point is so important.
Q. Can pressure be measured? For instance, last year, the final against
Clijsters, that was pressure, pressure, pressure, all the way. Was this the
same sort of feeling?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Although playing against other people, it's easier
to kind of get a rhythm. You sort of get into a groove, so it's not like so
erratic. You know, that's what's difficult. I haven't played Venus in a long
time - but with Serena, you never know what's going to happen, so it just
kind of adds to it. Like last year, you know, there's a lot more rallies
maybe, so it's just easier to get in a comfort zone, and so you really can
kind of know what's going to happen, so...
Q. You're no longer going to be No. 1. How important is it for you to try
and regain that mantle?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, of course, I mean, I want to win matches, I want to
win more tournaments and Grand Slams. With that comes the No. 1 ranking. So
I really -- I focus -- I just try to look at that instead of the ranking,
you know.
Q. And can you assess or judge Serena's game, how much it's improved over
the past year or so?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I guess on the key points, maybe she plays better
than she used to, and there's not so much of a lack of concentration. You
know, she plays more aggressive. And sort of, yeah, she earns the point. You
know, it was a matter of who hit the better shot first. You know, she did a
lot of that today. That's the difference between her last year or whatever.
Q. Additionally, did you also sense a big difference in her conditioning?
I remember last year she seemed to run out of gas at different times.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think that's been the case in the last few
matches. Definitely can tell that she's in better shape.
Q. You played several matches outside the center court last week. Does it
change something for you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I think it's the same for everyone really. This
whole tournament was kind of difficult with the conditions, playing so late,
and the rain and everything. And, so, it was just -- this year was just like
that. It was just one of those years. I mean, I played on center enough
times that I know the court. It really didn't make any difference.
Q. Did you feel the crowd behind you today?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I think they were definitely a lot for me, and they
were just happy to see some good tennis. And I think, I mean, cheering for
both probably.
Q. The Williams family have been saying for like years it was inevitable
that the girls would go to 1 and 2. They finally have. Has there been sort
of a feeling around the tour that maybe this year it's going to happen; it
was just a matter of time?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not really. I mean, yeah, you've got to give them
credit. You know, "inevitable"? There's a lot of things that have happened
that kind of made them in this position, 1 and 2. You know, they were pretty
good with planning things. I don't know if it was like that. But, I mean,
they're just having a good year this year, and we'll see if they stay on
top.
Q. You mean things like Lindsay being injured or Martina being injured or
things like that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Right, right. I mean, I don't know, it's just kind of
funny the way it's worked out sometimes. You know, one plays, one doesn't. I
don't know. You would think maybe it was just a little more planning behind
that. But, I mean, if you really want your daughters to be 1 and 2, I mean,
I guess everyone would kind of do that. But mostly it's just because not
everyone is in the game, I think.
Q. So you think if all the elite players were in full health this year,
it probably would have taken longer?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Taken longer? I don't know if it would ever happen at
all. I mean, you know, it's definitely gone in their favor in that regard.
So, I mean, I don't know. I mean, who knows. Maybe they would have still
been 1 and 2, even if everyone's playing. I mean, it would be nice to see
people coming back and really see what happens then.
Q. Do you feel that they planned not to play each other a number of times?
Do you think that was part of their thinking?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, I don't know. I really shouldn't comment more
about that. It just kind of seems like that. You know, I guess they can't
really plan it because the way the draw comes out, I mean, they're on
opposite sides. What if they were on the same side? Can't really plan those things.
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