02 settembre 2002
Capriati D Frazier 6-1, 6-3
Q. How do you feel about where you are right now, going into your quarterfinal
match? Your dad said you're playing at a high level. Do you feel the same?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, especially under these conditions, waiting around.
I thought maybe I would lose a little bit of the edge I'd been having. I
still felt pretty sharp out there.
Q. How do you keep yourself focused when you have so many hours to kill?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: As a tennis player, you get used to it, just from being
around so long. You've just got to get used to it. Just try to eat at the
right times, just try to find some place to rest, you know, get some
treatment, just kind of do stuff to keep you busy but not too busy where you
get tired.
Q. During the day they replayed the match between you and Monica from '91.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I heard.
Q. Did you catch any of it?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No.
Q.
In the past you have a policy of not dwelling on that match. Everybody
brings it up. It must seem like it was a lifetime ago.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it does.
Q. You've come so far personally and in your tennis. Do you ever reflect on
that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not really, no. You know, that was one time. I've reached
other milestones, I think, that go way past that now. Yeah, I don't even
think about it.
Q. Is it nice to have played a match here that is considered a classic
match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, I can't believe they showed it again today.
Yeah, they've showed it before other times, not even during The Open. Maybe
because I played in it, I don't think it's as great as everyone says. I don't
see it.
Q. Do you have a preference in playing Clijsters or Mauresmo? Who do you
match up better against?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It doesn't matter to me. I mean, they're both going to be
tough. Maybe have a better record against Clijsters. Maybe her game's a
little bit easier for me because Mauresmo, you know, she just throws so much
at you. It's not what you're used to playing against all the time. It doesn't
matter, though. It would be nice to play her again and try to get revenge,
especially here and in a Grand Slam. I want to play well. I mean, it doesn't
matter. I look at them both the same way.
Q.
When you look at your season as a whole, do you look at it as an upper from
the wins in Australia or a downer with some of the shots you've taken off
the court as the years have gone on?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I've still had a great year. A lot of people
would love to have my year that I've had. You know, for me, some matches are
disappointing because I think I was really close, I could have had some wins.
I mean, I've got to give credit to those that I've lost to and have had a
better year. Serena has had a better year. She's just beeen better than me
this year. It hasn't really been on my part that I've played so bad. You
know, maybe I had some losses here and there. It's tough to be consistent.
You know, that's fine, because it's making me more motivated for this
tournament, I think. That's why I feel like I'm playing better than I have
in a long time.
Q. You've been playing a long time, and it's not like you haven't played
serve and volleyers in the past. What is it about Mauresmo that is giving
you so much trouble?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think in Wimbledon, she just had an unbelievable day.
Like Agassi, who he lost to. When someone's playing in the zone, you know,
there's just nothing you can do. But she's always been a talented player.
She's given me tough matches. Maybe mentally she hasn't been as focused and
as concentrated so she would kind of be inconsistent. The last couple times
that I played her and lost to her, you know, she really hasn't given free
points. I notice that she's serving better, with more pace and more
consistency. Even her second serves are as good as her first it seems like a
lot of times. She's obviously gotten in better shape. It's tough to get the
ball past her.
Q. Have you added anything to your training routine?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not really. Just been kind of doing the same thing, maybe
at a more intense level when I've been home, just taking the time at home to
really push myself.
Q. After four matches, do you have confidence that in your next three or two
or one, you're going to find another gear?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. I think so. I mean, I feel like I have a lot more
tennis - better tennis - left. I think the level I'm playing at right now, I
mean, we'll have to see once I get to those tougher opponents. But I think
I'll be pushed to that level. That's what I need to bring it out.
Q. Is it a conscious or unconscious click, "I need to be in a higher gear"?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's tough. I mean, with the adrenaline and everything,
just the way the match is going, sometimes it just automatically happens.
Even when an opponent is playing really well, you can sometimes just feed
off each other, and the energy, it could be unconscious. Sometimes I tell
myself that I need to play better or I need to do something, be more
aggressive, hit harder, whatever. Sometimes you tell yourself, and it's just
not happening, so you're just having an off day.
Q. You've won three slams. Right now do you feel mentally you're in the
place where you want to be to go on to the next week?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Definitely. I mean, I think I'm playing great tennis
right now. I think mentally that's good for me. I'm really determined. I
mean, I have a lot of desire to go all the way. You know, I want to make
this one special. I think I have the same kind of feeling, the same kind of
focus as I did when I, you know, won the French last year, and the first
Australia. I mean, I was just kind of in that zone. So I don't think it's
going to be anything on my part that's going to let me down. I mean, who
knows, if my opponent is better and beats me. I think someone will really
have to beat me for me to lose.
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