07 novembre 2002
Capriati D Farina-Elia 7-5, 6-1
Q. Jennifer, are you doing something different with your serve and your footwork?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. Why?
Q. It just looked like you were.
JENNIFER CAPIRATI: No. Maybe I'm trying to bend a little bit more, but
pretty much the same.
Q. What do you think of Silvia's performance? Were you somehow in trouble in
the beginning or you were confident?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: In the beginning, it was difficult. I think maybe we were
both a little bit nervous and trying to feel out each other and feel out the
court, and, you know, it was a close first set, and I got lucky on a few
shots. I think I played a good game, but at the end to make it 5-all when
she was serving for the set, and then, I mean, as the match wore on, I think
I got more confident and I started playing a lot better.
Q. Jennifer, you think you can find your top level at this event?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think so. I think I was pretty happy with the way
I played today. That was the best match I've played so far indoors, and, you
know, after this match, I'll get better.
Q. Jennifer, how much do you need
this off-season just to regroup mentally, physically, whatever it is?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, it's very important. You know, I think everyone
needs it; otherwise, we couldn't keep going, so it's probably not long
enough, but still it just gives us a chance, a few weeks, to really rest and
just recuperate mentally and kind of forget about the tennis for a while and
forget about all the stuff, the working out and training. You know, after a
few weeks, I think slowly you start to get the itch to come back again.
Q. Jennifer, 2001 was such a breakthrough significant year for you. How does
2002 compare? How do you look at this year?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I had a great start with the Australian Open. I
mean, I didn't win two Grand Slams like I did the year before. It's hard to
come back and defend, although, in Australia, it was really good. I mean, I
didn't have any great tournaments since then, but I think I have been pretty
consistent anyway.
Q. But emotionally how do you feel about it? Has it been as fun? It seemed
like last year you were just enjoying the chance to win those Slams. You
talked about how you felt reincarnated. How has 2002 felt emotionally?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: There's been a few more losses and a little more pressure,
and it's been disappointing. It hasn't been the whole up-and-up year, but,
still, you know, I do enjoy myself and I enjoy the challenge. Who knows?
Next year it could be a come-back from this year. Maybe that's what I need.
Maybe I do it on purpose.
Q. Is there a part of you that likes that underdog a little bit?
JENNIFER CARPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, it's very tough to figure out how to stay
on top once you get on top, and, you know, I think I still have to go
through a few trials on how to figure it out and get it right, and, you know,
what to do when I'm at the top, and to stay there, and not to feel like too
much pressure or expectations, you know, try to just maintain the same
feeling whether I'm coming back or I'm there already. So if I get there
again, we'll see how I can handle it. It's not like I'm that far behind. I'm
ranked 100 in the world. I'm still pretty up there.
Q.
Does a tournament like this feel more like a springboard into '03 than a
finish '02, a big tournament that can help boost your confidence and help
you feel good?
JENNIFER CARPRIATI: Yeah. I mean, I don't want to look at it too much that
way and I think, oh, I have to do well here; otherwise, I'm going to start
off and not be too confident next year. Either way, it would be nice to end
the year well and be playing well and that's it, not put too much pressure
or expectation on myself.
Q. Over the years there's been a lot of criticism of parents who coach their
kids. There's also been a lot of Grand Slams won by people who have been
coached by their parents. Do you think parents are underrated as coaches?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, definitely. I mean, they get a lot of negative
press, but, I mean, when players are doing well, there always has to be
someone to blame. Whoever is closest to the player is going to get blamed.
You know, positive or negative, when you're doing good, your parents are
great. When you're doing bad, it's their fault, so it's just everyone looks
to maybe criticize something and that's the first place you can go. They go
and say it's a family thing and a family feud. You never know. It could
happen with any other coaches, too.
Q. How difficult is it to separate the parent from the coach? Have you been
pretty successful at doing that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think. I mean, when you're younger, you sort of
need your parents there also, but as you get older, you start to realize and
you mature, and the parents have to realize also that there needs to be some
separation. If you're 30 and still traveling with your parents, something is
wrong there, so you just, you know, you need to find balance.
Q. You know with some kids they find it hard to just keep listening to the
instructions, but you're still able to listen to your dad pretty well if he
tells you to do something on the court?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.
Q. Do you have to kind of fight to open yourself up to it because you've
kind of heard some of it before?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. You know, I think I'm professional enough now where I
can separate the two, and I can listen to him as a coach instead of my
father telling me. Maybe off the court on other things, telling me personal
things, it would not be the same, but on the court, I pretty much listen to
him as a coach.
Q. Are you still enjoying the tennis life? Are you enjoying the whole
process of the traveling and hotels or does that feel tiring to you and you
just like the tennis?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Now, you're asking me that at the end of a long season.
I'll say, yeah, it can get tough and tiring, but, I mean, it's fun also, and
I enjoy it. I get antsy when I'm home too long. I can't wait to get back on
the road and start playing and competing. It's fun.
Q. When you were in those first three tournaments in Europe, where you didn't
fight because you lost very quickly, why does that happen? Because you don't
wish anymore to fight, you would like to go home as soon as possible, it's
difficult to concentrate?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, it's not like I'm tanking in the match. I'm still
trying. It is tough mentally, and sometimes you just don't have it, and it
doesn't happen too often. I don't make a big deal of it, and I don't think
anybody else should make a big deal of it just because I had some bad losses.
Q. I'm trying to understand what happens to your mind in those three weeks
when you really almost didn't seem to find the concentration?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I've never had a good indoor record. I mean,
towards the end of the year, I have more of those kind of matches. I guess I
am tired or it's just tough. I don't enjoy playing indoors that much. I don't
enjoy traveling to Europe. At that time, maybe I would rather be home and
just subconsciously I think you can't help it.
Q. How difficult is it at this point in the season to get up for this
16-player tournament and talk about all the travel and play? Is it tiring?
Is it sort of a last-man-standing type of thing, who has the mental and
physical strength to outlast the other?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, LA is a great city. I was looking forward to this
tournament. I get to have some fun. I know some pretty fun people around
here, so I can just enjoy it for what it is. Maybe I think that's why I
played better tonight also and played better than the previous matches in
the indoors in Europe. You know, I think I just played relaxed and loose out
there.
Q. Jennifer, when you were here in August, you talked about the lighting and
playing at night and the low lighting in the court there. Staples got a lot
of criticism for bright lights in here.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think the lights in here are a lot better than, say,
the Manhattan Beach Club. They're a little farther away. They're not sitting
right on top of the court, and it's fine for me. It's a great stadium. Just
the whole atmosphere in there and the feeling in there. You know, that's
where the Lakers play and the Kings play, so it can't be too bad.
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