28 marzo 2003
Capriati D Rubin 6-2, 6-4
Q. Obviously, it got a little tough in the second set. It
looked like Chanda was getting into the match. Did you have to pick up your
level a bit in the second set?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, well, I knew she wasn't gonna just give it to me
easily, just hand it over. She started trying to come in more and -- but I
don't think I had to pick up my level. I think my level was pretty high
through the whole match, from the beginning. It's just I was challenged more
in the second and I was able to counteract that.
Q. You feel like this is the best you've played this week?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. This week, yeah.
Q. You've come so close in the final here. What do you
think it will take to break through finally in the NASDAQ this year?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I really don't know. I'm just going to go out there and
try to play perfect tennis really.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, everything, just because it is like my hometown.
More so, just because I've come so close. So it's like if you keep trying,
you know, you just finally get rewarded. Either way, I'm just happy to be in
the finals anyways.
Q. I guess Serena's beaten you six in a row. Every match has been a
three-setter, 7-6, 7-5. What do you feel will be the difference? What will
have you to do to change the outcome?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just been a few points here and there, maybe not
letting up on those few points and, you know, I mean, her serve is really
good. So she's gotten herself out of a lot of jams that way, with her serve.
So I think that's just been the big difference. I mean, she'll just be like
-- ready to break or whatever, she'll just come out with a few aces, a few
unreturnable serves. Hopefully, I can hold up on my own serve, just so that
puts less pressure on me.
Q. You seemed more confident when you served this week.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. Well, hopefully, we'll see how it plays out in the
finals when the stakes are high and it's the last match. Yeah, there's a lot
of pressure on the match, so, you know, we'll see how it holds up.
Q. Because you've come so close several times, how much of a mental
hurdle is there for you to overcome?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I figure one of these times it's got to go my way.
So, you know, I've been in so many of those matches with her that it's just,
now, it's just I'm not going in there expecting it to happen, like to be so
close and then, you know, I'll just get some unlucky breaks or just bad
breaks. But, I mean, I just think I've gotten past that point already
anyways.
Q. So are you looking forward to tomorrow?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, of course. Yeah.
Q. With it being your birthday, seems like all the stars
may be aligned. Have you ever even played a final on your birthday?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, not a final. But I remember I've played the semis
last year. It went into the birthday at night, so it was midnight.
But, yeah... Never on the final, I don't think.
Q. So if you had one birthday wish this year, what would
it be?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean (smiling)... To try to win. If I didn't,
that would be a pretty sick joke, right?
Q. You had the weather delay, hot and humid today. Any
problem with recovery time coming back tomorrow?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't think so. I mean, I'm glad I got it over with
pretty quickly. That's another reason why I wanted to come out and jump on
top of her early and play well from the start, just so I wouldn't get into a
long match like the other day, I think, because that would hurt me for
tomorrow.
So I feel like I have plenty of time to recover for tomorrow.
Q. How long did you hang around last night waiting to see
if you would play?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Luckily, I'm staying right -- close by. So I wasn't here
at all. I mean, by the time I was going to come over, it started raining
already, so I just stayed in my hotel. They cancelled it pretty quickly, so
that was good.
Q. The way Serena dominated Clijsters yesterday, there's
a sense maybe she's separating herself from the pack. Obviously, we'll know
more tomorrow. What are your thoughts about that?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You know, Kim's had a long run and I'm sure she was tired.
You know, one match, I mean, it doesn't mean anything like that. It's still
early in the year. Serena hasn't played that many tournaments, so I could
see she'd be fresher. Kim has an off day, and her day was, yeah, it was not
her day yesterday, so...
Q. It didn't seem like Kim came out as aggressive as she
usually does, especially with her ground strokes. Does that tell you
something, that, obviously, you should do that or not?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I think that's a style of my game anyways. So that's
what I'm going to try to do, is just follow through. I mean, I'm not like a
defense player like Kim. You know, I can't rely on that as much. So I'm just
going to try to be aggressive and go for it more.
Q. How do you get yourself ready to be in the perfect
frame, like you did a couple times this week?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I'm just not going to spend too much time outside
and not get drained by the heat. But, you know, just maybe go do a little
shopping, whatever. Have a nice dinner, go to a movie or something like that.
Q. Plans for your birthday regardless of what happens in
the match?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: My whole family is going to be here, so just go out and
have a nice dinner afterwards and, yeah, there's not much to do (smiling).
Q. You seem very relaxed and laid back this tournament,
more so than we see at other tournaments. Any particular reason, or just
feeling that way?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm just feeling that way. I just see no point in just
stressing myself out for no reason. So...
Q. Is that a maturity thing maybe, you just get to a
point where you realize what happens, happens, you do the best you can and
hope for the best?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You could say that, but I know a lot of, like,
50-year-olds who don't do that so... You know. It's just a cycle and just
where you are at the time.
Q. You seem very much in control of this match against a
player who's had some very good wins here. When was the last time you felt
like you were hitting the ball this well?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, actually, it started in Dubai really. I started
feeling my game out there and my movement. I was just hitting the ball solid
and I was pretty on. And in Indian Wells, too, I felt like I was hitting the
ball well. I think today really was the best match.
Q. Best match since...?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, a long time so... (Smiling). This year probably.
Q. Is there something you've done to become more relaxed?
I mean, are you doing it -- are you doing anything different, seeing anybody
different, hitting with your brother, is that helping making you be more
relaxed?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's a combination of some things, making some changes on
the outside and then also on the inside. So, yeah, it's just try to reflect
on some things and, yeah, I mean, I'm getting older, so it's like, "How do I
want to live my life? Do I want to be stressed out and take for granted
everything that I'm doing," or, you know, "Do I just want to enjoy the time
that I have now while I'm doing it? It's my sport." So I'll try to just make
the best of it.
Q. How are your eyeballs?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: They're fine, yeah.
Q. Do you have to do anything so that that stuff doesn't
come back?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just try to protect myself from the sun a lot.
Q. That's easy to do here (laughing)?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I know.
Q. Was it bothering you when you played? Is it spots that
you were seeing? How did that develop? Is it a long-time thing?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it's over a long time that they've been growing. It
started to affect my vision a little bit because it was just making the film
on my eye not clear, so, like, when I would blink, and at night, things
would be a little more blurry and they'd just get real irritated.
Q. Were you worried about getting an operation, that it
might affect your game, longer term, or were you pretty confident?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I was pretty worried that it might affect my life.
Like, hope I can see after this operation... So, no, because, I mean, he's a
great doctor and he's done it. Now it's a pretty good procedure where they
know what they're doing. So they've perfected it.
Q. Did you know the recovery was as long? Because you
came back, but then you were still having problems. Were you aware how long
it was going to take?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I mean, everyone recovers different, so that's the
part he couldn't really tell me. And especially me, I need to, you know, in
my sport, I need to recover as fast as possible. So most people, it really
doesn't matter. But, you know, I only had like a few weeks anyways. That
definitely wasn't enough time.
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