26 marzo 2004
Capriati D Koukalova 6-0, 6-1
Q. Change the hairstyle?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not really, just cut it a little bit.
Q. Looks nice.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Thank you.
Q. You had a good match today, fast.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. We had couple close games there, so it wasn't a
complete just blow-out. But I thought I played well, and considering the
conditions, it was quite windy out there.
But I definitely feel like I was playing well.
Q. What did you feel most confident in? What do you feel like you're
doing best?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I feel like I was moving well, and I was hitting out on
my shots pretty well. Of course it was tough, you know, because it's so
windy. I probably could have came to net a few balls, but, you know, when
the conditions are like that, it's kind of unstable. So sometimes I feel
unstable at the net anyways.
Q. The wind,
you play here all the time, is this worse than you've ever seen it? What
does the wind do to the ball exactly?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, it just swerves it around. It's very swervy.
Especially in the stadium, the wind kind of circles around.
So you just got to be really moving your feet a lot and watching the ball
and not get frustrated because it's not going to be there perfectly every
time you want to hit it. So you have to make adjustments.
Q. Is this kind of like a home tournament for you? Does it help playing
in front of a home crowd?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it helps. I really feel the support and, you know,
the crowd, it was a good crowd out there I think considering what the
weather's been like.
I just think, you know -- I feel like I've been out of it for a little bit
so everyone's kind of like eager to see me play a little bit. So I felt that
out there. Not in a bad way, not like too much expectation or pressure, just
like that, you know, I felt like they were really welcoming. I think with
the other players that haven't been playing also, the same thing.
Q. Is this tournament more special for you because it's in Florida?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's always been a fun tournament for me. I mean, yeah,
it's because I'm from Florida. I mean, of course. I don't have to travel
that far. I have a lot of friends and family that get to come and watch me
play.
So I've had good results, too. Making it to the finals three years in a row,
you know. So obviously there must be something good about it that I like.
Q. Was it surprising that it only took Serena 42 minutes to play, to go
through her match today, being her first match in eight months?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not really. I mean, it's like, you know, you're never
going to forget how to ride a bike, you know. Some things are just so
natural. I'm sure the girl, you know, probably was nervous and she felt, you
know, maybe, you know, "I should be giving a tougher match to Serena because
she's the one that's not playing," and the conditions, you know. A lot of
factors.
No, it's not really too surprising.
Q. Do you expect her to come right back in
where she left off, or will it get harder as she meets harder opponents?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I really -- I can't say. I have no idea. Everybody is
different. But when more of the mental side of it comes in, I think that's
where you start to notice when someone hasn't been playing.
The physical part, I mean, you could pretty much try to do as much as you
can to simulate, you know, what it's like to grind out there and play
matches and practice and hit shots over and over. But as far as feeling, you
know, the pressure and all that, it's kind of hard to practice that, so...
Q. You've been in the finals for three years. I think the title has
eluded you here. How gratifying would it be to win here?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, of course it would be great, but I'm not even
really looking ahead right now. I mean, I'm just one round at a time. I'm
just happy to be basically able to play out there at this point.
Q. Not looking ahead, but is it frustrating that you haven't gotten that
- you do so well here, people love you so much here - that you haven't won
the title? Is that a frustration at all?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I look at it, it's still pretty good to be three
years in a row in the final. So not many people could say that, so that's
the way I look at it.
Q. How are you feeling physically?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Physically, I feel great, yeah. I mean, of course there's
always like aches and pains. It's always going to be like that. I think it's
for everybody.
But probably I feel better now physically than I did, you know, the past
year or so, last year.
Q. And you're happy with your game and everything?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.
Q. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of not playing
with a coach like what Roger Federer is doing, and what's the longest you've
gone without a coach?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, he's No. 1 in the world right now, so really, I
don't think he can explain too much about it. Really doesn't seem like too
many disadvantages.
But everybody's different. I can't really comment on Roger.
Q. For you, what would be the advantages and disadvantages?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I mean, I think it's just -- it's like you don't
want to be with somebody that you don't have chemistry with and you don't
just want to bring anybody. I think you're old enough to know and
experienced enough to know what to do on your own. I mean, it's not like
you're a baby out there, and you've been doing it long enough.
I just think that maybe the disadvantage is just maybe too much that you
maybe have to do on your own as far as whatever, everything from getting the
courts to getting the balls to all that kind of stuff. I mean, you've got to
just -- all you want to do is worry about playing tennis.
For that, you know, I'm sure he's, whatever, you still have somebody to do
that kind of stuff for you, but...
Q. Do you have a full-time personal fitness trainer? Do you have a
personal trainer with you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: At this tournament I have more of a physio, which is more
like a medical trainer, like what the WTA has; not a fitness trainer. Like
it's more like a - what do you call it - a PT.
Q. A woman?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.
Q. And what does she do exactly? How does she help you?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, she does the stretching and the body mechanics and
making sure that I am loose and ready to go and all my joints are moving the
right way and all that stuff.
THE MODERATOR: Want to give her name? We're going to get asked it for sure.
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. I mean, I'd rather -- it's just for this tournament
so it's not like anything...
Q. Have you come with anybody special, any family members with you here?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Nope, just the usual. Just my dad.
Q. Your dad's here?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah. And my mom is here, uh-hmm.
Q. After this, what tournament do you play next after this?
JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm supposed to play Charleston.
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