THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 18, 1995

Gabriela Sabatini

Q. How do you think you played today you? Seemed to be pretty much in control?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Yeah, he is always a little bit hard to play the first match because here it is like home for me and people love me a lot, so it was hard to get into the match and think about the game itself. My head was a little bit away thinking of how beautiful it is to be there with all those people loving me and cheering for me. So it was special. At the beginning I thought I started a little bit tight a little bit nervous, but then I was loose and I was able to play my game and I was in control of the match.

Q. Gaby, what has Juan Nunez done for your game?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Yeah, I think Juan has helped me a lot first because he knew what were the things that I needed to improve. He knew my game before and I think he has a lot of knowledge about the game, you know, technique. He knows a lot about that. He studies the players a lot and he knows how to play against different players and he has a very good mind. He has a good personality, determined and at the same time, he could be very easy, very flexible and fun too.

Q. Do you get along with him also, I mean, after tennis?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Sure, definitely. He is fun and I get along with him. We do things off the court too, which is totally different, but it is fun too.

Q. How about -- where do you see yourself overall, your game for the last several years; you had a tournament -- you had a tournament -- big tournament win in '94. Do you think you are approaching a level as did you in the past?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Yeah, at the Championships that was a great tournament. I played great tennis there and it has been awhile since I haven't played that great tennis and it was good to feel that finally and I guess to break that wall, winning a tournament. I started that year, you know, well -- I won Sidney again playing great tennis, very smart tennis and, you know, at the Australian Open I had a tough match a little bit unlucky, but I am here. I am feeling good. I have been -- I took sometime off a month and that helped me a lot and I have been practicing all this time. I feel very good. My shots are working very well.

Q. Did you do anything else besides practice?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Went home to the beach and relaxed a little bit, with my friends and my family. It was nice.

Q. Obviously you are a big crowd favorite even on grandstand; there is a lot of noise. Is that a good thing or is that actually pressure for you to have to produce --

GABRIELA SABATINI: I think it is good because today it was the first match; it was a little bit hard, but, you know, once I play one match, two matches; then I am going to be into the tournament and that is what I want to do, to be focused and think about what I have to do, but it is nice. It feels very good. I mean, it is something that you can't value, people, they are so great to me.

Q. Key Biscayne, it is kind of a second home to you; does it help you, you think?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Yeah, it does because I feel very comfortable. It is so convenient this tournament. I live right here. It is very comfortable and I love it. I am very comfortable here.

Q. That helps you obviously to play better?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Sure, it does. I mean, you know, there is that special feeling like playing at home, so obviously it makes me feel better.

Q. You have been working on your serve, there is obviously a marked improvement?

GABRIELA SABATINI: Yeah, we have been working on my serve. I think it got a lot better. My first serve, it got a lot better, much stronger. I think players have a little more respect for my serve because they know I can make aces and good serves, so that gives me some advantage, you know, it would be easier for me also to win my service game. I still am working on the second serve, which is still something that I need to keep improving, but it is getting better.

End of FastScripts....