PILOT PEN INTERNATIONAL

August 26, 1998

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

Q. Why is she so difficult for you to play?

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, she is a player who can change the pace really well. Obviously, she played pretty good. I have some chances in the first set, I never should have let her come into the match. But I make too many unforced errors. I tried to go for too much, and I make a lot of mistakes. I let her to come back, and she is -- I lost the first set, and she just take more advantage of that, and for me it was hard because it was so hard with the bugs to play and also with the humidity. I couldn't hold my racket too much. I was sweating a lot. But besides that, I don't think it is a reason why I lost, but I think I make too many unforced errors. She played much more consistant than myself.

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: I just said that she was much more consistant than myself. I make probably too many unforced errors, and I was sweating a lot. It was hard with the bugs to play, but that was not the reason why I lost. But it makes it more difficult to play with those conditions.

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Very close calls. Obviously, when you think you won the point and they overrule it, sometimes it is hard. But that is happening and probably affect me a little bit. But I just tried to continue be focused. Like I say, she was better than me and probably I makes too many errors.

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I guess I would prefer to stay in the tournament because more matches you play the better. But I will -- I am still in doubles so I can probably -- still in the doubles, play there and practice and get ready for the Open. And, I have a great two weeks before I came here so I played enough matches and I will try to continue to be 100% for the open.

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yeah, I mean, she is playing the same. Obviously, she is just recovering from a lot of injuries, but she is just pretty similar player. Her weapon is her forehand so she is just going for her shot and today make she make a lot of winners and a lot of points. But I think I probably lost my concentration. And, in the first set when I was up and I let her come into the match, that was a big mistake for myself. Probably that happens if you make a lot of errors and you let the other people come, then it makes it more dangerous and she could take advantage of that.

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No, I don't think so. Because obviously I would have preferred to, like I said, to stay in the tournament, but I mean, it is not nice when you lose. But I know what I did wrong, so I will try not to do that the next time. Obviously I can have a few days to prepare for the Open. That is what I am looking for and I will try to take the positive thing that I did and not -- and learn from the negative thing, but I don't think it will affect me too much for the Open. I will try to get the same concentration for the Open.

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: No. But it is very difficult and very uncomfortable and it is very hard to play with those conditions.

ARANXTA SANCHEZ VICARIO: Yes, they were biting. Very badly. And the more you were sweating, the more they were coming to you, so, I sweat a lot, so I have all my dress and I was going into my hair and my hands, all over my body was covered with bugs. So it is obviously hard because even you cannot hold your racket so much, it is difficult to play like that. But I tried to concentrate, but it was not enough.