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WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2000

Anne-Gaelle Sidot

WIMBLEDON

MODERATOR: Anne-Gaelle Sidot. Who would like to start?

Q. Was it very difficult to concentrate after all that has happened in the last 24 hours?

WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She prefers to speak in French. I'm going to translate, if you could bear with me.

Q. Just wondering how difficult it was to concentrate after all that has gone on in the last 24 hours?
WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She tried to forget it, just not think about it.
Q. Is she aware of what Alexandra Stevenson said yesterday about her and Alexandra's mother?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: Yeah, I knew.

Q. Alexandra's mother said that she was on the court with a French hitting partner, and you came with another French hitting partner and wanted to get the hitting partner away from Alexandra, and that you brought your boyfriend on and said, "Let's get her."

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: I didn't know. I mean, you don't have to believe all what she said because I didn't know, I didn't hear. I never came on the court with my hitting partner, because I don't have one. I didn't know. I'm surprised, you know.

Q. Did you ever attack Mrs. Stevenson? She's accusing you of pulling her hat at one point. She says you pulled her hat down.

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: Yeah, it's true.

Q. You did?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: Yeah.

Q. Why?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: Why?

WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She did it. She just pulled her hat because she had -- Mrs. Stevenson had insulted Anne-Gaelle just a little while beforehand.

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: That's all.

Q. What did she say to you?
WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She doesn't want to repeat what she said, but she said it.
Q. Does it upset her that she is being accused of all these things, basically accused of being a racist? Must be very upsetting to be accused of these things?
WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She's not upset about it because she knows she's not a racist, and also when you talk about a racist, you talk about culture, religion, everything, not just about black people. She knows she's not. Mrs. Stevenson has decided, that's her decision.
Q. What is the general opinion, in your opinion, of women pros toward the Stevensons, Samantha and Alexandra? Do they have a reputation?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: The reputation, I don't know.

WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She doesn't have any comment.
Q. Why would Mrs. Stevenson have insulted you? What brought on the insult?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: Because she was not happy we share the court, the practise court before the match. That's all. I didn't understand why she did this, but she said something bad about me. That's all. Because, yeah, she didn't want we share the court. I mean, yeah, at first, the day before I booked my court. Later she put her name with me, with the practise court. 15 minutes before the practise, the day after, I saw Alexandra. I said, "Okay, you put your name with me. That means we warm up together?" She said, "Yes." After when I arrived on the court, the coach came to me and said, "I'm sorry, she's not going to play with me because you are left-handed." I said, "Yeah, she told me ten minutes ago we would practise together." That's all. Finally she hit with his (sic) coach, and me I tried to find someone else. That's all. That's all.

Q. What is your personal opinion of Alexandra and her mother, the things that they say in general about you, the players? Do you have a personal opinion about them?
WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She just cannot comprehend.

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: I don't understand. I mean, never I had problems with players or with coaches. Really it's the first time, but not only with me, with everybody. So I don't understand. Maybe she doesn't feel good in this world, I don't know. She said that if she knew before it was like this, she will send Alexandra in school. I don't know. I mean, it's more her who has a problem than us.

Q. The issue is more perhaps her personality rather than race? Is the race issue something that's considered sort of bogus by the players as opposed to just her personality?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: I don't understand, no. I mean, I cannot answer because I don't understand her attitude. I cannot say something. I mean, it's -- I don't know.

Q. Mrs. Stevenson said that you came back with your boyfriend to the court.

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: With my boyfriend, never.

WTA REPRESENTATIVE: It's a lie.

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: Yeah, it's a lie. Never, never, never, never. She said so many wrong things, so I'm not surprised that she said another thing.

Q. You know Cocheteux, have known her for some time. If she's accused of having uttered a racial slur, in your opinion is Cocheteux the type of person who would do something like that?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: No, I don't think so. No, no. I know Amelie. I know sometimes on the court she's nervous, but never against a player. You know, it's against herself, but not against someone.

Q. Is there anything you can do to stop her saying these things? Will you complain to the tour about these comments she keeps coming out with?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: I mean, the WTA knows. Me, I think I cannot do something, and I don't have to do something. I mean, she said something bad about me, but it's not true. For me, I feel okay. I mean, only her knows the truth. So if she doesn't want to say the truth, it's her problem, but not mine.

WTA REPRESENTATIVE: She can't have a good conscience.
Q. Will she confront Alexandra about the remarks? Will you talk to her about what has been said?

ANNE-GAELLE SIDOT: No. I don't have to do it, no.

End of FastScripts....

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