FED CUP - ISRAEL vs USA

July 21, 2002

Monica Seles

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

MONICA SELES: Yeah.

MONICA SELES: Yeah. Well, definitely at 5-2 I had let loose a little, made some mistakes, and she got back. And really I was lucky to win that game, because she had many chances to hold for serve and equal at 5-all.

MONICA SELES: Oh, I mean, it's great. I mean, we had a lot of pressure coming in. I can't speak for Lindsay, but I felt it wasn't my best tennis these two days. It was difficult conditions. It's just so nice. After losing to Austria, that was really hard on all of us. It's been such a good week really - on and off court.

MONICA SELES: Well, I mean, just having a hard time finding the court really this week in practice, I think coming from grass to hard courts, and taking a little bit of time off. But, you know, I'm just happy I won. I'm not really happy with my game, but there's more to improve.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think, you know, when I miss a lot of balls, I'm just not used to it. No matter what the score is, I just really go off on myself. I've been trying to improve upon that, not to "self-destruct" as they call. But the heat doesn't help. I think I just wanted to finish the match and not let her get back into the match at all there.

MONICA SELES: Well, really the first set I had no problems. The second set they came back again. But you have no choice. I'm going to put them on ice now and hopefully for next week they'll be fine.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, it was dangerous for all of us I think (laughing). Actually, I think Lindsay and Lisa found it and then we went there as a team, and then probably go there tonight, I'm sure. But we just had really fun, and we kind of bonded. Went to dinner, just the four of us, and talked. It really was a very mellow week. I think it's great to have that, you know. It's a nice one.

MONICA SELES: I don't know. Gosh, we all got different ones and just tasted each other's. I think everything's pretty good there.

MONICA SELES: Oh, definitely. It would be fantastic. You know, I think it was very well organized. I think it was very difficult to get more fans. I think the heat definitely played a big part in it. Gosh, to sit through in this heat is not easy. But the stadium is just beautiful. The whole Cooper Center is just really at a world-class level.

MONICA SELES: Oh, it was just like a huge relief I think off of all of our shoulders. We knew it was kind of a do-or-die situation here. All the conditions really favored the Israelis - the heat, the court, and the high bounces. We just wanted to win it. I was just very relieved and happy.

MONICA SELES: I think so. But I think each time -- in the beginning, when I came up, you had Navratilova who dominated, then you had Steffi Graf, then you had myself dominating and then again I think Steffi, and for a few years Martina. I think you'll always go through periods of two, three years where someone will dominate. It definitely seems Venus and Serena, the last two Grand Slams, have dominated. They're definitely the ones to beat. They're playing some great tennis. But only time will tell.

MONICA SELES: Yeah, definitely. I mean, gosh, I'm just taking it a day at a time. If I'm still playing, I would love to play. I've always been available in my career. But just I want to stay in the present.

MONICA SELES: I just put some Tough Skin on it - not Tough Skin, the thing that you spray. You buy it in grocery stores. I kind of just put a lot of coats on and then just tough it out.

MONICA SELES: Well, I'm going to probably go out and watch. I'll get some treatment and then go out, watch Lindsay, and then our doubles match.