COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

September 30, 1999

Barbara Schett

WTA: Questions for Barbara.

BARBARA SCHETT: It's next to the ankle. It's a very tiny muscle. I forgot the name. I don't know about this. There's a tendon, too. It's a bit irritated and strained. I had some problems a couple of days, then it went away. Maybe because of the extreme strain today, it came back again. Yes, it was a tremendous handicap for me.

BARBARA SCHETT: 2-1 in the first was the first time I had it, when I stepped slightly back and aside. I tried to push off, and I had a lot of pain. Every time I stepped onto the left leg, it hurt a lot. I noticed that I was focused more on the foot than on the match. I knew I would have to be 100 percent fit if I wanted to beat her.

BARBARA SCHETT: Well, I think so. You just compare the US Open match and this one. I won seven games in both. I played clearly at a higher level in New York. We both made a lot of unforced errors. It's hard to play her indoors. You don't get your rhythm. With her return, she attacks every second serve. It's hard to play her indoors. As I said, had I been in top form and if I hadn't had this problem, if I would have been able to play normally, without any injury, I could have done more, without saying I would have beaten her.

BARBARA SCHETT: It's going to be most difficult indoors. It's going to be hard on grass. Maybe on clay. Maybe on hard court outside. Yes, one day I may be able to beat her.

BARBARA SCHETT: I don't know yet. I'm supposed to go to Innsbruck and have my foot really thoroughly worked up, have a CT scan done to see that there's nothing more serious. Then we shall decide about what will happen next, what tournaments, or whether I have to take a break.

BARBARA SCHETT: It's still on, truly. I haven't retired yet. Yeah, that would be next week.

BARBARA SCHETT: Yes, it's still open. I want to wait and see, have a doctor take a look at it. That's why I'm going to go back to Innsbruck and have my personal doctor take a look at it. Then I have to decide. It depends on what the severity is.

BARBARA SCHETT: No. Maybe as early as tomorrow.

BARBARA SCHETT: Great organization. Great to be here. Of course, great to be in it for once.

BARBARA SCHETT: Yes, nice prize money (laughter). No, it was a great thing to be here. With the Germans, it's perfectly organized. A lot of fun to play here.

BARBARA SCHETT: Invest, pay taxes.

BARBARA SCHETT: Well, there were not many rallies really. There was no real mood in the hall. The spectators, had there been more rallies, I think they would have cheered us a bit more, getting a bit warmer. Yeah, I think the people were partly and a bit on my side.

BARBARA SCHETT: Not at all. Not at all. There's a basic nervousness, of course. Less spectators than at the US Open. This is nothing of a handicap any more for me, to know how many people are watching.

BARBARA SCHETT: Yeah. After all, I think I'd like to see the statistics. I think she made more unforced errors. I thought she served better. More double-faults, but her first was a cannon ball. More aces than last time. I think indoors she's even more dangerous than outside, no question about that.

BARBARA SCHETT: Well, you get under pressure knowing that you have to put the first in because the second will be attacked. Playing Venus, she's the only one who attacks my second serve the way she always does. Normally my second serve isn't all that bad, but I have to improve it to be safer, because with her, such a serve, it's half a winner. You have two aces per game. I think I shall consider this for my serve.

BARBARA SCHETT: What am I supposed to say? It fits her. She wears it well. It would be horrible for me, I suppose. But, yes, it matches her personality. She's relatively liberal and easygoing. We adapted to this and got used to it. Let's put it this way.

BARBARA SCHETT: I think she's very nice, indeed. We sometimes practice together and it's a lot of fun to do so. . We talk a lot, more than others, before and after the matches. Yeah, it's always fun to be with her.