THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 19, 1995

Lisa Raymond

Q. Are you nursing an injury?

LISA RAYMOND: Not really. I just kind of strained my quad a little bit in the match. It is okay.

Q. Lisa, what are your feelings when you go on court, you have got a big match, but you are playing a good friend and former college alumni?

LISA RAYMOND: Well, you know, as far as playing Nicole, you know, I know that I am going to have to go out there well to beat her because she has got a big serve and she can come up with some big shots, but she can also be very erratic. Today, she definitely came up with some big serves and big shots and key shots and, you know, as far as our friendship, you just have to put that aside, you know, I think even though it is very hard to play a friend, I think in a sense it is also easier because you are a little more relaxed out there, you can kind of joke around a little bit. And, you know, like we were kidding around and talking up until we, you know, started the first point, you know, and so, Nicole is a really good girl and, you know, great person, but, you know, she played well. I definitely had to play well to beat her.

Q. Who is coaching you now and what has that person done to your game?

LISA RAYMOND: Well, I am kind of in limbo right now. I still train in Gainesville and when I am in Gainesville I still work with Andy Brandi, but he is really not my, quote, unquote, coach anymore. And, you know, there are a lot of reasons for that. But the bottom line was just that with the university, it was just too difficult for him to travel with me and it just, you know, nothing. We still have a great relationship. We are still great friends. I still call him sometimes before matches and, you know, I will call him and let him know how I did here. But, you know, he is really just not -- he is not really my coach anymore. I am traveling with a guy right now by the name of Jim Dempsey (phonetic) Saddlebrooke. He is more like a traveling guy and a hitter.

Q. Are you looking for a coach?

LISA RAYMOND: In a sense, yes, but, you know, I am okay right now. I feel like, you know, not having a coach, I don't feel like it is a negative for me, and, you know, right now, I feel like I am doing okay on my own and Jim -- again Jim is not my coach, but yet he is great to have there and he is great to hit with, and, you know, we sit down before matches and talk about my next opponent and -- this recently happened over the past two weeks so it is kind of weird for me, but yet it is okay.

Q. Your success in doubles, would you say that that has had any affect on your ability to move up in the rankings?

LISA RAYMOND: In the singles?

Q. The singles rankings, yeah.

LISA RAYMOND: I definitely think that, you know, your doubles helps your singles. A lot of people don't really, you know, take advantage of the doubles and I think if you do well on a certain event, whether it be doubles or singles it is going to help, you know, the other event, you know, and it gives me more confidence that, you know, that I am doing well with Lindsay and it has helped my net game and that carries over to my singles play.

Q. Tell us what was going through your mind when you were down in the third set and also when you were down a double breakpoint at 4-All?

LISA RAYMOND: Well, when I was down a break in the third I knew it was going to be tough because, you know, breaking Nicole's serve; especially the way she was serving today and in the wind is, you know, that can be very tough, but I knew I just had to hang in there and hopefully just get a hold of some returns and I think when I did break back, I think at 3-All, you know, she missed a couple of easy volleys and I knew that or I didn't know, but I hoped that that was going to happen, you know, that maybe she would breakdown a little bit. And.

Q. 15-40 --

LISA RAYMOND: I had to hang in there and hopefully put -- string together some good points and hope that maybe she would make some mistakes, so...

Q. Nicole says you are playing the big points much better than you did a year ago a year and a half ago. How did you learn to play the big points?

LISA RAYMOND: I think by experience and, you know, I think that that was something that was definitely missing in my game and the more matches you play, then the more wins you get and the more matches you play against the top players, you are going to get the experience and you are going to get used to being in a tough situation. And, you know, I think the past three months, three or four months has really helped my confidence and really helped my game and has helped me in a big situation to come through with a "W" like it did today.

Q. Do you think when you get into a big point or a crisis situation, is it more a matter of being more patient playing for one more shot rather than trying to hit a winner off a difficult situation?

LISA RAYMOND: Well, I think that depends. There is two ways of looking at it. You don't want to make a mistake and go for too much, but you also want to pressure your opponent; you want to make them have to pass you at breakpoint, you know, and make them have to come up with the big shot, so --

Q. Do you regret going on the professional Tour and leaving school?

LISA RAYMOND: No, it was my time to go. I really don't think I could have gained anything tenniswise anything more at UF and, you know, the two years I spent there were probably the two best years of my life. It was a blast and all my best friends pretty much are still -- are girls that I was or guys that I was friends with at school and -- but in a tennis aspect I had to turn pro. I won NCAA two years in a row and it wasn't really too tough of a decision to me. Especially with me still living in Gainesville. It was like only thing I was missing out on was going to school and that is okay, I was like I was still living there, training with the same people, you know, had my same friends there and I turned pro and I was traveling a lot. So, no, I don't regret it at all.

Q. What is your regimen now with working out and diet, I mean, since you are basically kind of doing your own --

LISA RAYMOND: It varies. During a tournament or on off-season what do you mean?

Q. Throughout the year?

LISA RAYMOND: Well, if I am not in a tournament, I will get out and play about three hours a day; once in the morning; once in the afternoon and then do some sort of weight training or aerobic work at least three times a week and, you know, as far as my diet, I still, you know, have my occasional breakdowns I love burgers and fries and whatnot, but, you know, I have definitely had to clean up my act in that aspect, you know, just, you know, there is so much more than just going out there and playing tennis now. You just you have to be so fit now both physical and mentally.

Q. Is that hard for you to switch over and to discipline yourself like that?

LISA RAYMOND: A little bit, but you know I had a good support group to help me with my diet and my fitness, so it is coming around. Thank you.

End of FastScripts....