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U.S. OPEN


September 8, 1995


Conchita Martinez


NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

Q. Conchita, is Monica playing better than when you last played her?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I don't know if she is playing better. She is playing very good.

Q. Conchita, can you feel good about your Open after a semifinal match like that?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, I feel very good. It is the first time I made the semifinals here, and I feel very good the way I played, and I am very happy about my result.

Q. What would you expect in a Graf/Seles final? Who do you like.

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I think Monica is playing really, really good. She is hitting the ball very hard from both sides and I don't know, Steffi is going to have to play very good to beat her.

Q. Conchita, do you think Steffi will be able to move Monica around more than everyone else has so far?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I think so. I think Steffi can move Monica around because herself is moving very good. And, you know, if she is able to keep Monica in play, I mean, she has a good chance.

Q. What was your game plan going in and why didn't it work?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I don't know. I was trying to play hard balls. Apparently, she liked those because she was making the volley really hard. I decided if she is going to win those points like that, and I am going to be running around, I might as well hit the ball too and see what happens out there. I mean, I didn't have any chance at all today.

Q. There are a lot of women on the Tour who might even be looking forward to watching tomorrow's match, I mean, do you feel there is a lot of interest, just curiosity, among the women on the Tour to see Graf and Monica hook up again tomorrow?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, I think everybody is going to be watching that match. I mean, not only we the players, a lot of people. I mean, Monica it's her second tournament since she is coming back and, you know, everybody is going to look for it, I am sure.

Q. Will you watch it tomorrow?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, I think I will. I don't know if I am going to watch the whole thing, but I will be interested also to see, to watch something like that.

Q. Can you be a little bit more specific about Monica's game? Has it changed much at all?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: No, it hasn't changed at all. She is hitting the ball very hard from both sides; she did that before when she was No. 1. She is hitting the ball as hard and her serve is very good and for me, I mean, I have always trouble playing with lefthanders. So, you know, and Monica was hitting the ball so hard it is very difficult. I mean, I think -- I have to work some more on my -- on everything, trying to get to the ball faster and putting it back with, not only putting it back, but do something with it.

Q. Do you think Monica deserves the No. 1 co-ranking?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah, I think so. I mean, when they asked they were going to co-rank her No. 3, they were undecided. I was one of the ones who said I think if you are going to co-rank something why not 1, and we all agreed to that and I think she is playing very good as second round No. 1 or -- I don't know, who knows....

Q. How is she different as a player now compared with before her absence from the Tour?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: I don't know. I mean, I think she is playing exactly the same game, you know, but, you know, for me it was very difficult because playing against her in the semifinals, she has been playing a lot of matches and getting confidence. Maybe before she was missing a little bit more. Today she didn't miss much, and I think, you know, she has improved her serve, maybe, a little bit more, and just hitting the ball very hard from both sides.

Q. Are you impressed that she can be this good this soon after coming back?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yeah. Yeah, I have to be impressed because -- well, I don't know, because I never stopped for two years, but coming back I know if I don't play a tournament for a long time, it takes me long to get my confidence back, so -- I think she is very tough mentally and, I think she deserves this comeback. She is playing unbelievable.

Q. I don't know if you already said what you think how Graf and Seles will do against each other you have already answered that?

CONCHITA MARTINEZ: Yes.

Q. I will get it from the transcript, okay.

End of FastScripts....

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