US OPEN

September 1, 2005

Amelie Mauresmo

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Amelie, please.

AMELIE MAURESMO: I obviously felt really good on the court out there today. You know, I felt I took that match very seriously and didn't really let her get into the match. Of course she helped me a lot by making a lot of also unforced errors, and I'd like to think she couldn't find any solutions to, you know, the way I was playing tonight.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I didn't really know how she is playing, you know. I've never seen her play. My coach went a little bit on her first round, but wasn't very significant from probably -- he just saw the first set of her match against Shaughnessy. He said maybe it's not very significant. So I just felt I had really to play my game, dictate the game the way I wanted to be, and I felt I did that pretty well today.

AMELIE MAURESMO: No, no, I really didn't take it that way (smiling). I just, you know, took care of what I have to do. And, you know, I think these girls coming up, it's normal, it's great and it's good for the tennis. But they probably still have to learn a few things, and I felt that she's hitting the ball very well, but maybe, you know, obviously not consistent enough, at least tonight. But, you know, she's only 16 and she's going to improve a lot and make her way. We'll see how she goes.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, I've seen a little bit of the Wimbledon final, and I thought she played great tennis. I think she probably found her level where she was at, you know, before she got injured and everything a couple years ago. And, you know, covering the court very well. That's one of her big weapon, and really tough to get over, I mean, to win the point against her. And, you know, also when her serve is going on well, but sometimes a little up and down with her serve. But, you know, very effective obviously when it's in. No, it seems to me that, you know, she's really back at the highest level.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, not really. I mean, first of all, she's been struggling, I think, with injuries, so that makes it difficult to come back to the highest level. Then, you know, once when you were at the top level, once you are healthy, fit, you know, and you work the right way, I think it's normal for her and the way she plays to come back at that level, you know, if she's serious in training and working pretty hard. That's not a big surprise.

AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, maybe just the way I match up with her. We had a very tough match, a very close one, and she almost beat me the last time we played. So it's -- we were very close. I don't know. That's the way it is so far.