U.S. OPEN

August 27, 1996

Kimiko Date Krumm

KIMIKO DATE: Kimberly was playing very steady and very good throughout the match, especially she got off to a good start. I was kind of slow at the beginning. When she was ahead of me, then I got really, really nervous, and it turned worse.

KIMIKO DATE: Of course, in the second set I was leading 5-3. I think I had chances, but still I was struggling to get her rhythm. I wasn't confident with my play, and I never returned to my normal form.

KIMIKO DATE: Last week I won, but still, to tell the truth, I was not in good form. I managed to get to my form gradually. Of course, I could play -- I could really play well in the final, but still I came to this tournament with a little anxiety left in my mind. I was not ready in some ways, but I shouldn't make any excuse. Kimberly is such a good player. She's been in good form these days, beating Anke Huber in Canada. I don't think I lost -- I don't think I won't be disappointed by being beaten by Kimberly, but I consider Kimberly as a very good player.

KIMIKO DATE: I should say I was not optimistic. I advanced to the semifinal in Wimbledon, but still I think that without playing my best hundred percent tennis, it's really difficult to stay in the Top 10. It's really difficult to keep the higher level of my play. It's true that I always have this first round jitters in all the Grand Slam tournaments. Also it's really impossible to predict what will happen in the match.

KIMIKO DATE: In order to advance to final or semifinal, what I always think about is to improve my service, net play and all the tactics and how to win the critical point. That's what I always think about. It's really difficult to carry out what I think in the actual match under the pressure. It sometimes work and sometimes doesn't work. That's always what I think. Compared to other players in the top level, I'm not so tall and I have less power, but I always try my best to catch up with top level of tennis.

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