WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2000

Jennifer Capriati

MODERATOR: Jennifer Capriati, Ladies and Gentlemen. Could I have the first question, please.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It wasn't the leg; it was more of the groin. But I haven't seen the trainer again for a real evaluation, so I can't really tell you anything about it because I don't know what it is.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, yeah, of course it hurts. But, you know, we deal with these pains all the time. But I don't think it's anything like that serious - hopefully not.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it feels great. You know, after the French, I played a few warm-up tournaments on the grass, so I played two. I got some matches, won some matches there. Already my confidence was getting back a little bit. You know, it showed today. I got confidence from those last two tournaments. Also I'm feeling better about my game and everything, my level of fitness.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I just stayed really focused the whole match. You know, I didn't make too many errors. I mean, I served well and returned well. It wasn't like I gave too many free points there. You know, I think I just was a little bit tougher maybe mentally today. You know, basically, I mean, all my shots I felt, you know, pretty on.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, that happens. I mean, just because we got together and had that relationship, it doesn't -- it's not always going to last forever, be a forever thing. Just one of those things that happened. We didn't see things, you know, on the same terms in some areas. But other than that, you know, everything's fine, my relationship with him, but I'm going to move on and he's going to move on also.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I did. You know, he helped me a lot with just getting my focus and my confidence back, at the time when I really needed it. You know, he helped me to see a lot of things about my game and everything. You know, I definitely got a lot out of it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: A little bit of self-train. I think I just needed, you know, someone to just kind of get me over that hump that I was kind of stuck at. You know, now I think I've definitely had enough experience, you know, playing this game, playing on the tour. Hopefully I'm, you know, strong-willed enough that I don't need somebody there all the time. You know, I'm not like a little baby here. I'll just have to keep in mind, you know, the things that, you know, I learned with him, you know, just carry it on.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I've given him that title now.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah (laughter).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: So far it's good. It's great, you know. Before it was just kind of he was my dad, there kind of doing everything. But now, you know, just on the court and stuff, I just let him, you know, say whatever, as any coach. I'm not paying him as my coach, but it's fine (laughter). So far it's good. I mean, I've done well the last couple weeks. Today I was really happy with my game. I'm sure he'll be happy with it, too.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It was kind of both. It was kind of a mutual thing. It kind of happened after the French. It was just like, "Forget this, I'm just going to have somebody. I need somebody as my coach." I think my dad is the perfect person for right now.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: It's just that he's known my game ever since -- I mean, he started me playing tennis. Really just he knows, I guess, the way to tell me things that I would just understand them so I presume them in my game or just do it. He just can say the little things here and there the simple way he knows that would make me really understand it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: There's just many examples. I mean, I don't really want to say because that's giving away a little of the coaching, you know. You know, there's many things here and there.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, I think he's getting better at it, especially now that I'm older. It's going to be tough always I think to get a complete separation. I don't want that anyways. I mean, it's fine for him, you know, to be my coach and act as my father, too. It's just getting the balance there is the key. You know, I think we've got the right balance. Now we're learning, too. Each day is a learning process. It helps that I'm older and I kind of got my own things going. I have my boyfriend here. That makes it a little bit easier.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Who, my boyfriend?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Actually, yeah, he did say one thing that really helped me that I listened to. I noticed a difference.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just something little, like that on my serve, he just said. Ever since then I feel more comfortable.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, yeah. But I'm not going to say it (laughter).

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That I don't know. Unless I take some steroids, I don't know.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm sorry?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. You know, it really wasn't that much of a downturn anyways. I got injured, then I had a few bad losses. I'm not going to let that bring me down. I'll just bounce back from it. You know, that's one of the things I learned, how to come back from feeling down or not so confident. I've learned that. Take it not so serious, you know, that I can always get it back, you know.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No. Actually, it's a good thing, though, you know, because it's like I won't take it as serious in a way that I either get more nervous or really get, you know, depressed from losses, you know, get that way so it affects me for my next match or my next tournament. It's good having the support in my personal life off the court. That, you know, helps it -- you know, helps me cope with, you know, the tennis part more.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I mean, there's a few things. First, you know, she has a good serve, a good serve-and-volley game also. She has a pretty severe slice backhand that's one of the toughest shots to handle on grass. I mean, serve-and-volleying also, I think she mixes that well. She also has a good baseline game.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: The best about England? Hmm? The people have always been very nice to me. They've always been supportive of me, been my fans. I have to say the people.

End of FastScripts….