U.S. OPEN

September 11, 1992

Mary Joe Fernandez

Q. Mary Joe, you broke twice in the first set, once in the second, each time she broke back. Was that key to the match?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yeah. I wasn't able to hold my serve. I didn't I think was serving that badly, but you know, I had a lot of deuces, a lot of game points, you know, I think I was missing by a little. I think I was going for the right shots, but they were going a bit, you know, off. Maybe I was trying a bit too much respecting her passing shot too much. But she played really well.

Q. Is she in really good form, really Open championship form right now?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I think so. I thought she played well today. Saw a few earlier matches. She definitely played a lot better today than she did before. You know, she is very tenacious. She raises the level of her game when she has to. I think that is what she did today.

Q. Mary Joe, when she grunts, does that mean she is playing better; playing harder? I mean, do you notice any difference at all?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I don't notice it at all. I don't hear it when she grunts. If you ask me if she grunted, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I may-- maybe it sounds like it's coming harder than it really is. But I think that is about it.

Q. You mean, you don't hear it here, or you don't hear it anywhere?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I block it out when I play her. I don't really hear it. If I am playing next to her, I hear it on another court. But like I said, it makes it sound like the ball is coming harder than it is when she grunts.

Q. Do you think there is sort of one or two close calls that sort of could have swung this match around; could it have gone either way at some point, but it didn't; ended up being looking easy for her as far as the score?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I think the score was a lot easier than what the match was. I thought I was in it the whole time; had a lot of chances to go up, few points here and there; make a difference. Second set, that was a big call that she overruled on. And you know, it is hard because you are fighting your hardest out there, especially against someone like Seles, every point counts.

Q. Would you go back and review that point a little bit, the overrule, what happened there and the significance of it?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: 2-1 for her, it was deuce, we had a long rally , she hit a crosscourt ball in my perspective was clearly out. Linesman thought it was clearly out. She thought it was good. So, you know, I am not going to say that point was the match, but obviously, it would have helped to win that point.

Q. Mary Joe, you have quite a roller-coaster -- you came in here first match; girls were saying you were almost ready to walk away from the game; you sat down with Jim Loehr and everything else. Then you put together some like matches. Now today. How would you have characterized it overall, happy with it?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I am happy. I fought really hard at the beginning. Wasn't playing well. I was a little nervous, and you know struggling; was able to get through those matches and play a lot better. I think I have played the best that I have played during the whole year. And I played well against Pierce. I played well against Gaby. Today, I didn't think my timing was as on as it was against Gaby, but I think I played her better than I did in Australia.

Q. How do you see the final?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: I think it will be a good final. I think Arantxa is playing very well. She is very confident right now. She beat her last time, so I wouldn't say Seles is going be the clear choice for the victory.

Q. Would or wouldn't?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Would not.

Q. Did you think before the match maybe she is ill?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: No.

Q. Is that overdone about if you beat somebody the last time; coming into to another one, it's an advantage even in a Grand Slam?

MARY JOE FERNANDEZ: Definitely. Especially against Monica because she had never beaten her before and now she knows she can do it. I think it's going to be a good match. Going to get a lot of balls back. She has been playing well. I think she has a very, very good shot at winning.

Q. Thank you very much.

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