PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 17, 2005

Lindsay Davenport

THE MODERATOR: First question for Lindsay, please.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, it was just kind of bizarre. It was so late. I mean, I was just about to hit the next shot. She obviously, the umpire, didn't overrule it right away. My thing with her was how she handled it. She either thought it was in or out right when it bounced. You can't wait that long. It was frustrating, but I had already been up 40-Love that game and let it slip. I was probably frustrated about that, as well, the point when that happened, that ad-in. But, yeah, it was just so late.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I thought it was. Thank you for that (laughter).

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, gosh, I let her back in the set so many times. Both games up 40-Love, was serving, got broken both of those, which, you know, you can't let someone get back into the first set like that. So I really felt like once I held to get to 6-All, I never really looked back from that point. But I started the match off well, and played, you know, the second set really well. Just some bad games thrown in there in the first.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I don't think so. I think everything that's happened to me throughout, I don't think I'd really change anything. I learned a lot along the way. I think what's hard about tennis is that when you're doing really well and you're young, people expect so much of you. But you probably aren't smart enough to figure out exactly how things go until you get older. It's a shame that from 16 to 22, people expect so much out of the female players, and they're not mature enough or smart enough yet to realize what's really best for them. But I felt like I figured everything out on my own. It was, you know, my own path. Was happy about that.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I still enjoy the process of working towards an ultimate end goal, and I enjoy being at home and working out and practicing and getting ready for something. I'm not enjoying as much being on the road. I like to go out there and play, but it's funny, I used to get way more excited about wins than I do now. Sometimes, like when I lose, it's not as devastating as it used to be. I don't know, it's still an interesting process going on in my mind about exactly how it's going.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I'm okay doing that. It's like when I get there and it's day 3 to day 21 (laughter). It's funny. I'm normally like, okay, I'm going. It's when I get there, there's a lot of downtime, I'm on my own. That's tough. But, you know, I'm trying to play places where it makes a lot of sense. We're trying to do a really smart schedule where my husband or maybe my mom or someone can come with me. You know, my schedule looks really great for the next few months, and hopefully that will keep me mentally fresh and happy.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I read and go online sometimes, do some crosswords. I'm not one that goes out and about and does a lot of stuff. I tend to get sick of my hotel rooms after a few days.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No, I've always loved it. I've always loved to play. My husband and I hit on my day off just so we can both play. Love watching tennis. Used to watch it when I was younger. My mom would take me to tournaments. Love watching it now. That's absolutely never been the problem. That's what keeps me actually still going, is the actual hitting of the ball. As far as traveling and being in locker rooms and being on the road, that's the stuff that I don't enjoy. If we could play every tournament in Southern California, I'd play forever (smiling).

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It's good. I think she's always been a dangerous player, someone who has a ton of potential no matter what age she is. It's nice to see her doing well. I remember she did pretty well last year at the US Open. I think she just needs more consistency in following up her good tournaments. But she's always been a threat.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think she's a great player. She has the most shots almost out of anyone in the top, has a lot of flair. I don't know her well off court, but I've always enjoyed speaking to her. I think we get along fine. I'm always a big fan of hers and love to watch her play. I probably don't know her well enough to really say too much about her personally. Always a fan to watch her and to play against her.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, there's been many of us that have done that (smiling). You know, we can't help it. You know, I mean, this last year, I became 1, I didn't win a Slam. Kim has done it. It's not something that we strive to do. I think we'd all rather have Slams and become No. 1. She obviously had a consistent year. You know, a lot of people have put a lot of pressure on her to try and win a Grand Slam. I hope more than anyone - probably not more than she does - but I hope that she's able to do that because she's a great player and good enough to do that.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It's interesting to play them. They're the team that probably frustrates you the absolute most of everyone. They play very, very smart tactically. They each know what their strengths are and what their weaknesses are, so they know what they don't want to get into in a rally. They always try to mix things up. Neither one of them have huge serves or huge returns. They're just very, very solid, very I think good doubles players. They get along great. They're always trying their hardest. It's just another form to really play. They don't serve and volley. They poach a lot. They volley well, both of them.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, I feel very comfortable playing out here. I don't know, you know, "home" would probably mean practice at the (indiscernible). I've always loved my time out here and won a lot of matches throughout my career in Indian Wells, and always seem to really get focused and fired up to play out here.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I think being No. 1 is more important if you don't have that Grand Slam. I think it's a huge accomplishment, regardless, the first time you get there. I think if you have a Grand Slam, that to me has meant more - in the last few years, especially. But it's interesting to here like Maria talk. Maria has a Grand Slam, but she wants nothing more than to be No. 1. That's obviously a huge goal of hers. For me it was always about not really worrying about points and chasing tournaments and worrying about how other players do, but about playing your tournaments well and winning Grand Slams. If it happens, great. If it doesn't, you know, you worried about yourself and that's all you can really do.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: A little bit. But I feel like starting I mean around 20 or 22, whatever age it is, you start to learn more and figure out more things about life and about getting mature, about handling a profession. Where you're making millions of dollars in your teens, it's very abnormal. To try and handle things -- see things long-term is tough at that age. In your teens, it's tough to I think deal with the money issue, with family members and everything that goes with that. I was always lucky, I had some great people around me. But you can see how it's not the easiest thing to deal with for girls at that age.

LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah. It's really funny how players either like to play in their home area or don't. I've always thrived on it and loved playing in Southern California and have always done extremely well. You know, I like it that I have my family around, friends come out. My mom's been here the whole time with me. My husband's gone back and forth. But I've always enjoyed it. I've never looked at it as a burden.