U.S. OPEN

August 29, 1995

Amanda Coetzer

AMANDA COETZER: I think that it might have helped me earlier in the second set, for sure, which was a crucial stage. I was really grinding, you know, to win that first set after I had such a comfortable lead. I started to miss a lot of first serves at that stage, so, you know, in retrospect, yeah, I think it could have helped me, probably in the second.

AMANDA COETZER: I knew I had to concentrate really well on both serves and on my returns, hoping that she will give me a good chance on my returns, so I could really put pressure on her or not get, you know, into a pressured point right from the start.

AMANDA COETZER: There is definitely a different atmosphere here. The people really get into it. But I mean, in Toronto, the people were pretty lively, but it is the Grand Slam, and she lifted her game up just a little step higher.

AMANDA COETZER: For me, not that much. I have never really won a Grand Slam or anything, so I try and take it match by match, and, you know, just concentrate on -- not to think about too much, about the fact that it is a Grand Slam.

AMANDA COETZER: I feel that, you know, she definitely does give you a chance to get into the game. Compared to previous times, I really struggled with her serve. I think the fact that she hasn't -- that she has had a back problem for a long time might have, you know-- I don't think her serve is that strong, but I feel that -- I feel I have really improved my game. I think that is quite a big factor too, and just the comparison of how I used to play her before.

AMANDA COETZER: I think what we have been working on is just pretty much to get a very solid game without many weaknesss, and I think if I can stay in the points and keep the ball deep, she can't really hurt me that much after the first couple of shots; I think that is her game. She really likes to put you in a -- under a lot of pressure right after the first shot, second shot.

AMANDA COETZER: Yeah, I think so. And I think -- when you go out against somebody like that you should really play with that belief and confidence in the back of your head without thinking about it too much. I think you really have to push towards that and not just go out there and hope that they will give the match to you.

AMANDA COETZER: It takes a lot of convincing and repeating it over and over, but I think, yeah, you get to a point where you think it is possible.

AMANDA COETZER: What was I thinking?

AMANDA COETZER: You know, I was thinking that I am still right there and even though the score has been very one- sided at that point, and I tried to mix up my game a little bit and she started to miss a few and from previous times that I have played her, I have known that she does give you a chance when she is ahead. She does give you a bit of a gap to get back into it.

AMANDA COETZER: You know, I can't really predict. It is a very tough field. There is a lot of pressure on her too, but I felt today after I won the first set, she started to play a lot looser and she started to go for her shots. So maybe -- somehow if you know, maybe that could take some pressure off her, the fact that she is a little bit vulnerable and she is not expected to win every single match.

AMANDA COETZER: I think it is hard to say. Definitely, I think the people in the top 10 do have one specific weapon and a certain way how they could win points against people and -- but I think they have to be all-around pretty solid without many weaknesss and, you know, be strong mentally.

AMANDA COETZER: Yes, I think so. I feel, you know, with the new things that I have been doing in my game and all that, I feel that, you know, people look at me in a different way and I have a different game, so I look at many of the top players with, you know, with that mentality of, you know, I can hurt them a little bit and I don't feel that they can hurt me that much. They have to play a good match to beat me.

AMANDA COETZER: I don't know. I can't really say. I didn't really concentrate on that so much.

AMANDA COETZER: They have such different games and I really can't say. I think it is going to be very interesting to see them play each other if they do get to play each other. You know, Monica just has, you know, a completely different game than Steffi and I think Steffi is one of the few people that played her a lot, so she must have a good idea of how to play Monica.

AMANDA COETZER: I really -- I can't predict on that. I said it is going to be very interesting for me to see the two games match up against each other.

AMANDA COETZER: Yeah, it is definitely not the first round you want to see, you know, I -- I felt that I had a good shot at beating many people in this tournament, but to play either Monica or Steffi, or the very top is difficult in the very first round.

AMANDA COETZER: I have been working with a new coach since the beginning of the year and, you know, it has taken about six months to get to this point, but I don't believe we have reached the level that we have been wanting to reach, so we are still looking to, really, eliminating every weakness out of my game and obviously, you know, we have been working on my serve and I have been working on creating a weapon, so just to really make sure that I can't get hurt.

AMANDA COETZER: I think we have concentrated on specific things and I feel that I have a simple outlook on the game and know what I have to do when I go out there, and -- yeah.

AMANDA COETZER: No, I don't think so. If anything, probably a little mentally tired and just a little relief by finally winning that first set, so I do not think, you know, physically I feel in very good shape. But I don't think physically I felt tired.