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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 19, 2004

Nathalie Dechy

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Nathalie.
Q. The obvious question, the first five games, you were nervous or just couldn't get in the match?

NATHALIE DECHY: She start really well. I think I have trouble to get in the match, but more because of her and her pace. Then it took me five games. It was already 5-Love. But then after that, I start to play really well. The match really start at that time.

Q. You were very close to winning that second set. You had three set points. You also had 15-30 in the 5-4 game. Can you talk about those moments? It seems she served three aces in a row.

NATHALIE DECHY: I had chances at 4-3. I had chances at 5-4, then 6-5. Each time she served unbelievable. I think she made like three aces two times in a row. The only time it wasn't a big serve was when she was 40-Love down, that second serve I missed the return. But I took my chance, missed by just a little. There's nothing I can say. She just had some really big serve at that time, and that makes the difference on that second set, for sure.

Q. In the tiebreak, you seemed to be having a little trouble holding your service points. Was that because of her aggressive returning?

NATHALIE DECHY: Yes, I start the tiebreak against the wind so that was kind of hard. She had a good start of the tiebreak. We were kind of even on the other side.

Q. This was your first appearance in the semifinals here. Can you just talk in general about your performance at the tournament this year, how pleased you are to make it to the semifinals?

NATHALIE DECHY: Yeah, for sure -- for the moment, it's my best performance here in this size of tournament, so it's a really good two weeks. I think I did some great matches on the tennis side and also on the mental side, so it's very good. It gives me a big confidence for the rest -- for the next tournaments.

Q. Your game is obviously a beautiful game, but your serve doesn't seem to match the rest of your game. You don't reach 110, 115 miles an hour.

NATHALIE DECHY: That's a lot (smiling).

Q. How can you play so well off the ground and yet still be serving slower than a lot of the women?

NATHALIE DECHY: Well, for sure that's not one of my best like strength. But I'm working on it. I did a lot of physical lately, a lot of work on the upper body. But, I mean, I can run fast, I have good groundstroke, I can do everything. Maybe, I don't know, my parents didn't give me a good serve (laughter). But I think it has been improving a lot. I did some aces today. I did some pretty good serves. I hold my serve I think all the second set, so that's getting much and much better. I'm still going to work on it.

Q. Do you usually win close matches? Is it about 50/50? Do you lose a lot of close matches?

NATHALIE DECHY: Well, I think last year somebody told me, but I have to check, on the three-set matches, I have one of the best records.

Q. What do you expect from Serena Williams when she comes back? What level of play?

NATHALIE DECHY: I have no idea. I haven't seen her. I don't know what she did on the break. It's always hard to come back from an injury, but also you really fresh and feel good in your mind, happy to play. Depending on these two things, we will see.

Q. But you don't expect her to be where she left, at the top?

NATHALIE DECHY: I really have no idea. I hope we will see next week.

Q. When you're down Love-5, is there a time where you start to get worried or panic a little bit? Do you get angry? What goes through your mind when Lindsay gets off to such a fast start?

NATHALIE DECHY: Well, I didn't worry too much because I knew I had to get used of her game, and I knew it would come pretty fast. It was getting better and better and better after each game. But I was happy to win that first game and break her at 5-Love. It's never good for the mind, for sure.

End of FastScriptsâ€¦.

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