THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 20, 1995

Zina Garrison

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: I think it hurts a lot. I mean, it is a tournament and it is a big tournament and it is basically what we call the players' tournament, so we need as many people here as possible to help support tennis, and Mary Joe, I think, was a different case. I mean, she was sick. But the other people, I don't know why they didn't play. I mean, this tournament should be supported by all players, and because it is considered our tournament, so...

Q. This is a sport that is trying to revive itself a little bit in popularity. How much does this hurt?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: I don't think -- I mean, it doesn't hurt a lot, but every little bit helps. I think at the end of the tournament there will be some good tennis. That is what people remember. But I think that every opportunity that the top players get to play each other, it is always good. And, you know, like I said before, I don't really know why the other people didn't play here. A lot of people don't like the wind. It is just -- it is very windy here. You have to change your game and a lot of people just don't like that.

Q. Is it disappointing for the players that do participate to have so many of these top names absent?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: I wouldn't say disappointing. I would think that a lot of players would be happy that a lot of those players didn't play. It gives a lot of other no-named players the opportunity to play well in the tournament as big as this, and so I wouldn't say that they would be upset if the top players didn't play at all.

Q. I know you have been asked this before a lot. What are your plans now? When you are going to stop playing?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: Today, at this moment; probably tomorrow, but I am just going to play until I feel that, you know, it is time. I mean, I am 90% sure that this will be the last year. I switch from day-to-day. Right now, I am enjoying my tennis so I will go out and keep playing.

Q. You are switching back and forth, what makes you vacillate?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: I think that is just the athletic competitive person that I am. Being an athlete so long, it is a very hard decision to make. Sometime end of last year I had a very hard time with just practicing, and, you know, now I don't mind. I am having more fun in my practices, and also playing on the court, I am playing up and down like I played a very good set in the second set and third set, I wasn't there at all. So it is just, you know, a matter of keeping that concentration for a long period of time.

Q. Is that what happened in the third set, it more a matter of your mental let-down rather than how Lisa was playing?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: Not taking anything away from Lisa. She beat me the last three times we played. In this particular one, I didn't give her an opportunity to even play in the third set. I didn't make any hardly balls at the end; just all of a sudden didn't feel the ball. I think she served a little bit better in the third set, but overall, I mean, I bet looking at the stats, I mean -- I made so many unforced errors it was unbelievable.

Q. Is it unsettling to not know if you are coming back to a playing for the last time?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: Not for me, no. I don't even think about it because -- I mean, I am not a person -- I like it once I get to the place, but as far as flying, I could care less whether I come or not. So, you know, this is a beautiful place. I am sure I will be back here. Whether I play, that is a different story, but it wouldn't bother me one bit or another.

Q. Did you go into this Lipton thinking this was going to be your last Lipton?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: Yeah, I have been thinking like that, yeah.

Q. Yesterday Edberg was talking about retirement for him depends on motivation and how motivated he is to practice. What is your motivation level?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: My motivation has been good in the last couple of months, but I think I mentioned -- last -- around December, November, October, if I practiced an hour, I was doing good. Mentally, I didn't want to be there. And the motivation is the harder part when you'd get older. And also motivation to know what you would like to do after you finish, so you try have to take one day at a time. I am such an emotional person that I also like to kind of like to know things ahead of them. You really don't know sometimes. You have to go with the flow.

Q. Can you have high motivation to play tennis, but also high motivation to be with your family and have to weigh one --

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: I think I am at a point in my life, I think the motivation for family is higher than to be a professional tennis player. A lot of people they want say whatever, the fact that I have never won a Grand Slam. Overall, I figured I have had a good career. A lot of people haven't done half of the things I have done and I have always felt that I have gone out and given the best that I could be, and I wish I had a little bit more height; that might help a little bit, but overall, I am more family oriented right now. It is good.

Q. Is that what you want to do, you wanted to start a family; is that your main motivation?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: Yeah, I would like to. I think the scariest part being a woman is you never know if you can or can't. I mean, I have never really tried. It is just -- you just have to go with it.

Q. You want to have a big family, small family?

Z. GARRISON-JACKSON: Two would be good - if they came at the same time, it would be even better. Thank you.

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