U.S. OPEN

September 2, 1994

Ann Grossman

Q. She's had a lot of physical problems coming back from a -- a lot of problems, do you put that aside and just say, this is just a great win for me or do you take that into account? How do you assess what happened today, basically?

ANN GROSSMAN: I mean, I think Mary Joe has always had something wrong with her, you know, I mean -- and she's always able to keep going and keep playing unbelievable. I think it's just -- I think I played well today and I'm -- I've been playing extremely well lately and not just me playing well, it's me going on the court and believing in myself. Before, I've always really been hard on myself and if I miss one shot, I go crazy, and everyone says I'm an angry player and now I'm just enjoying myself. And I know she's had some problems and stuff, but every time I've played her, it's been so close and I thought this time I might take her down.

ANN GROSSMAN: I lost my dad three years ago and he was really hard on me, and I used to go on the court and if I missed one shot I would freak out. I would punish myself and I've just been working so hard on -- it sounds kind of strange, but just loving myself. Because I really did hate myself when I was growing up because tennis was everything to my dad and if I won, I was great and if I didn't, I was, like, nothing. And that's how I perceived it. And when your a young adolescent, you think there's something wrong with you, you don't know. And now I've gone back and gotten the anger out from my dad and, for me, he did so much. And my father, I wouldn't be here if he didn't push me. But they have to push but they have to know when to stop and that's difficult for a parent and it's kind of scary. I mean, when I have a kid, it's going to be tough, but -- so what I've done is gotten out a lot of anger, so when I go on the court, all those bad memories don't come back to haunt me. And now, I'm free. Like before, I used to be so tense and just be like this and not be able to let me flow on the court and now that's what's happened. I am -- I've let everything out and I can go out and enjoy myself and I'm having a great time. Everyone is, like, how is the grind on the tour and I'm just like, I'm having the best time, and I'm not making my wins and losses like my worth because that's what it was and now it's just like, I try not to make it my worth.

ANN GROSSMAN: I mean, after I lost my dad, I was miserable and I'd go on the court and I'd try to practice and I would tank and I would just cry and I actually met Donnie Young at Wimbledon coaching Jimmy Pugh at the time and my dad was very sick when I met him. And dad got to meet him and he kind of knew my background and stuff and of course I taught him tons of stories and he's like, Ann, you know, if you want to go any further -- I was always 50 in the world. For four years. I said why am I just 50? I can't drive, I can't go any further, why is it just that. I mean, I hit the ball better -- just as good as anybody. I am I just stuck there and he's like, Ann, Ann, you need to go get some help and that's what I did and I've been working really hard on it and now it's taken a long time because a lot of times it scares me. I've been a little feared of success because when I do work on it, I do really well and I'm, like, wow. Like when I was in L.A., I got not finals and after the match someone came up to me and said, Ann if you win, you win 80,000 and I was, like, oh, my God. I didn't see myself -- you know growing up on the farm was always supposed to be a struggle and that's the way my dad made it, a struggle. Practice ten hours a day. It doesn't have to be that way. I can practice for an hour, hour and 15 and that's fine for me now. And--

ANN GROSSMAN: Bill Grossman.

ANN GROSSMAN: He just -- he just believed in working six hours a day on the court and he kind of verbally abused me, you would say. But, I mean, he didn't know any better, you know what I mean? He just wanted the best for me.

ANN GROSSMAN: My dad was a farmer. That was his job and he saw that, you know, tennis was on the rise in the 70s and he had me play and that was it. I love him to death and I wouldn't be here if I didn't have him. There's just a lot of parents out there that people, you know, a lot of players -- and anyways, so...

ANN GROSSMAN: Yes, there have been. Couple young ones I've said, if you want somebody to talk to, you know, let me know and I'll talk to you, because, you know, I want to give back. And that's what I want to do after tennis is maybe help younger kids -- it doesn't have to be tennis, it can be of any type, so...

ANN GROSSMAN: No -- you mean win at the U.S. Open?

ANN GROSSMAN: I beat Martina a couple weeks ago I consider that my biggest win. That was exciting for me, and you know, to play here at the U.S. Open, I went in and I was a little -- I was really nervous because I did great in L.A. I beat Martina, Zina and Julie Hallard. Never beaten those three and my expectations were like, Ann, everybody is going to expect you to do so well, you know, this is where I'm putting the pressure on myself and I was like just, relax. Very tough conditions to play here. So much going on, so many people. You smell the hot dogs, hamburgers and you're nervous and you feel like you're going to throw up and it's difficult and, so, what I did was every night I just think about how I feel and I just try to deal with how I'm feeling at that time, and I'm just taking one match at a time, and it's -- it's exciting. I'm so thrilled that I beat Mary Joe here. I'd never beaten her before. I just want to keep going and do the best I can.

ANN GROSSMAN: Yeah, I will, she's a tough player and you know, it will be fun and I look forward to going out and playing her.

ANN GROSSMAN: My dad? Shoot. I don't know, I've grown so much and -- he would probably -- he would just -- he probably can't believe it. I know he's watching right now. My dad -- I used to be really good friends with Mary Joe when I was younger. I used to go down and stay at her place during the Orange Bowl and he always thought that she was great and that she was-- you know, obviously, she's a great player, and I think he just -- he'd be kind of in shock right now. So, he probably wouldn't know what to say.

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