THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 17, 1994

Brenda Schultz-McCarthy

Q. I would imagine that there in the second set you began to think you were going to do what you did yesterday, or the day before rather.

BRENDA SCHULTZ: No, I wasn't thinking about that, actually. I was just thinking I was actually doing the right game plan and I was just taking it point by point, and I think the key point in the second set was 5-4, 15-Love and I just hit the lob out and that's normally my favorite shot. You know, if it's on her serve Love-30 all the pressure is on her, and I was playing the right game to get back in the match, and it took me a while to figure out how to play. It's just different. I've never been in semifinal big tournament like this. I was too pumped up before I came on the court, I was really nervous, you know. She has been there before, she's been in the finals, you know, I think she felt pretty comfortable with the whole thing. Especially if you can't get a game, it's so hard, you want to go under the hardcourt, under the surface, you know. It was very tough for me and I kept fighting and it almost got me out of there, but I just couldn't make it.

Q. Were you impressed by the whole scenery, the stadium and all the people around?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: I've played in the stadium, but for me when I serve it is harder, it is so big and I have the feeling I serve more long. In the first set, my serve was just off and I -- maybe I want to hit it harder because it is so much bigger center court, I had it before when I played Sabatini in the French and I also served really bad in the first set, then I got back in the second, but it was too late also, you know, maybe I had to warm-up more in the center court, but they only give you half an hour, it's difficult. It's totally different atmosphere, it's different. But in the second set I really got used to it, but it was just a little bit too late, it was too bad.

Q. So about your game plan, did patience come into the picture as well?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Yeah, the thing was I played her before in Chicago and I was really patient and I just got -- I lost, actually, with patience. I guess it was indoors and I couldn't really get the high topspin, and this time I went on the court, and when I went in, she was passing me left and right, so I was like, okay, this time I'm going to be very patient and I'm just going to wait for the right time, but I couldn't get the rally. I was just missing all my backhand and I wasn't really overhitting, I didn't time it right. I guess I was just little bit tight. I guess it's normal and it's just later on I started hitting very high topspin, I was like okay, if I can't get it over the net, let's just put two meters in the corner and just get it in, at least in the court, and then she started missing a lot.

Q. That seemed pretty clever, she was --

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Yes, it was clever, but too late. But next time I know.

Q. Did you do the diary again?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Yes, I did. And I'm going to keep doing it because that wasn't the reason I lost, I believed in myself a lot, but she just played -- I didn't play as well as I played against Aranxta and I think Aranxta is also a different player, again. Aranxta doesn't hurt me and Natasha hurts me, she hits very well slice and they stayed very low. Her forehand is really good. I mean, she hit some very good forehands today. She has great passing shots and, you know, against Aranxta I felt less pressure than against Natasha. Natasha can play very good and everybody knows that, but sometimes, you know, her mind is not there, whatever. I mean I practiced with her for a year, with Juan Nunez together, and I know she can play incredible, and other days she is a little bit less and I think today she played very good. I started off bad, and then in the end I came back, but it's too bad.

Q. What you saw this evening of Zvereva's play, do you think she can beat Graff?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: She has a good chance because I never saw Graff play high topspin in her life, you know, if Natalia plays like this today, I think she has the chance to beat anybody, you know, it's like she almost beat her before, you know, she lost one 6-0, 6-0, but in the French last year she lost 6-4 in the third and she was pretty close, so she has the ability to do, you know, to make it a good final at least. I hope she does, women's tennis needs it.

Q. When you hit that miss hit the moonball that made it 5 to 2 in the second set, you must be thinking, wow, this just isn't my day, Huh?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Yeah, I guess I was thinking that.

Q. Well, right after that you came back and won the next few games; you looked like you were getting right back in it.

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Yeah, those last two games I played different, I played totally different ballgame. I start hitting very high topspin, and that ball I hit in the fence, I was trying to do that, but it didn't quite work as well in the other two games. But I knew that was the only way out, to do something because I tried to come in, I tried to rally with her, I tried to move her around, and nothing worked, really. And then the last two games, I finally started looping the ball, but that's not my game at all, actually, it's like really last way out and then that worked. So next time when I play her, I have to start that way.

Q. Actually, what was the diary message, I will beat Natalia?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Yeah, it's just something I did a long time ago and it worked. You know, I'm pretty superstitious, actually, a lot, so I did it again, but, you know, it is a matter of believing in myself. I got a lot of confidence out of this tournament, you know, it was too bad I lost first set 6-0, but at least the second set I came back. I just have to go on like this. This was the first big tournament I reached the semis; what did I expect. I just have to build up and get next time again semis and get a better break semis. It is just round-by-round. I'm going to practice for the clay tournaments and keep working as I'm doing right now and I think that's the most important thing, don't get down on myself after this match because I did really well. I beat number 2 in the world. First time in the semis big tournament, I've never been in the quarters in the big tournament, you know, I think I should just go on like this and keep fighting.

Q. So how superstitious are you?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Very superstitious. I think every tennis player or every top sportsman has some superstitions, you know, it's like my favorite headband, you know, I won't wear this headband any more in my life, I think.

Q. Burn it.

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Never throw it away. You know, that's life. It gives you some more confidence, sometimes.

Q. Do you have like a strict routine before you step out on the court, something like you do step-by-step before you go out of the lockerroom?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: No, not that yet. I listen to my walkman before I go on, make some sprints get a sweat.

Q. What music did you have?

BRENDA SCHULTZ: Some soft rock.

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