US OPEN

August 29, 1997

Irina Sprilea

Q. Your statements in newspapers concerning Kournikova and other players who seem to get better court treatment, have you had players coming up to you and commenting that they were glad you said that or they were unhappy you had said it?

IRINA SPIRLEA: No. Actually everybody said, "Finally somebody who speaks up." But, I mean, it's not that I did it. That's how I feel. It's not that I did it because, you know, I don't think was fair. I mean, yeah, there are a lot of people who are thinking like this, you know. Hopefully, they speak up. Otherwise, I don't know, I'm going to be the only one. I don't want to be the only one.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I think it's tough to concentrate when you don't know the opponent. I had no idea how she looks like, I have no idea how she plays, if she's right-handed or lefty or whatever. So I don't know why. The light today was like different, you know. I had problems to see the ball. So I was like surprised on the court. I have to concentrate more than, you know, to get into the game. So, yeah, it was.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I think she has the game like she hits the ball pretty hard, you know, and her serve, it's sometimes hard, sometime she mix it up. I mean, she played pretty well. She came in sometimes. I was surprised. You know, like sometimes I was just changing the rhythm and she was all the time there, so.

IRINA SPIRLEA: Yeah.

IRINA SPIRLEA: Pretty well. I know her since last year when she came on The Tour.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I saw her this morning in the locker room. It's like, "What happened on the court?" She told me she had some problems. I don't know how you call it.

IRINA SPIRLEA: Yeah. And she was yesterday in the hospital. I was like, "Oh, hopefully you can make it for the double. She was trying to play the double.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I have no idea how she plays. I mean, I know her, you know, we know each other out of the court. I know that she's one hand backhand which is strange for somebody who is playing in States, you know. That's what I know, I was surprised when I saw her playing one-hand backhand. But I have no idea how she plays.

IRINA SPIRLEA: Well, I mean, I don't know who I'm playing next actually. I have no idea on which side I'm on the draw. So I have to look on the draw.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I mean, I played both of them. With Amanda, I had tough matches all the time. With Perfetti, I mean, I think I won two times. We'll see next match.

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