CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 21, 1997

Irina Sprilea

Q. What do you expect from the match tomorrow?

IRINA SPIRLEA: I played her on clay, I think, at the French Open and she was attacking me even there a lot when she came at the net a lot. So I expect her to come to the net and try and make pressure on my backhand, which everybody thinks is the weakest shot I had. I'll see tomorrow how I can mix it up, see how I can make her in defense a little bit.

IRINA SPIRLEA: At this time, no.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I think I like to make drop shots because it makes me kind of happy when I can have the touch for the ball. So everybody is expecting you to hit hard, especially with my forehand, so sometimes it seems like I don't care, but I just make it. I feel well when I make it.

IRINA SPIRLEA: It's not that he's my father.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I don't know how he was playing, actually I'm seeing him just once.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I like to make drop shots.

IRINA SPIRLEA: Not so many as I would like to.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I just wanted to return the first ball, not to miss the return. I would have been pretty upset if I was missing the return on the match point. And then I think she was a little bit on the back of the court, she wasn't so aggressive on the ball. So I just took the chance and played the point. I wasn't too scared -- I don't know why, I was pretty cool at the match point.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I think my forehand, maybe my serve, even if sometimes I was having ups and down, for some reason I was missing eight balls in a row and then I was coming back. I think we both have ups and downs in the match.

IRINA SPIRLEA: Well, as I said, I was not shaking, so sometimes you have more tension on you, sometimes you feel okay, you just play the point. So I was in that mood that -- that's okay, I hit the shot.

IRINA SPIRLEA: To improve?

IRINA SPIRLEA: Maybe to move better on the court and cut a little bit more the court, so if I move well I can do it.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I start playing on clay, so it's kind of tough to change it. I try to work on it, but it's not coming as I would like to. But I'll see, I'll try to work on it.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I try to.

IRINA SPIRLEA: I said before I expect her to attack me on the backhand and make pressure, come at the net. Now it's just that I finished my match so I'll have time to think about it, and try and do different things, which maybe would make her a little bit difficult.

IRINA SPIRLEA: What's my best?

IRINA SPIRLEA: I think I have to serve well and return well. So then if the point is going on I can handle it, but the first point I have to serve and return well.

IRINA SPIRLEA: Actually I'm doing pretty well in New York, I don't know why. But winning, you know, with three match points down it gives you a lot of confidence, so I'm pretty confident with myself and I'm happy about the year I have and I just play my best tennis. I don't see a reason why I cannot play well.