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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2006

Lindsay Davenport

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lindsay, please.
Q. What do you think my question is going to be?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: How was the game?
Q. Who do you play next round?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it should be an interesting next round. You know, we obviously have a long history and a great history, I think, in playing each other. And it will be an exciting match pretty early on in the tournament. So hopefully we can both play at a great level of tennis and, you know, give a good performance.
Q. What did you think when you saw the draw on this pretty real possibility that?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, I was -- I thought that this would happen. You know, it's inevitable that you're going to start playing each other and with -- till she plays more tournaments, her ranking goes up. She's obviously a dangerous kind of floater around in the draw, but you've got to play however the draw is made.
Q. Lindsay, do you remember how you turned the rivalry around from '97 to '98?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I think not only did I turn the rivalry around -- I mean that was kind of a really critical year in my development, so I think I was able to turn a lot of corners in that year and really kind of mature into my own as a player and the level of consistency and my level of confidence. So certainly beating her helped shape that and helped kind of created my future.
But, you know, with Martina, for me I have to play my game - that's going for shots, trying to keep her behind the baseline, not letting her, you know, dictate points and putting me on the run. And, you know, I've got to play well to do it. And if I don't, I mean, it's going to be a long day. I'm the one doing the running. She's very good at that. I always have to play at a high level to beat her.
Q. How much of it was mental and how much of it was physical here in '97?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: For me it wasn't ever too mental. I mean, I kind of -- like I said, I have a pretty clear game plan in my mind of what I need to do. If I can execute, then I felt like I would be successful, and if I put in a few too many errors, if she had a great day, it was going to certainly be much tougher on me.
But I have -- I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for her and been very, very focused every time I played because, you know, you kind of realize you can't really give her an inch or two because then you're giving up a lot.
Q. Lindsay, is it a matchup with Martina where if the power hitter is on their game, you feel like you can beat her?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I'd hope so.
Q. Is that how it works with her, though, if the power hitter is playing at their absolute top level, Hingis is in big trouble?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: We have power hitters, if they play their best, still wouldn't beat her. You have to be a good, consistent player and a dangerous player. But, you know, I hope that if I play really well, I can beat anybody.
Q. Lindsay, with the announcement that Bjorn was going to sell his Wimbledon trophies, there's been some discussion about that. Where's your trophy? Do you ever look at it? Is it something you cherish or is it up in --
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: It's in this little bookshelf that we have. It's not something that -- as you're currently playing, I don't feel like it -- it feels that important. I certainly wouldn't feel right about giving it away or giving it up, but I have a feeling that, you know, it will be something special to have in my bloodlines for years to come, and I'm sure something that I'll take better care of when I'm done playing.
Q. Back to Martina, have you ever watched the video of your Open final against her?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No -- a couple times, like, they've sprung matchpoint on me, but...
Q. Drop shot and --
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, like it seemed like it was a really long point. Every time like a serious interview comes on, they'll show a couple clips. But, no, I've never watched it. I'm not -- I don't watch much tapes at all -- any tapes. So hopefully I have enough stored in my mind that I can remember that.
Q. Other than that match what -- any one particular that was memorable against her that you had?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Gosh, we played a lot. I mean, probably the memorable ones to me are the ones I won. I remember beating her here in the final in 2000, which was -- I remember being down a set and a break, and that was exciting. You know, obviously in the Australian Open, to win another slam was pretty cool. I remember losing to her at The Championships in four sets, never being so tired in my life.
So I mean we've played a number of times, so I mean those are the ones that I would think of immediately.
Q. Lindsay, did she ever really say to you, "You're too good for me now. I just can't beat you anymore."?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I mean a couple times she would -- she was great after a match, always like she had the ability to come up and say, "You played so well today. How did you do that?" Or, you know, other times, she'd be like, you know, "Gosh. I really did this well."
I mean she was always great with me in that regard. I feel like I always gave her credit when it was due and vice versa. But, I mean, a lot of her success is her confidence.
Q. Does anybody else do that?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I've never had that kind of relationship with someone. I've always enjoyed that with Martina because I've always felt -- I've always enjoyed it. I've always enjoyed talking to her throughout the years.
Q. Having the Williamses with their sort of attitude and so forth, did that somehow bring the two of you together?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't know. I mean, yeah, there was a time when it was the four of us a lot and competing a lot, and obviously, there's a strong bond. But I don't think we ever felt like it was us against them. I've also felt we've gotten along pretty well.
Q. Once Jennifer starts pounding her a bit, the Williams sisters were pounding her a bit, did you sort of feel the power of the four of you beating her?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: No. I felt like I had my success against her before they did, and when other players started coming up, I mean, we did not really play in 2001. 2002, we were both out with injuries, and, you know, 2000, we played a little bit, but I think we played our majority of matches before kind of mid-2000, and that it was basically us at 1 and 2 there for a while.
Q. You've been around long enough to see styles come and go. Can you remember a time in the tour where there was so little of the kind of stuff that she throws at you in a match, really go through the draw and maybe Myskina, maybe Justine, there's not going to be too many other dropshots, too much change of pace other than her?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, that could be right. In this day, I think that the players are, you know, probably more aggressive now, I mean, than they used to be. When we had Arantxa and Conchita, as well, I think Martina is more aggressive than you guys give her credit for. She steps into some balls. Whether they're not coming as hard as some of the biggest hitters, she still takes the ball early. She still has the best hands out there. She gets incredible depth and obviously moves so well, so, you know, you have probably a little bit more time than you would against, you know, like one of the Williams or Maria, but she does a pretty good job of kind of using the power that comes at her and hitting the ball back pretty hard.
Q. Lindsay, did you express a preference for playing in the afternoon on the outside court vis-a-vis playing on the center court at night?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Maybe. How did you hear that? You have a good source, huh?
Q. Martina.
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: That's funny. I expressed some interest in playing a day match.
Q. Even if it meant playing on an outer court?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, maybe.
Q. You just don't like 30-degree weather, do you?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Not at this stage. Yeah, it sounds about right.
Q. So how were the conditions out there, because they were -- Andre was wanting to stop in for a while because of moisture and stuff?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, it was really great. The wind picked up for maybe like 20 minutes in the middle of my match. The beginning and the end, it was nice. I mean, it was tough with the rain falling, but I never felt -- I'm always one to stop when it gets slippery. I never felt it slippery out there, so we played the whole time.
And, no, I learned at a young age a tennis court is a tennis court, same line, same everything all around, so I'm happy that it's 5:whatever and I'm done for the day and I can go home.
Q. Lindsay, this tournament is surviving off the skin of its teeth. Could you imagine this tournament being in Shanghai?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, it would be tough. I think it's not even for me and my family. I don't know if my family will necessarily come out when I'm done, but I have -- we have so many friends that live where we live that come out here and it's their, you know, trip, and they come out. And I would imagine it would affect a lot of tennis fans in Southern California, it seems like a really big destination event for people who come and watch the tennis.
I was happy to read the tournament seems like it's going to be around for a while and have many more opportunities for youngsters in this area to see the men and women play.
Q. Lindsay, you've said that you've improved since '98 and '99, 2000. If Hingis hasn't returned an improved player and if she doesn't improve more, how could she possibly get back into the Top 5?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: You know, it's tough for me to say at this moment. I think she has improved. I think her results have been very, very well for someone that's been off for so long. But I mean, I think she'll be in the top 10 by the end of the year. I mean, they were asking me the other day about top 5. That's so tough to say because that's like a couple matches here and there, one injury that takes you out for part of the year, I mean, thinking like that.
But there's no question. I mean, she is a better player than what, you know, her seeding or ranking is showing her now.
Q. Do you like having a challenge this early in the draw?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Yeah, I mean, it's -- I think that both -- it's a little bit of a shame so early because I think both of us would continue to go on and do well. But it's a shame one of us is going to be out, like I said, in the, I guess it's the Round of 16, I don't even know, yeah. But at the same token, like I said, until she plays more and her ranking gets up, this is the way it's going to be.
I'm glad that I've played already two matches and it's not like first or second round, so hopefully I'll be ready.
Q. Lindsay, is the strategy against her as creative as she is pretty basic, attack the second serve, attack the forehand?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I mean, there's a couple subtle things you want to do that obviously I probably won't say right this second, but, I mean, yeah, the best opportunity you can get with her is her second serve. Now, saying that, I'm sure against me she'll try and make a high percentage of first serves or go for a bigger second serve and maybe, you know, give in to some double faults. I don't see her just kind of spinning them in, but, I mean, that's your best shot against her, to create the point and to get her kind of reaching in on the run.
So the other thing is not giving her a second serve to hit and kind of control the point. So, you know, serving is a big key and returning against her first shot.
Q. Her backhand is substantially better than her forehand, would you say?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: I don't think so, actually. I mean, I've always found that -- I mean, her backhand was one of the best shots in women's tennis, but I felt like her forehand, it didn't -- it doesn't come at the same trajectory as her backhand. It bounds up a little bit more. The theory is it might give you a little more time. She changes directions still pretty well with it.
Q. Lindsay, having watched you for so many years at the club, when you first came in, I never really pictured you, I must say, in this position. And to me you have really maximized performance and I salute you for that.
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Thanks.
Q. Do you feel that way, that you've really maximized what you can do in this game?
LINDSAY DAVENPORT: Well, I hope so. I think that I've done better than I could have imagined, or, like you said, a lot of people would have imagined or hoped for me. So I feel like I've put so much into this to be as successful as I am. It hasn't come easy, but, you know, I've been very fortunate and very consistent with my results over the years, and I'm, you know, I've always said I've been ecstatic with the way my career has gone and how I've handled things and the person I've kind of developed into over the last 15 years of doing this kind of crazy job, so, you know, all around, I look at it like a huge success.

End of FastScripts...

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