WIMBLEDON

July 1, 2000

Jennifer Capriati

MODERATOR: Ladies and Gentlemen, Jennifer Capriati.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, a little bit. A few distractions out there, between the Centre Court band, I guess. You know, it's a busy court around there, I think, a lot of stuff going on.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it shows, yeah, that they really maybe, you know, are not thinking about the other players that are playing out there, you know, trying to win and do their best. I think they could choose another time maybe to do that kind of thing. It was pretty loud. I think it was pretty annoying for all the players.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: No, it wasn't the main reason. I don't know, maybe from the rain, I had to go indoors and warm up, so it took me a little while to readjust there. Then also, I mean, she has, you know, kind of a different game. You don't get a lot of rhythm from her kind of game, so pretty erratic there. A combination of all those things, I just wasn't playing too good in the beginning. But I was able to settle down after calling the referee. That helped a little bit. They stopped the music.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I just said, "What's going on? Can they turn off the music?" He said they were pretty much done in ten minutes. I just said, "Well, in ten minutes I could be down a set and a half already. I don't have ten minutes to spare." He just said, you know, he'll do his best.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, I can just only speak for myself. You know, my parents have always supported me. I think if you always have that good relationship prior -- that you even come on to something like this, you know, playing professional tennis or any sport, whatever that you're in the limelight, all that stuff -- if you have a good base from the beginning, you know, nothing should really break that up. Of course, there's going to be things that you have to learn to deal with and cope with. But as long as you just, you know, stick together, I think if you find a way, you know, that as long as, you know, there's not too much pressure involved, you know, all that kind of stuff.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think it can be, you know, because you've got so many other aspects, I mean, just involved; you've got the press, you know, the public. It's hard to just kind of, you know, keep it in the family and see how you would balance it normally anyway. You know, there's so many outside factors, so I think it's a little bit difficult sometimes.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, right now he's my full-time coach.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I'm immune to it, is all I have to say. In the beginning, my first couple years here, you know, of course it was kind of a shock, a new experience to read all those kind of stories. You know, I think I was fortunate enough that I didn't get that many stories about myself that were just ridiculous. So I think just more of them came from when I stopped playing. But while I've been here, I think it's been okay for me.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: That's why I don't read the papers.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, the previous time I played her, I came close. It was in Scottsdale. I think I took the first set. Even Australia, I had a good second set there. You know, the difference is that, you know, once I get ahead to not lose that lead, first of all, just stay on top of it, stay in control, not think so much, "Oh, I'm winning here." Kind of back off there, you know, maybe I don't expect it. But this time, just to believe in myself and, you know, expect that I can do well against her and I can win. First to have that attitude.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think that's been the case with me with a lot of the top players, that I just didn't really believe myself that I could, you know, win. You know, this time I'm really not just going to think about who's on the other side of the net and just play my game. I'm pretty pleased with the way I've been playing so far the last few matches. I think I'll have to play better, of course. You know, Lindsay still has to win her next match.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Not to her. Maybe I said something to myself. I guess she -- I can only imagine because I saw the umpire look straight at me after that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Just to, you know, watch what I say.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You know, I really have no comment on that, no advice for anybody else. I can only speak for myself. It's too difficult of a thing, you know, to get that balance, that fine line.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: You mean my chances here?

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Oh, I feel great about it. I mean, this is the farthest I've gotten in this tournament for a long time now. You know, I mean, already in the first Grand Slam of the year I did well - I got to the semis. You know, I still have that, you know, added belief now that I can really do well, maybe even go further. I'm very happy about it.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I just have to be serving well and returning well, is the main thing, just feel physically fit.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think most of it is to fulfill myself in the tennis. Money and all that doesn't really matter to me. You know, if I stop now, I would probably do okay. That's not my motivation. You know, I just, for myself, want to see how far I can go, reach my full potential before I get too old, you know, and can't play anymore. I just don't want to have any regrets about not giving it all I had, you know, to make some great achievements.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Basically since I came over and started the European tournaments, which was back in Rome.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, it was fair. I have every right to call the referee. It was on a changeover. It's as important as calling an injury time-out to me. I'm sure it benefited her, too, because the music stopped, if she was getting so annoyed by it, too.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Well, it stopped the music. I'm not concerned with that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I do.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I don't know the names of the band or anything, just that swing music.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I know it wasn't that.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: I think I just really got the momentum going for myself after I won the first set. That first set was really important to pull that out. Just my confidence gained. I started playing more aggressive, just serving better, returning better. I was able to break her immediately. After that, you know, I think she just maybe gave in a little bit.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI: Yeah, I think so. I was starting to get in my game by that point, into the tiebreaker. That's what I thought: "Even if I lose this tiebreaker, still at least I'm getting a better rhythm now out there."

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