PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

 

March 14, 2008

 

Amelie Mauresmo

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you feel about where your game is at right now?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: I feel okay. I feel fine about today's match. It was a little bit difficult to really express myself the way I wanted to today on the court considering the conditions.
You know, it was the same for everybody. I guess the win was just really what I was looking for, and I played -- I was -- I'm playing good in practice, so, yeah, today didn't reach that level in the match today, but it's okay.
I mean, it's the first match, and you always -- I always need a little bit of time to get into the rhythm to get into the tournament and, yeah, hopefully I'll do that as quick as I can.

Q. How do you feel your level is compared to two years ago when you played fabulously?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Definitely I'm really, really looking to find this level again. And, again, in practice it seems to me that I'm doing really well, but it doesn't show yet and hasn't shown yet on the court for the last -- for the last few months.
But I've only been feeling well in practice for the last few weeks, so we'll see.

Q. You seemed to really dominate the first set, but in the second set you kind of let Gallovits back into it?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: I thought I was dominating also second set until 4-1 and then went back down little bit and let her come back into the second set. Probably that's the kind of the things I have to erase from the game and from the matches I will have to play later. Because typically you put the opponent back into the match, and then it's difficult and anything can happen.
Yeah, as I was saying, finding my best level is also to close a match like this one when I'm one set at 4-1 up, and say, 6-1 and 6-2 would have been better, of course. But that's the way it is.

Q. Tell me, what do you think is really the biggest factor now compared to a couple of years ago? Is it focus? Is it consistency? Can you actually pinpoint it?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: It's consistency and confidence, probably. Because when you start losing a few matches you didn't expect to lose, and that you didn't used to lose before, I guess the confidence is also running away. Plus physically -- I'm talking 2007 here -- I really didn't feel good at all, throughout the whole season, so it doesn't help to feel confidence, you know.
My game has also been dependent on how I was feeling physically, and the fact that I wasn't feeling so good doesn't give me such great confidence that I'm -- that I'm needing, actually, to play good.
So right now, I think I'm looking -- I'm running after this confidence a little bit.

Q. You had such a great year in 2006, and then going through the lows of last year, such a wild roller coaster. Can you kind of talk about what you went through last year?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: It was not an easy time for me, and definitely struggled a lot and a lot of frustrations and a lot of questions coming up. You know, thinking, Am I going to be able to find that level again?
And I kind of -- wanted to give myself -- I wanted to give myself, you know, the best chances to find this level again by having a big winter season, like off-season, a lot of practice, a lot of physical practice, a lot of time on the court, as well. Hopefully it will pay off this year.

Q. What are your thoughts about the Olympics? Around here we're all talking about Andy taking a pass on the Olympics because it's so close to the US Open. What your thoughts about it?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Well, to me is one of the big goals for this year. I mean, it's -- it's really depending on -- I understand his position, that he wants to be at his best in the US Open. I mean, he's -- that's his Grand Slam, and he wants to do as best as he can there. It's his choice, and, you know, you can, of course, comment on that or whatever, but that's the way he's been doing it.
But for me it's very different. I think Olympics are, again, as I said, big goal for me. Yeah, I'll try to do my best to be ready for this, and we'll see.

Q. You know, there's a show here called Dancing With the Stars, and Monica Seles is going to compete as a ballroom dancer. Do you know anything about that?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: A what?

Q. A ballroom dancer.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: What is that?

Q. It's a classical dance with a partner. (Speaking French.)
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Okay.

Q. It's a reality dance show. She has to perform every week as a dancer.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Like, is she learning to do that?

Q. She's learning with a partner, spending six to seven hours a day.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Oh, shit. Oh, yeah. She -- yeah.

Q. I was just kind of wondering what your thoughts are about it. I don't know if you can comment on it, but your thoughts about Monica competing as a dancer against other celebrities.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: I don't really have a thought about that. I guess she probably wants to have fun and learn to dance, which is convenient, sometimes, but...
Yeah. What can I tell you?

Q. Does that interest you?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: We don't have this show in France. Not yet, anyway.

Q. Would it interest you to watch her, see how she does?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Yeah, why not?

Q. Monday night.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: When?

Q. Monday night.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Okay. I'll try to think about it. What time? 8:00?

Q. 7:00.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Okay. Good. Early night. Good.

End of FastScripts