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1999 Family Circle Cup - Hilton Head
Final
Anna Kournikova beaten by Martina Hingis
4:6, 3:6
April 4, 1999

 

 

QUESTION: Anna, first set you had a couple chances, especially 4-3 and then you let a game get away. How frustrating was it out there today, because you seemed pretty close first set.
 
KOURNIKOVA: Yeah. It was very close, but that's why Martina is No. 1. She knows how to play those tough points, and I tried to go for too much a little bit; and I was pretty tired out there, so I tried to finish points quicker than I should have.
 
QUESTION: She mentioned that it was unusual. She thought she was sort of the power person out there. Most days she's not. You weren't hitting as hard or being as aggressive as you normally are.
 
KOURNIKOVA: Well, yeah, but you can't really try to overpower Martina because she runs everything back, so you just have to play smart and be patient with her, but like I said, I made a few unforced errors because I tried to go for too much being tired.
 
QUESTION: Have you thought about what happened after you broke her in the first set and she came back in the next game, and I think you had two double faults and maybe a couple unforced errors. What happened?
 
KOURNIKOVA: I think first point she made a winner or something where it was a long point, but like I said, she's a tough player and she knows how to play in difficult situations, and basically we all play better when we're under pressure. When we're down, we all play better, so that's just what happened. She played a good game, and I probably didn't play good enough.
 
QUESTION: You had the crowd on your side. A lot more people were coaching you or urging you on, I think. Does that make you feel good?
 
KOURNIKOVA: Well, I think that the crowd just wanted to see a good match, and I think that they wanted to see good tennis, and I think they got it. It was a good match.
 
QUESTION: I know losing is disappointing, but you must be pleased with your tournament. You played well.
 
KOURNIKOVA: Yes. I'm definitely very pleased, and of course, it's disappointing, but I'm glad I lost to No. 1, not to anybody else, and so next time I'll have another chance and I'll try to take it. It was a great tournament for me. I really got a lot of experience here, and it was good for my confidence, and I'm going to take a rest tomorrow and then get ready for Amelia.
 
QUESTION: Where do you think your game has improved recently why you did so well here?
 
KOURNIKOVA: I think I just went back to basics. I started to play a little bit more patient and I wasn't afraid to miss. I was playing my game, which I haven't really been 3 doing in the past. I played aggressive here. I came to the net, even though it was clay, and I just used the court really well.
 
QUESTION: Because this was only your second final and you have a chance to win your first title, were you pressured at all out there today?
 
KOURNIKOVA: No, not really. All I had to concentrate was on the match because if you will not be concentrating against Martina, you're going to lose 6-0, 6-0, so I had to really think about the match, and I really tried hard to stay in the match.
 
QUESTION: Did you have a plan? I know you must have had some idea of how you wanted to attack her.
 
KOURNIKOVA: Definitely.
 
QUESTION: Can you talk about what that was?
 
KOURNIKOVA: Well, I tried to, like I said, be patient, not try to go for a winner right away because that's what she's waiting for. Tried to play deep, not to play very short, and like I said, just tried to play my game, be aggressive and patient at the same time and mix it up, move her around a lot.

 

 

 


Find out more at Anna's offical website:
www.kournikova.com