Conference call
June 17, 2004
On playing World TeamTennis:
"I had a great experience last year playing WTT, and I'm excited to play
again this year... It's a great format to play and the crowds get so into
it. WTT is more relaxed but still very competitive. There is so much team
spirit... It's great for tennis and for the game."
"The team spirit is really good and the crowd
really gets into it!... [Team Tennis] provides a great opportunity for me to play short term
tennis without getting injured again. It's obviously a little bit less
demanding than normal tournaments."
On playing in Connecticut:
"I've never been to Connecticut, so this will be a new experience for me.
I'm looking forward to being there and hopefully winning."
On her fondest memory playing last year with the Kansas City Explorers:
"Each set we won was always so much fun. We had a really great team last
year and we have a great team this year too."
On why she plays WTT:
"WTT is a way for me to still play matches. I miss being on the court and I
always have so much fun playing."
On the status of her back injury and whether she will have surgery:
"I have a chronic injury with my back. My goal is to become healthy. I'm
still playing everyday and working out everyday... Back surgery is very
serious and very difficult, so taking medication and doing what my doctors
tell me right now is what I’m going to stick with."
"I don't want to say anything [comeback],
because I had a bad experience last time." Anna will wait and "see how my
body's feeling, how my back is doing."
On her injury and the injuries athletes endure playing tennis:
"I'm not surprised about all the injuries that happen. Tennis players have a
long season and it's very demanding. You play everyday - it's a job 24/7,
seven days a week. After a while, your body starts to crack down."
"Our season is extremely long and we've been
playing from a young age. I was never the most muscular girl and I guess
that took a toll on my body. [At last WTA-matches 2003] I was in so much
pain, it wasn't worth it, being on the court."
"I never really thought about retiring yet...I
still work out every day, just not the amount I used to play. The only thing
that's missing is playing tournaments."
On the state of Russian tennis and Anastasia Myskina winning the French
Open:
"Russia has always had great athletes. Now there is so much more opportunity
for athletes over there to play and travel. I think it's great that they
have more opportunity because it's great for the game… I was very happy to
see Myskina win the French Open. We played together when we were young and
have remained very close friends."
What remains Tennis for Anna:
"[Playing Tennis is] always going to be
something that I have a passion for. It's my only passion."
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