2004 U.S. Open
Date: 2004-08-31
Henin-Hardenne def. Vaidisova 6-1, 6-4

Question Tell us how you felt when you were up ahead in that second set. What was going through your mind?
Answer That I could take the second set, you know, and get to a third. But then I had few bad shots and it turned her way again. I missed my chances. I had definitely chances in the second set and I let them slip away.

Question When you enter a Grand Slam and you're drawn against the No. 1 player in the world, it's a great opportunity to show people how well you can play. Were there nerves before the start of this match, or were you just very excited to be able to play her?
Answer I was both. I was very excited but, well, actually I was nervous, too, because I was playing in Arthur Ashe Stadium against the No. 1 player in the world. So you just want to play your best, and it gets you a little nervous.

Question Did you have a game plan?
Answer Yeah, of course I did. All my matches, every time I have a game plan, no matter who I play.

Question So how do you play Justine?
Answer Uhm, well, she's a great player. I mean, she has a lot of weapons. You just have to play -- I just played my game, you know, tried to play my best.

Question Your backhand looked very strong. Is that your best shot?
Answer Well, I don't really have a best. I think all my shots are like equal. I think I serve good, my forehand. So I don't really fancy one shot. I just play all-around.

Question How did you feel when you saw your name beside Justine's in the draw?
Answer I was like, "Wow, yeah, that's a good one." But, yeah, I was excited to play. You know, it's a great opportunity to play the No. 1 player in the world, my first Grand Slam, Arthur Ashe Stadium. It's a great experience for next year, you know, so it was good.

Question When did you come to the United States?
Answer Like the first time ever or...?

Question Yeah, when you came from Czech Republic to the United States to live.
Answer I came four years ago, but I don't live the whole time in the USA. I just live five months out of the year in Bradenton, Florida, to practice, but not the whole year.

Question So you also live in Czech Republic?
Answer Yeah, yeah, I live the next seven months in Czech Republic.

Question And your parents are there?
Answer Yeah, my family goes with me back and forth.

Question Where exactly do you live? I know it's in the Czech Republic.
Answer In Prague, the capital. In Prague.

Question What part of Prague, any part?
Answer Just Prague (laughter).

Question Noosa, you know where that is?
Answer I'm not from Noosa.

Question Want to give us your impression of Justine?
Answer She's a great player. I mean, I have a lot of respect for her. I still see from the match how much I still have to improve to beat those players. So I think it was a great experience to see that.

Question There are two great Czech players living in Florida: Petr Korda and Jana Novotna. Have you met them?
Answer Yeah, I met them, but just couple times.

Question Are they at all people that you looked up to when you were younger?
Answer Well, when I was growing up, I didn't really look up to somebody. I didn't have like a tennis idol. But I just played, you know, tennis for fun and then just tried to play by my way and not how everybody used to play the best way.

Question How important was the good results in Vancouver to your confidence?
Answer It was a lot because there were some top players who I beat and, you know, how you see you can beat them and can win the WTA tournaments, it gives you a lot of confidence for the next couple months. I think it was good for confidence there, too.

Question If Sesil says she could beat Venus or Serena, is that you saying it, too, or is it her personally?
Answer Well, I don't really look what Sesil says. I'm not Sesil. We're good friends and we practice together, but we are two totally different people. You know, it's not that we have the same personality, we say same stories. We're totally different. So, you know, I don't think I would say the same as she does.

Question How much would you like to go out there now and play her again right now?
Answer Yeah, I definitely want to go out there at 4-1 in the second set, try to win that.

Question I heard you like ice hockey. Are you going to have time to follow the World Cup of Hockey this week?
Answer Yeah, I hope I will on the Internet and around. But I watched the Stanley Cup a lot. My favorite team, Tampa, won. I was cheering for them every match.

Question And who will you be cheering for in the World Cup of hockey, Germany or Czech?
Answer Czech Republic, of course.

Question Who's your favorite hockey player or one or two or three.
Answer (Smiling. Like Lecavalier, the Canadian, and some Czechs, Bosbesheil (phonetic) and Cabeno (phonetic) maybe.

Question How many Lightning games do you go to each year?
Answer How many Lightnings, a lot. Depends, 10, 12. How do I have time, I don't know, after tournaments when I'm in Tampa.

Question You have good seats?
Answer Yeah, I have pretty good seats (smiling).

Question Do you play hockey?
Answer No, no.

Question Can you skate?
Answer I can't even skate. I was afraid of ice, actually. But I still like hockey.

Question So what is the attraction with ice hockey?
Answer I don't know. I just like it, even though I'm scared of it myself. So probably I just like it because those people can go out there and skate so... I never can do.