SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS
Date: 2006-11-11

SONY ERICSSON CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 11, 2006

Amelie Mauresmo
MADRID, SPAIN
Question Amelie, apart from your marvelous volleys today in this match, you had a little bet, no, with Loic Courteau? It was a bet or --
AMELIE MAURESMO: Bet?

Question He shaved his head, or was it a joke or --
AMELIE MAURESMO: I don't know. You have to ask him. It's not a bet. I can tell you this. It's a mistake from his hairdresser.
(Laughter)
Question The game was really spectacular.
AMELIE MAURESMO: But you didn't watch it. You watched my coach in the --

Question TV, they have an eye. They were looking at -- but you felt like home?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Huh?

Question You felt like home?
AMELIE MAURESMO: The atmosphere at the end was just incredible. I think the way people got involved into the match was so nice. I mean it's to be on the court like this and to go through these moments is really a big chance.
And to be able, both of us, I think to play some very high level of tennis, you know, it really feels great.

Question Do you feel yourself getting better match by match?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, yeah, definitely. I mean that's really what's happened during the week. And you know, to be honest, I wasn't expecting to play better and better the way I did throughout the week. So I'm just very happy and very proud.

Question I was just going to ask, you kind of answered it, but when you arrived here, you couldn't be pessimistic. You had to think that things were going to improve. Did you think you could play that well?
AMELIE MAURESMO: I was not optimistic about the fact that I really had a lack of practice and preparation and the shoulder was not really okay before the first match.
So, yes, after the match against Hingis I started to be more optimistic.

Question Were you aware of the high level of your match and what was the key to the win?
AMELIE MAURESMO: I could feel during the match, you know, when I was losing a point or most of the time she was just making winners and everything. So I could really feel that both of us were playing some great tennis.
I think it's tough to really take one moment to say this right there made a difference or whatever. I think you know maybe at the end I went for it a little bit more. Maybe the physical aspect of the game played a part in the end. I don't know. It's really tough to say.

Question The physical aspect, do you think that maybe having the time off has been a little bit of a blessing in disguise after all?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I think so. I think as I said after Zurich, I thought, okay, now I'm going to recover a little bit, rest a little bit. Rest my body, rest my mind, everything, and try to get ready for the championships.
So, yeah, I think I was in terms of freshness in the head and physically I think it was good.

Question When was the last time in a very high level match you thought, do you think the contest was that good, the quality was that good?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, in French we talked about the final of the championship last year. I think we both played at that time really some great quality of tennis and we played for more than three hours and, yes, I think it was pretty good.

Question You played Justine Friday. You're going to play her again tomorrow. What's the key strategy for playing the same player in less than 48 hours?
AMELIE MAURESMO: I don't know. It doesn't happen so often that I can give you some key strategy or really things to do.
I think, you know, both of us we're not going to change really in a big way what we like to do and what our weapons are and everything. Maybe adjust a few things here and there that could make a difference at the end of the day.
But, yeah, probably just do as usual in terms of getting ready for the match and then just go for it just like we did yesterday.

Question You were very diplomatic in the couple of months after the Australian Open final about how you felt about Justine's decision to retire. Has that now completely finished? Is that now in the past or are there still a few feelings left over from that about your view of Justine?
AMELIE MAURESMO: No, I think what happened for me at Wimbledon was also important, even though in my mind I really felt I deserved the Australian Open trophy.
I think for me and for everybody it was important and good that you know I could finally go through the end of a Grand Slam and in a way it happened at Wimbledon.
And as I said, the time is passing by and I don't see why we're not going to get along just you know how we used to be.