AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Date: 2006-01-26

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 26, 2006

Amelie Mauresmo
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
The Moderator Questions.

Question Not a good way to go into a final, but how were you playing at the time?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Well, I felt I was playing pretty well, and I felt that it was a very intense match, good quality, especially in the first set, I would say. Then Kim went a little bit down in the second set. Yeah, as I said on the court, a very strange way, of course, to finish a match. That's just the way it is, you know. Not much to say about that. It happens. Just hope it's not too bad for her. You know, that's tough for her.

Question You've come close so many times in the last six years. How good does this one feel to finally make that step again back into a final?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Well, it feels good. I mean, for all those years, you know, I've been working hard, adjusting a few things here and there to, you know, try to do my best. But, you know, I'm in the final right now. I don't want to stop there. I just obviously want to give it a hundred percent on Saturday and really, you know, try to get that trophy.

Question The women's tour, we've heard a lot through the tournament about players coming in with injuries, players who are a bit underdone, et cetera. We haven't heard much about you physically. How are you feeling at the moment?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: I'm fine. I mean, I'm okay. These kind of matches are a good test, physically especially. Because as I've said, it was very intense, a lot of long rallies, and you have to recover pretty well to be ready for the next one. You know, I'm feeling okay (smiling).

Question Would it be fair to say perhaps in 1999 you were quite inexperienced and perhaps not ready for a final?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Yeah. That's what I said yesterday. Someone asked me, you know, what's the difference now. And I really felt at the time I was playing, first of all, my game was really a lot of instinct and I didn't really know what I was doing, I didn't really know what my, you know, bases in the game were, what I had to do depending on the opponent and everything. It was just like this, just a shot (snapping fingers). Now, rankings show that I'm much more consistent, much more aware of what I'm doing on the court. Basically also more mature now and really, you know, I made my way in seven years like everybody else.

Question Did everything in this match today work right?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Well, I felt I could have done better in the first set. I also felt the conditions, having the roof closed, was a first time for me I played here in this condition. You know, it's a little bit different and you have to adjust to that. Maybe a few errors here and there due to that. Especially in the beginning, in the first set. Then I felt my rhythm was much better in the second.

Question What is the feeling you have now? Is it a little relief or super excitement? How do you feel inside?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: No, I feel good. I feel relaxed. You know, knowing that even though it ended this way, knowing that I've played a good match, consistent one, I could have, you know, after losing the first set, I could have also go down and really don't push myself, which I didn't want to do. I want to hang in there. You know, it showed that it was worth it at the end of the day.

Question You've had your kind of heartbreaks here not only in the final, but also injuries as well. Last year or two years ago?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: I was going to say I was unlucky, especially here, at that time, at some time a couple years ago. Even last year I wasn't a hundred percent for the quarters. You know, things are turning around a little bit.

Question You couldn't be in better shape probably for a final than you are at the moment?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I mean, now, you know, it's a tough physical match, so I have to recover from that. I have one day off. And make sure, you know, I'm recovering very well for the final.

Question How will you play against Justine?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: Well, you know, I'm not going to tell you much about that. Obviously, she's been, you know, very -- playing very well for all the tournament. I watched a little bit of the first semifinal. She's a tough fighter, great player, and she has a lot of experience. I know it's going to be a tough one, and I know we both want the title, we're both going to fight for it. I just hope it's going to be a good one.

Question What you achieved last year in Los Angeles, breaking through and winning a major event, that's bound to be there in the background, you know you can win a big final?
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: I know. Yeah, it's probably also a part of why I'm, you know, going through to the final today in this Grand Slam. I've learned a lot from LA. It's paying off right now, the beginning of the season, which is great. Yeah, it's a good thing.

Question Would you rather play with the roof open? I don't know what the weather forecast is for Saturday.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: I really have no preference. I think it's -- I don't really know if it affects the results. The game probably a little bit, but I'm not sure if it affects the results. I don't know really. Doesn't really matter.

Question With the roof closed, we hear people talk about the stickiness of the court.
AMÉLIE MAURESMO: It's a bit slower, I think, with the roofs closed, and bouncing maybe a little bit higher sometimes. You know, well, I had some trouble, as I said, to adjust at the beginning to that. But definitely a bit slower I think.

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