AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Date: 2005-01-15

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 15, 2005

Amelie Mauresmo
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
The Moderator Questions for Amelie, please.

Question Do you have any specific goals that you've set for yourself this year?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Well, you know, it's always winning tournaments. That is still going to be my goal this year. You know, nothing really special. Improve also on the technical side of the game. But really nothing more.

Question How is your fitness going?
AMELIE MAURESMO: It's okay. It's okay. You know, hopefully I'm going to have a full year. That's important if you want to, you know, be performance. So far, you know, it's just the beginning, so we'll see how it goes. But it's okay.

Question How do you rate your chances in The Open?
AMELIE MAURESMO: You know, I think I have good chances. We'll see how it goes probably match after match. It's always difficult to say what's going to happen. You know, what else can I say, except saying I'll just take it as it comes and we'll see how it goes.

Question You have Sam Stosur in Round 1. She is playing today. Are you taking interest in that, also?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah, I'm going to watch a little bit. I think it's now. So I'm going to watch probably a little bit of it. I'm sure my coach is already watching it. But no, I mean, she is playing well. She seems to be confident. So we'll see.

Question You've done very well at the majors. Last year you made it to at least the quarterfinals. Is there anything special that you need to do to break through to win one of the Slams?
AMELIE MAURESMO: You know, probably take it more easily and try to play my game a little bit more in the key moments, talking about the quarterfinals or the semis I played at Wimbledon also. You know, going forward and really take the opportunities that will come, which wasn't really the case in the last few times. That will make it.

Question Do you feel that it's a more open tournament this year?
AMELIE MAURESMO: It's pretty open, yeah. I think so. I think a lot of players are playing some great tennis. The level -- I think the level has really went up, but the gap has been closing also between like the really top players and the rest of the players. Yeah, I'm sure it's going to be an interesting one.

Question How are you feeling? How is the stomach problems that you've had sort of at the end of last year? Are you feeling well?
AMELIE MAURESMO: The stomach problem?

Question You had a stomach problem in Hong Kong.
AMELIE MAURESMO: Abductor. You know, it was a little bit tight, so just to make sure I don't take any risk before the season is really starting. So it's better now, much better. I'm traveling this year with a physio for all the year to make sure hopefully everything is going to be okay. So, yeah, it's much better.

Question Are you confident about your chances here?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Yeah. You know, again, we'll see how it goes. I just hope, you know, I'm going to play my best tennis, which is never easy at the beginning of the year. So we'll see.

Question Do you think there's been a Grand Slam in recent years that has been as open as this one where so many of the women could win it?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Probably since one year, you know, it's more and more open, I would say. We see new players coming, being able to really have a good chances in these events. But you're right, maybe this one is the most open for a few years now.

Question Have you played Samantha Stosur before?
AMELIE MAURESMO: No, never. It's going to be the first time, yeah.

Question Do you know much about her game?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Not really. That's what I was saying. I'm just going to probably watch a little bit of the match that she's playing now, I think, and probably realize when I'm on the court what she does well and what she does maybe a little less well.

Question You spoke a second ago about the gap starting to close. When did you sort of see that start to happen, the issue of more parity?
AMELIE MAURESMO: A couple years ago, I think two or three years ago. At that time I think the Williams were dominating. And I think they really took the game to another level physically. That's what I was saying already at the time. And I think everyone made the effort to really work a little bit more specifically on this part of the game. Now you see -- really start to see the results of that. Yeah, I think players are working more and more.

Question Because of all the injuries to the Williamses, the Belgians, the Russians were able to step into the breach. Do you see them having staying power, maintaining that? Obviously, they won the last three.
AMELIE MAURESMO: Last three. Yeah, it's going to be probably hard to maintain. But there are so many, you know, Russian players that when one is playing not so good, then you see another one coming and take the opportunities. You know, they're the ones really coming in now. 2004 was really an impressive year for them. It's going to be interesting to see how they do to really make sure they improve again and also keep the -- maybe hold some titles and see how they do.

Question The physio that you added, when did you add that person? Is that sort of designed to keep you from having the little injuries?
AMELIE MAURESMO: Uh-huh, yeah. Since the US Open last year. It worked out pretty well throughout the end of the season. So we decided to really keep going for 2005, yeah, try to avoid problems, even though you're never sure, but try to do your best to avoid these problems, the physical.

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