2002 NASDAQ-100 Open
Date: 2002-03-21
Muller def. Harkleroad 6-4, 6-4

Question This is your first experience here, other than Juniors?
Answer Second. I played last year.

Question What happened last year?
Answer I was 6-1 in the third.

Question You had a trainer come out after you broke her. Were you having problems?
Answer I have a blister on my hand. It was coming apart and I needed to put something over it.

Question Why do you think it didn't go your way today? She had some good strokes. Do you feel like you weren't playing as strongly as you would have liked?
Answer I wasn't playing as good as I would have liked. I didn't serve that well. I was having a hard time with my toss. But she's very fast, and she's very fit. I just think she was just in a little bit better shape than I was. She could have gone longer than me.

Question I noticed at one point in the end there you kind of just like stopped and kind of quit. It wasn't that far out of your reach. It was a long rally. You were gassed?
Answer Yeah. Yeah, I've been sick for a week or so before this. I haven't been able to practice that much. But I practiced maybe four days before I came here. So, it was kind of difficult on me.

Question What did you have, like a flu, cold?
Answer Yeah, flu.

Question Can you compare coming into this tournament as opposed to last? Do you feel like you belong a little bit more?
Answer Yeah, obviously my ranking isn't like 690. I felt a little bit better since it's like 250. I feel a little bit more experienced out there. I mean, I played on that court on Orange Bowl and continental Cup for the last three years and last year I played on the court. I was just trying to have fun.

Question Did you?
Answer Pretty much. Although it was very hot and everything. But I tried to enjoy it as much as I could.

Question How would you gauge your progress? Are you 17 yet?
Answer No.

Question 16. When are you 17?
Answer May 2nd.

Question How would you gauge your progress?
Answer What do you mean? If I've...?

Question Do you consider -- you still consider yourself a Junior, do you consider yourself a professional?
Answer I pretty much consider myself a professional. I mean I'm going to play more professionals than Juniors. I don't know if I'll play any more Grand Slams. I might play the French Juniors and I might play Wimbledon Juniors. Kind of depends how I do in the quallies of the French.

Question Do you feel you're ready to take this step, and why?
Answer I mean, you know, Juniors is, you can only kind of go so far. I mean, my goal is to win a Grand Slam. But I got very close, you know, three in the world in Juniors. I got to the semis of every Grand Slam. And I just feel like I just need to move on, you know? I'm just putting too much emphasis on trying to win in Juniors and not enough in pros. That's what matters really, is the pros. So I just have to move on.

Question You got so much attention at the US Open and not necessarily for your tennis. I mean, people just seem to be entranced by you.
Answer By my outfit?

Question By your outfit. I was trying to be kind. Do you have any regrets about that? Has there been any repercussions? Do people see you differently because of that?
Answer Well, I definitely moved up a size in my Nike clothes (laughing). But I still -- I just like to, I mean, I was having fun out there. I figured the outfit I was wearing was, you know, girls these days, they're out there watching me play in like tube tops and, you know, everything. So I'm only 16 years old. You know, I guess I work on my body a lot, try and stay fit, and things like that. I like things to fit me tight or whatever. I didn't really think it was going to be a huge problem, but it was. I didn't really care that much though.

Question Do you like the comparisons of America's version of Kournikova at this point?
Answer No, not really.

Question Why not?
Answer I'm not really like her. I'm a whole different person. I don't think she's very friendly. And, you know, she's very pretty, but I mean, I try and be more perky I guess. I don't know. I just try and enjoy it. I haven't really talked to her, but I don't really think I'm like her that much.

Question I mean, kind of --?
Answer Looks-wise?

Question Yeah.
Answer I try not to focus on that that much.

Question When you're saying she's not very friendly, is that a personal experience?
Answer I mean, I don't know. I mean, I just don't really see her talking that much to people in the locker room. But I don't know.

Question She's never won, yet she's won millions of dollars --?
Answer Yeah, but she's a good tennis player though. Top 10 in the world, you have to give her some credit. She's done good. It's not easy out there. I think she's a good player. I don't think she cares too much if she's won a major tennis tournament or anything.

Question Three more. Do you get more after you turn 17?
Answer Uh-huh.

Question So three more until your birthday?
Answer Yeah.

Question Or three more the whole year?
Answer Yeah.

Question Until your birthday?
Answer Yeah.

Question What's the rule, four?
Answer No, it's like 12. It's like 15 when I turn 17.

Question How about 16, what was it?
Answer Like 12 or 10.

Question The media was able to join in to a security conference this morning where they talked about security on the tour and some of the issues. I was just wondering, have you had any kind of experience where you find that you do have to be kind of careful? I mean, you want to be trusting of people, but have you already seen the need to maybe keep your guard up?
Answer Well, my dad travels with me almost everywhere. And, I mean, he pretty much looks out for me a lot. But I think the security's pretty tight. I mean, I know that I had -- every time I don't have my badge on my neck or something, they always ask. I see them doing that with everybody, if they don't have it around their neck or anything. I mean, I don't think it's bad. I think it's pretty good. But for me, I travel with my dad, so he always looks after me.

Question Who's your agent, your representative?
Answer Jill Smoller (ph), from -- well, starting April 1st we'll be with William Morris.

Question William Morris?
Answer Yeah.

Question Is there an interest in the entertainment world?
Answer I want to. Yes, definitely.

Question I wasn't referring to me.
Answer (Laughing). I keep telling her that, but I don't know what she'll do. But I think I am -- I'll do some modelling. I did some for Nike. Hopefully, I can do some more because I enjoy that.

Question How about acting, is that something that you think about?
Answer I can act pretty good (smiling).

Question Have you had experience anywhere?
Answer No. But my parents say I can, so... (Laughing).

Question Parents say that about everybody.
Answer Yeah. But I hope. She said something about it, I hope she can get me in some sort of like little part or something like that. But it won't probably be any time soon. I hope so, though.

Question Last year you mentioned just talking about being up in Saddle Brook, having the opportunity to come down and hit with Martina and Jennifer. Are those opportunities few and far between?
Answer No, she's not there that much anymore, and I'm really not either. I'm practicing a lot in Atlanta with Ola Malmqvist. He's the women's -- coach for the women's travelling tour team, the USTA. And I'm traveling on that team with him. I work with him a lot in Atlanta.

Question Do you still live in Saddle Brook?
Answer We still have a home in Saddle Brook, yes.

Question What's coming up for you after this?
Answer I have four challengers in a row. I have a 50 in Naples, I have like a 25 in Jackson, Mississippi, I have a 75 in Dothan, Alabama, then I have another 25 in Midlothian.

Question And your goal for the rest of the year is rankings -wise, tournaments...?
Answer Well, I mean, I used to look at rankings a lot for goals, but I just figured I'm just going to try and get better all around in my tennis game. If that happens, and I start playing, you know, pretty well, then my ranking will go up automatically, so...

Question What do you think your strength is on the court? I see a well-rounded player. Is there a weapon you need to get?
Answer I probably need to get a little bit more of, I mean, a weapon like a forehand where I can hit almost -- you know, I can really blow somebody off the court with it. Right now I'm very comfortable with my backhand. I like it a lot. I like to hit it, you know, as hard as I can. My forehand is a little bit more -- I can move the ball around. But...

Question You want to develop a better forehand?
Answer Well, you know, a more powerful one where I can blow somebody off the court. But also I'm trying to get to the net more. I've been working on my serve a little bit. It was not that good today. But I kept foot faulting a lot. I'm trying to, like, move my foot a certain way and it keeps hitting the line. It's really making me mad.

Question As far as the outfit, did you tone it down a bit today because of the US Open brouhaha?
Answer No. No. That did not bother me at all. I guess I try and look okay out there, but I liked that outfit. I didn't think anything was wrong with that one. But I don't know, you tell me (laughing).