An Interview With Anna Kournikova

Q. How would you compare today's performance with the performance in the first two matches?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I was feeling much, much better today. My ground strokes, I felt perfect, and everything else, and my serve was much, much better, so I'm very happy with my performance today.

Q. So you are gaining confidence with each match?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yes, I can say that, that I improved with each match. I started to play better and better.

Q. Only one double fault in the last set. Is the crisis over?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I don't think there was a big crisis, but, you know, there was just something wrong. Like I was saying before, that I was just, like, missing a forehand or a backhand, people were missing, you know, a lot of unforced errors, even yesterday we saw, from both sides, forehand, backhand, just serving consistent more. So, like I said, I'm glad it's less today, and hopefully it will be this way.

Q. What is the most amusing or funny bit of advice you have had about the serve?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, it wasn't very funny for me.

Q. No. Nobody said something funny - you should - no?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, not really.

Q. What about your stride for the rest of the tournament coming? You have had to play a lot of games in your first three matches?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I feel great physically. I'm very prepared physically. Nothing is really hurting or anything, so I'm not sore. I played a lot of matches before I came here also. I played in Hong Kong and Sydney, so I'm ready. I just have to recover and, you know, and get ready for - I have to play mixed also today.

Q. How much pressure do you feel your serve will be under as you get to play better and better players in this tournament, who might take full advantage of any weakness?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I'm going to take advantage of their weaknesses.

Q. Anna, you served ten doubles in the first set, but only four in the next two. Was there anything conscious that you did?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Three.

Q. Oh, three - anything conscious that you did, to change the way you served?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, I just relaxed, and I didn't even think about it at all. I was just playing. That was the good thing. I said to myself, "I don't have to think about this", and that I was just playing, and that helped me a lot.

Q. Anna, what about the next match against Mary? What are your thoughts about that?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, we have never played before, each other. We played only once against each other in doubles we play, but never in singles; so it's going to be a new match and, you know, we will see what happens. I try to do my best. I'm feeling good off the ground strokes. We will see what happens with everything else.


Q. Can you tell me something about Andrea Glass as a player?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, she a good player. I mean, she can hit the ball. But she makes a lot of unforced errors. I think that I tried to keep the ball in play and attack, and just, even if she hit one ball harder, I tried to counteract that and, you know, her ball would fly. She doesn't have a very good control, I think.

Q. Anna, were you serving slower today?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I don't know. I didn't look at the Rada.

Q. What about Ace, you served an Ace today, which brought a big cheer from the crowd?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I served, like, four Aces yesterday, in doubles.

Q. But in the singles; was that encouraging?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I served Aces before in my matches too.

Q. You have a lot of fans, and Mary Pierce has a lot of fans. Do you think it's going to be a special atmosphere when you play?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think, in Australia, it's always a special atmosphere when you play. It doesn't matter who has fans, the fans are there. So it's great, you know. I'll just have to concentrate, and it's difficult for both players to play. But it gives you support, I guess, and it helps me.

Q. Does it - I have noticed that some of your fans cheer when your opponents make mistakes. Does that make you uncomfortable at all?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I cannot really change that, you know. I cannot do anything about it. But they are just there for a good match, and I think they are making cheers whenever they want, and even if I make a mistake, so whoever makes a mistake.

Q. Anna, you have never played Mary Pierce on the circuit, but you met her, I guess, on some exhibitions. Isn't that right?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: M'mm. I just played her one match, exhibition, yes.

Q. And how was that match?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, it was like a year ago, or something, and it was on clay court, in South America, during winter, December, I think, and I lost that match.

Q. Anna, while you can't control what the crowd does during the points, do you wish, in fairness to your opponents, that they were more quiet during points?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, even if I'll be wishing really hard, I don't think I'll be able to control them. Like I said, there's nothing really I can do. The only thing I can say is that I'm glad people are there, and I think it's always great to have full stadium than empty stadium.