Anna Kournikova 2000 Ericsson Open 2nd-Round Interview ( Sports - Women's Tennis )

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2000 Ericsson Open (Tennis Masters Series) at Miami, Florida, on Friday, March 24, 2000
Anna Kournikova defeated Jennifer Hopkins, 6-2, 6-4

An Interview With Anna Kournikova

Q. It was a bit windy out there. Did it take you a little time to get into it?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah, definitely. Plus I didn't know the opponent. I mean, I've never seen her play before, so it was kind of an interesting match. But I was happy the way I was playing. I was very happy. I was patient and I tried to use the wind.

Q. Did she surprise you? Especially in the second set she seemed to be getting stronger.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, not really. I knew a little bit that she was hitting the ball hard and that she wouldn't keep the ball in play. I expected a few winners.

Q. Are you going to some Panthers game this week?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I'm here to play.

Q. Play what?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Play well.

Q. Is Pavel here tonight?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, not that I know of.

Q. You are a good player, but you have problem to win tournaments. What do you need to win tournaments?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think I need to be more consistent and have to play good tennis in a row. When I play against the top players, I have to play consistent in the match.

Q. Seems on the Women's Tour there's a tremendous amount of interest in the off-court private lives of the players. Why do you think that is?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think right now we've got such different personalities of different players. I think people are really interested in everything about them.

Q. Do you enjoy it, the extra scrutiny?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I can't really change it.

Q. Do you feel like you can ever take advantage of it?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: How?

Q. Publicity, endorsements, things like that.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I don't think about that at all.

Q. Does it bother you that you are such a great player, but some people only know you as the celebrity?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Well, I think it just comes with my tennis. If I wouldn't be playing tennis, nobody would know me. If I would be ranked No. 500, nobody would know me.

Q. A lot of the women like to play doubles with Seles and Hingis, Coetzer. What do you learn on the doubles court that you don't learn on the singles court?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Specifically from whom?

Q. Well, Seles.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: She's a very tough player. She never gives up.

Q. How about Martina? What have you learned playing doubles with her?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Definitely you gain experience from playing doubles with top players. I'm not going to say what I've learned. It definitely gives me experience.

Q. You made it to the finals here a few years ago.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Two years ago.

Q. Really your first breakthrough. Is this the place where you'd like to get that first one, or any tournament at this point?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Of course, it would be nice to get it here because it's my favorite place to be. But whatever happens will happen.

Q. What kind of commute is it for you back home from here? Five minutes? Ten minutes?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Sorry?

Q. How close are you to your home from here?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Ten minutes.

Q. In Spain the people say Alex Corretja is the nicest Spanish player. Other people say it's Carlos Moya.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think they're both nice. All Spanish players are really nice, for sure. And South Americans.

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