Flushing Meadows, New York

September 4, 2000

S. WILLIAMS/J. Dokic
7-6, 6-0

An interview with:

Q. You see a ball on the other side of the court. You think it's out or in, never quite sure. On that ball, the one that was called out, did you get a good view of that ball?

JELENA DOKIC: That lines person was closer to it than I was. It was very close. I'm not sure. If I saw a replay, it could have caught the line or maybe not. It was very close call at 6-5 in the tiebreak. It's something that was called. You have to go on to the next point.

Q. Did you feel something slip away from you after that call?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, not really. I mean, it was still 6-All in the tiebreak. Even though I had a chance to win the set, she played two very good points there, one on her serve at 6-4, one on my serve. That was a long rally there at 6-5. Maybe I could have played that point a bit differently, looking at it now. Maybe that's what turned the whole set around, the whole match.

Q. In the first set, you were dominant throughout your serve, gave few points on your serve. After losing that tough tiebreak, looked like you almost gave up. Did you feel like you were giving up?

JELENA DOKIC: It's always hard to come out and play the next set when you've lost such a tight first set. You feel like, "I've gotten so close to winning that set." But, you know, in the second set, she didn't give anything away. She got all her returns in, served well throughout the whole match. If she didn't serve as well, I could have done better, gotten more into the point on her serve, may have been able to break.

Q. You only won three points on your own serve.

JELENA DOKIC: No, but, I mean, like I said, it wasn't like I was double-faulting or didn't serve well. She just kept on going after that first set.

Q. There was no letdown on your part? Was it difficult to come back?

JELENA DOKIC: I think it's always hard to come out, especially after you lost the first set. Maybe that lets you down. You think, "Maybe I could have won that set." It's always hard to come out that next set when you did lose the first one. Maybe you feel like it's slipping away a little bit when you did have a chance. It's a very good reason for me. If I was in the situation again, maybe I would have won the set, would have been a different story.

Q. Can you tell yourself now that you've had a good US Open?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. Getting to the fourth round is great for me. Again, I'm a little bit disappointed today that I didn't get that first set. Maybe could have been a tougher match. It's something that you've got to learn from. That's where experience comes into play. The more you play, the more experienced you are, maybe that set would have been the other way.

Q. Did it feel like you were playing the defending champion?

JELENA DOKIC: She has a big game. You feel like you've got to go for everything because if you don't, she will. It was a different experience because she hits the ball hard, especially her serve. It was a different type of match to any other one. It was on Center Court, as well.

Q. The television commentators thought that ball caught the outside of the line at 6-5, the backhand. Do you think if you won that set, you could have won the match?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, for sure, definitely. If I would have won that first set, maybe I would have won the match in two sets. You get on a roll, you've won the set. The pressure's on her. You know, she's the defending champion. You know, you start getting a few of her serves back, you get into the points, she gets a bit tight. You start getting a few games and points. Again, you can look at that ball in two ways. Could have been in, but it was called out. It's not up to me or anybody else. That's what it was called. It's too late to change it now.

Q. You played so well. Do you think you might play better when your father's not around?

JELENA DOKIC: No. I mean, I think whether anybody is around or not, I mean, I played well in the two previous matches. You know, it's different playing Serena. You've got to lift your level up a bit. She's a different player to the other three rounds that I had. No, I think, you know, whether anybody is there or not, I just try and play the best that I can.

Q. Do you think the Williams sisters have raised the bar athletically a little bit? Are the rest of the women's tour having to raise their fitness levels to compete with them, raise their games?

JELENA DOKIC: You know, the only thing is really they're so tall and so powerful. They have a big advantage over the other players. Not everybody has that. I'm not exactly the same as Venus Williams, you know, I don't have that power or that height. Sometimes that's a disadvantage. You know, I beat Venus. If I won that first set today, who knows what would have happened. They are certainly tough players at the moment, two of the best ones around. Athletically, you know, that's the way they are. It's very hard to hit a winner against them because they're always there. You know, they move well. It's very hard to do anything against them.

Q. When you are in the locker room and you know your match is coming in very soon, you want to compose yourself to go out and play, do you have a routine that you go through?

JELENA DOKIC: I mean, you get a warm-up, get ready for the match, just depending when you're playing. Everybody has their different thing what they do, something that helps them get ready for the match.

Q. Do you often spend just quiet time where you want to be by yourself?

JELENA DOKIC: I just stay calm for an hour or so before my match, just try and think about what I'm going to do, how I'm going to play.

Q. Did it affect your routine at all not having a coach on the premises these past couple of days?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, it was different because I'm used to having somebody around. You know, last three matches, I've had to do it myself and get ready for the matches. You know, it's been fine.

Q. Did you work with anyone in particular over the last couple of days while you were training?

JELENA DOKIC: No, not really. I just -- there's not much you can do at tournaments anyway. You just practice a little bit, warm up for your matches. That's about it.

Q. Have you and your father talked any more about the possibilities of doing some coaching with someone other than him?

JELENA DOKIC: No.

Q. You're obviously a very self-sufficient person to be able to come this far under the circumstances you've been under the last few days. Is that something you've acquired at some point in your life?

JELENA DOKIC: You know, I just look at it, you've got to be able to deal with situations. I did that at Wimbledon, did it here. You've got to block things out. You've got to go out on the court. You know, you've got to be able to just play the game whether something's happening or not. I seem to do that well. I think mentally I'm a strong person. I focus well and concentrate well.

Q. Where do you think you get that from?

JELENA DOKIC: I don't know. I've always been -- I've always -- mentally, I was always tough. You know, maybe it just naturally comes the way it is.

Q. Who warmed you up for the match?

JELENA DOKIC: I warmed up with one of the junior boys just before on Center Court, just before the first match started.

Q. One of the Australian junior boys?

JELENA DOKIC: No.

Q. Your father made a reference about (inaudible) this week. Has that happened?

JELENA DOKIC: I don't know. We haven't gone yet. I mean, probably once the tournament is finished, then you do what you want to do.

Q. Looking ahead, are you concerned that your father might be banned from the tour? The WTA has said they were looking into it. Do you feel he should be? What are your thoughts?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I mean, they've got to make their decision. I think it's -- they're probably doing that right now. Again, whatever the decision is, you know, I'm just going to have to deal with it when it comes to that. You've got to be able to play yourself. No one's going to play out there for you. I'm just going to have to go on and just play tennis, just do everything, what we've been working on, talking about what I'm going to do.

Q. Are you excited about Sydney?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, definitely. You know, it's only, what, a week or two away. It should be great playing over there. I've had a few matches and I feel good about my game. It should be a good experience.

Q. Have you spoken to your dad yet?

JELENA DOKIC: No.

Q. How will you prepare for the Olympics?

JELENA DOKIC: I'm going to Sydney in about a week or so. I'll just get ready over there before the tournament starts, do a bit of practice.

Q. You'll stay at home during the Olympics?

JELENA DOKIC: Yes.

Q. And where are you going to spend the next week? Staying in New York?

JELENA DOKIC: Don't know yet.