Tokyo, Japan
January 31, 2003
Monica Seles defeats Lina Krasnoroutskaya 6-4,6-4
Q: Monica, having an injury in Melbourne, does this tournament take on an extra significance now for you to come here and wins to get extra moments for the year?
Monica Seles: I’m just happy that my ankle’s held up really good. Hopefully to stay injury free but its still hurts a lot. I’m not doing so well in Australia no matter how I do here. But at least, getting far and having two really tough matches pull out has positive.
Q: Monica, you seems to loose your concentration there in the second set when you’re up 4-nothing, what happened?
Monica Seles: A little bit. I lost my concentration I think. She played those two games really well and then I got tied on my own serve. And on this surface, the points go so fast and I was getting very frustrated from 4-0 to 4 all. And just tried, I was really lucky there at 5-4 to win it, and not have to go again maybe into third set.
Q: You seemed to get your aces in at the real tight spots today. But overall how do you see your service game?
Monica Seles: Oh, it was up and down. I think it really pulled through at 4 all when I had a couple of good serves.
Q: Was this your first match to your opponent today?
Monica Seles: Yes, the only time I played her in team tennis about three years ago. But, as an official match, yes.
Q: Could you give us your impression of her game? And also, in the rally, she really pushed you, it seems at times to the limits, and can you give us your reasons you think you were able to pull through?
Monica Seles: Well, I mean, good player. She played really well I think three years ago when she, at Wimbledon, I think she likes the surface grass. And then she had a tough come back. I think, knee surgery, ankle surgery, and that’s not easy. So I gave so much credit for coming back and playing so well this week. I think she just has a very, game that suits this court surface. She hits at hard and flat. That was giving me a lot of trouble today.
Q: So, Monica, I think your next opponents, Chanda Rubin, tell us about playing her.
Monica Seles: Well, the last time I played was a tough three set match, and we really played some close once this past year. And she has also come back amazingly from her knee surgery, and just playing better tennis since 1996. She had a good match today. And they’re to be another tough match. That should be the semi.