Interview of 8/31/96 - Conducted at the U.S. Open

Q: Now that this is done, you get to play Steffi. Your thoughts on that?
A: I'm really excited about that match. I'm looking forward to it. I hope I'll be playing as good as I was playing today, so I'm looking forward to it.

Q: How good did you play tonight?
A: I think I played really good. I moved really good. I didn't lose my concentration. I was not disappointed when I lost the first set.

Q: Were you disappointed when you were down 4-3 when you lost the lead?
A: Well, I was really, you know -- I was not disappointed at all, which is normal. I was trying to get back in the match, trying to stay calm.

Q: Even when you were down 40-Love, you didn't?
A: Yeah.

Q: Were you tired at all in the third set?
A: A little bit because I played already, this was my sixth match. I was a little bit tired, but not that I couldn't move, you know.

Q: How did you get back the lead? You were down 4-3, Love-40. How did you stay calm? What happened?
A: I think I was just really patient, I was not trying to go for big shots, just kept the ball in play. When I saw a good one, I was attacking.

Q: When you are making this kind of advancement, do you see the time you've spent with Nick in Bradenton all this time paying off in any particular way?
A: I've been practicing real hard before this tournament, at the academy. I think that's why I'm playing so good here.

Q: Are you surprised yourself, fourth round, first Open, all the other stuff?
A: I'm really excited about it, but as I said, I practiced really hard three weeks before this tournament after the Olympics. I was expecting to get somewhere, but it's definitely a real good achievement for me.

Q: Are you content now getting to play Steffi or do you think you can give her a good match?
A: I hope I can give her a good match.

Q: Are you comfortable with your dropshots or it's just good luck?
A: If it would be luck, I could just have done one. I think I've done like five or something, so I'm happy.

Q: You won seven games in a row in this match, but then you lost four straight games. What was it about this match that made it such a shifting tide so to speak?
A: The first set I was a little bit nervous. I stayed calm and kept my concentration. I was really patient. I didn't try to end the points real quick. I was real patient. Even if I was losing, I wanted to give her a good match.

Q: When you said you were expecting to get somewhere, you consider the fourth round "somewhere"?
A: No, I didn't expect to get that far. It's definitely what I have worked for.

Q: Are you going to change anything in your game to get ready to play Graf?
A: I think I'll have to have a little bigger serve than today, just trying to do my best to play Steffi.

Q: When you're going to look at the draw, people are going to look at the draw and see Graf and Sanchez, a lot of names people recognize. Do you think they are going to be surprised to see your name in that final six people?
A: It's hard for me to say what people expect. I don't know what they think. I hope they're not going to be surprised.

Q: Could you tell us how it was playing in front of such a big stadium here at stadium court?
A: I felt real comfortable out there, felt real comfortable.

Q: Anna, everybody thinks because of your age, you have nothing to lose. Does that play on your mind?
A: No. I have something to lose: my match. I'm trying to relax and do the best I can.

Q: Do you remember when you saw Steffi for the first time playing?
A: Yes. I think I saw her playing Wimbledon probably like '88 or something like that. The next year I saw her playing against Monica, first time Monica was in semifinals when she was 15. She lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. I remember that.

Q: Last time you said there was no real role model. But seeing these people at this age, what did you figure out for yourself as a plan?
A: I didn't have any plan, I was just learning from the players, the top players, Steffi and Monica. I was watching them on TV. It definitely was my dream to play Steffi.

Q: How does it feel knowing that you're the future of women's tennis?
A: I don't know if I'm the future of women's tennis.

Q:I think a lot of people think you are.
A: Well, it's great that they think that way. We'll have to wait and see what's going to happen.

Q: Who were the players that hit the hardest balls against you? Which match you had to play with the hardest hitting?
A: Well, I have played some big girls, you know, who hit the ball real hard. I remember I played against Brenda Schultz-McCarthy in a doubles match. I was pretty well returning her serve, but she was probably the one that hits harder.

Q: You think you can do everything you did today against Monica?
A: It's hard to say how I would play Monica. She would probably attack me more than Barbara did.