24th August 1998

Monica Seles (w) vs. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario FINAL Du Maurier Canadian Open 98

QUESTION: Arantxa, could you just describe the match for us? Monica came out to a very strong start. Three nothing in the first set.
 

SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I just said that it was a very good match, but obviously Monica was playing very well today. She was not missing much. She served really well, I think, so she didn't give me too many chances, and obviously I gave my best, but I just tried to, you know, to go for my shots. Didn't work as much maybe as the other matches, but you know, you have to do that because Monica, otherwise she takes advantage and she can hit a lot of winners, and that's what she did. So I think I only have one chance actually in the second set when I have a break point. But it was, you know, the only chance I have, so obviously she played much better than myself, and it's not that I played wrong, but she attacked at the right moment and she take more winners than myself. So that was the key.

QUESTION: Arantxa, your record against her now is 16 and 3. Did you have something in mind when you went out there today to try to change that around against Monica? Did you want to do something special that she wouldn't let you do?
SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, each match is different. I mean obviously I know she beat me many more times, but I think the last ones are the ones we're counting because we're both playing better, and especially myself. I think my game has improved. So I have more chances to play better against her. But I mean the last time I beat her was on clay, so it's a different situation, and I have much more time. And here the ball comes faster, so I think today the difference was that she was, you know, too good. I mean she was better than myself. I give my best. I didn't play probably as much as deep as I did the other day. So she attacked the ball really well.

QUESTION: Arantxa, after the match, at least to my ears, the applause for you was stronger than the applause for Monica. I don't know about your career in terms of politics, but here in Montreal we're looking for a new mayor pretty soon.
SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, first thing I can tell you is that I'm very happy and very, you know, excited at how the reaction of the crowd because it looks like if I would have won even than lost the final. So I think the crowd is what makes me play better here. I mean they always been so great with me that I feel great. But besides that I think it's a different story to be director of the city and getting into the politics, so I think I better stay with tennis. It's a completely different story.

QUESTION: Next time you play Monica, what have you learned from this match in terms of strategy?
SANCHEZ VICARIO: I just think obviously I will be try to, you know, probably do the same. I mean attacking the ball, but you know, probably not make as many errors when I go for my shots. I mean it's a big difference when you put it in than when you miss it. But like I say, you know, you have to do that. I know I have to go more for my shots, and obviously you just have to be a little more probably consistent, but besides that I think I did the right thing, but as I say, Monica play well the match today and it's not that I played bad. I just think she played better.

QUESTION: (In French).
 

SANCHEZ VICARIO: I think the game has improved a lot. It's a lot of competition right now. It's probably the game, you know, is getting better and better. It's different kind of styles of game, different players, more names, and that's what it makes more interesting for the game. The more, the better, and for me it's great to be part of that and be involved and try to win as much as I can, but definitely I think it's a great competition and good matches to see, even since the first rounds, not like before that you can have maybe few rounds until you get to the quarterfinals. Now you have to play well the first day and that means that the game has improved. So that's what we're looking for, and I think it's much better.

QUESTION: (In French).
SANCHEZ VICARIO: I think -- I mean this is probably one of the best tournaments for all the players. I mean all the players always love to play here, and it's like we say, looks like if there is a Grand Slam. I mean probably everything is great. I mean we have anything, you know, we need to, and I mean they make possible, you know, to be comfortable and to be like home and to have anything you need, so and besides I mean the crowd is responding so well. So it's the best you can ask for coming the first days and have home crowd, and I mean here this tournament, you know, it passed the people of how much any people are coming to watch and they make the record. So obviously it's the best you can ask for a tournament and having a strong field as the players and having great matches like we've been having the whole week and that's what makes it more special, and for me I think it's the crowd. I mean I really enjoy the crowd here and I love them, so it's probably nice to play here.

QUESTION: (In French).
SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, after I saw, yeah, it was a great, you know, satisfaction even that you give your best and you lost the final, but having the reaction of the crowd as they did to me, I feel very happy and very recognized, and I just, you know, say thanks to the crowd.

QUESTION: Did you ever have a standing ovation after a loss, except Barcelona?
SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I had it also at Wimbledon the year I lost in '95 when I lost to Graf 7-5 in the third, but obviously it's been a long time since I had it, so it's the best feeling you can ever have, yeah. So I can leave with good memories.

QUESTION: This week as you were saying, they set an attendance record. There was like 20,000 more this year than they had for the men last year, and the men's tour is on a bit of a down period now and women's tour is taking most of the interest. Do you think that it's time to equalize the prize money to make it closer between the men and the women?
SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, I think the most important is that we kind of like passed the records and the crowd is now much more into the women's tennis, you know. So you know, we're doing our best, and everything is changing right now, so we have to be very proud and very happy that things are changing and we are in the right way. And that's the way to go starting to this week and having passed the record and hopefully continue, you know, and going for longer term and the more they talk about women's tennis, the better it is for us. So it should be a time and it happens now.

QUESTION: Arantxa, last night in your match with Jana there were several debatable calls by the officiating. Early in this match today there were also a couple calls that didn't go your way. Would you be in favor of instant replay for tennis in the future using television and judges to analyze it that way?
SANCHEZ VICARIO: Well, if you're on TV, you can see more clearly, but when you're on the court, it's much more difficult. So I mean you have -- you know, sometimes things happen. So I think you have to try to forget about that and try to be focused and play your game. Obviously it's even better when they are on your side, but you know that happens, so I don't think that's a reason or excuse why you're going to win a match or why you're going to lose the match. But obviously sometimes they make errors and sometimes it's so hard to when you are into the match thinking that that's happening, but you just have to try to be focused and don't think about that, but maybe things will change, but sometimes it's hard. On clay you can see the mark obviously, but here or any other court it's much more difficult, so you cannot go by that. You just have to try to be concentrated.

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