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Betty Barclay 2002 Interview
May 5, 2002
Clijsters def. Williams 1-6 6-3 6-4
Q: Congratulations. There were moments when you seemed to be like in a zone, you disappeared and you just played everything right. Can you describe these moments?
A: I think in the first set I was making a little too many unforced errors. On the other hand she was playing really well, she was hitting all the lines, so it was hard. But I told myself to keep hanging in there and to fight, because you never know, there still might be a chance, she still has to win another set before she has the match. So I was just hanging in there and then I broke her, I just kept fighting. Maybe she made a little too many unforced errors in the second set to let me come into the second set and let me come into the match. That is when I felt I was getting a little closer and I raised my level a little bit.
Q: You only played her once last year. What did you learn from that, what could you apply to this match from it?
A: She played then like she did today in the first set. She played a whole match like this and if she is in the zone she hits all the lines and she hits winners of your first serve. Today I felt like I had to be a little bit more aggressive than then and I tried to let her run to open up the court a little bit. I think that is what I did different than then.
Q: She was also more defensive then.
A: That is what I had to do and in the beginning of the set I was letting her do all the tennis and I was the one who was running all the time, but in the second set I was trying to be a little bit more aggressive on her second serve, tried to let her run and tried to hit closer to the lines, and it worked.
Q: You are very strong at the moment and you have got potential. Do you think you might go to number 1 now?
A: No, not at all. I play tennis because I enjoy it. I don�t really set goals, of course I do my best and I do my best 200% every match I play and every tournament I play. I know that when I will stop playing tennis that gave my best, and if I�m 3 or 1 or 2 or 8, I�ll know that I had fun and I did all that I could.
Q: You may not set it as a goal, but are you capable of it?
A: It�s hard to say. It�s not because I beat the no. 1 player now that I�ll be the next no. 1 player in the world. To be the no. 1 player of the world you have to have consistency and you have to be able to do it week in, week out. I think that is why we have Martina Hingis, because she has been the no. 1 for so long. It�s hard to be up there and to stay up there. But you�ll never hear me say that I want to be become no. 1 or that I�ll be the next no. 1. Of course it would be nice, but if you do your best and if you have good results the higher ranking will come automatically.
Q: Is it for your kind of play better to play Venus on clay? The court at the US-Open last year was very fast.
A: No, if you saw the first set, I don�t think it was a big advantage for me. It is definitely easier to try to break her once in a while, because her serve doesn�t slide through as quick as it does on a grass court and a hard court. But on the other hand she�s got easier returns when she is returning, so it�s a bit in the middle I think. I definitely had a better chance to beat her here today than I had last year at the US-Open.
Q: In your interrupted thank-you-speech at the end due to technical problems you also thanked that little club that was up top in the corner. Did you hear them?
A: Definitely, especially when you are down, those are the ones who try to get you up. You don�t hear the rest, they are probably the only thing you hear. Also when I was winning, they were supporting me. They have been there the whole week, that was good. I got to know them a few days ago and I just met them before here again and I thanked them.
Q: Has Lleyton helped you this week?
A: I have been hitting with him a few times, but for the rest he was practising for his tournament in Rome. We�ll see if I helped him a little bit. It�s nice for me to be able to hit with him, because I always have good practice sessions with him. It�s impossible for me to hit a winner against him.
Q: Does this tournament give you confidence for Roland Garros?
A: It�s definitely a better start than I had last year. Last year I lost two first rounds before the French. This year I�m playing well. Also my first Fed Cup match this year was on clay and I played really well and that gave me confidence to come out here. I�ll definitely feel more comfortable to start at the French this year, but that doesn�t mean anything, it�s a different tournament. Tonight I�ll go to Berlin.
Q: How many times have you played that French Open final back in your mind?
A: We play so many tournaments that you don�t actually get much time to think about it. But I�m looking forward to go back there and enjoy the whole feeling again.
Q: How much better are you one year later?
A: Well, I had more experience, that�s the thing. And I�ve been to a Grand Slam final. In my last Grand Slams I�ve done quarters and semis, so I�m capable to get to the second week and to the quarters and to the semis maybe. You never know, but I feel more comfortable. I�m used to being there and I�m used to the Grand Slam atmosphere.
Q: Is it more important to you to win a Grand Slam title or to be no. 1?
A: Anything would be nice. I�ve got no idea actually. Both.
Q: For which Grand Slam do you have a preference?
A: Any one is good. I have no idea, I mean, it�s always nice to be no. 1, because people know you for being no. 1, but it�s also nice to see your name on one of the trophies of the Grand Slam.
Q: Your parents are also connected to sports, I believe?
A: Yes, actually, my family had a pretty good week. My sister was playing a juniors tournament in Italy and she won yesterday, she won singles and doubles. My dad is actually coaching a soccer team, so he wasn�t able to come to this trip, but he followed it on TV. My mum is driving back from Italy with my sister, so she�s been sending messages with my dad all the time.
Q: I read that you are perhaps going to Australia. There are even speculations that you are playing for Australia. Is that inaccurate?
A: I�ve never said that. Somebody misunderstood it or they changed the words a little bit. I did an interview during the Fed Cup during a rain delay with an Australian journalist, and the only thing she said was whether I would like to live in Australia. I said yes, when I stop playing tennis, because I love Australia, that�s all I said. Then I made a joke about the weather in Belgium. So I said I would like to live there but I never spoke about playing Fed Cup for Australia or changing my nationality. I�m proud to be Belgium.
Q: But how likely is it that you might actually live there?
A: Oh, Australia is a great country. The only thing that makes it hard is because it is so far away, about 30 hours flight. But every time I go to Australia I had so much fun. The people can live outside and they are so relaxed, I like that. So maybe one day I�ll move there. But I�m actually building a house in Belgium at the moment. So I�ll have two places.
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