雪梨女網賽八強賽-賽後訪問 - 網球

January 9, 2008

Justine Henin

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Nice encouraging start to the year. What sort of shape do you think you are
in going into the Open?

JUSTINE HENIN: It was a good start. It's been a strange start in the tournament
for me winning my first match not playing. So I'm happy with the way I played
today.
It's never easy the first match of the season. You have to forget about the
last season and really get focused on now, and that's another kind of pressure.
I start to be used to it.
I felt good on the court and I felt the surface pretty good and it's going to
be great. I'm going to have a tough match tomorrow against Ivanovic, and that's
the kind of match I really need before the Open. The Open remain the goal here
in Australia, so I hope I can play two more matches here and get ready for the
open.


Q. Did you feel like maybe you needed one more game just to get used to the
heat and the surface?

JUSTINE HENIN: It's important that I'm here in Sydney and I play a few matches,
even if it's two or three our four. It's just that, yeah, you need to get used
to jet lag, the weather, a lot things, so it was really important for me to
come here.
I missed Australia a lot last year and I'm happy to be back. I'm very excited
about the Open next week. I hope it's going to be great.


Q. When did you start preparing to come to Australia?

JUSTINE HENIN: I started after the Championships. I took two weeks off and then
I started I think 25th, 26th of November. I was in Monaco where I live, so I
did my whole preparation over there. I could practice outside. Not as hot as
here for sure because it's the winter there, but still I could play outdoors
and that was important. I had good preparation, so I'm happy the way I am now.


Q. You have very strong legs. Do you do a lot of running or a lot of cycling?
JUSTINE HENIN: Not a lot of running because my knee is bothering me when I run
a lot. I do a lot of cycling. I do a lot of spinning. I like it lot and it's a
lot of fun.
I don't do a lot of weights anymore. I work just a lot with my body weight and
some bends and some different kinds of things, but not really with a lot of
weights. No, I feel good.


Q. When you're playing your first game of the season and you face somebody you
never played before, what are the sort of potential dangers there?

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, it's a danger. Every time you walk on the court you know
you can win and you can lose, and I see both of situations mentally before I
walk on the court because everything can happen.
I'm not a big fan of playing someone that I don't know because I like to know
what to expect, but now with a lot of young players coming on the Tour it's
more often that I play girl that I don't know.
But tomorrow is going to be someone that I know pretty much. Yeah, it's first
tournament of the season. You need a few days to get your confidence and your
rhythm back, but I think that it was a good start today.


Q. You have a very good record at the Australian Open. What do you think is it
about that tournament that seems to bring out the best in you?

JUSTINE HENIN: Well, I love being in Australia. I like the mentality. I like
the weather here even if it could be hot. I like the people. It's a pretty
relaxed tournament.
It's the first of the season so everyone is happy to be back and see each other
again. We discuss about our holidays and all these kind of things. No, that's a
great event. I like it a lot.
The surface -- I mean, the Rebound Ace was pretty good for me and I think this
one could be a good surface for me, too. I left Australia with a strange
feeling two years ago and I wasn't here last year, so it's great feeling to be
back again.


Q. Do you think you have a point to prove at all after what happened two years
ago, unfinished business?

JUSTINE HENIN: No, I don't think so, because, you know, I feel really
comfortable about what happened and I have no regrets. I was feeling so bad.
I mean, I wasn't healthy enough to play that match. It's pretty tough when in
a Grand Slam final when you're not 100% to take your chances and take the
opportunity.
I wanted this title so much so it was tough, but I don't have anything to
prove to anyone. I'm here because I love tennis and I'm here because I love
any job. I do it the best I can and try to remain healthy because it's the key
for me if I want to be on the Tour for a few more years.


Q. Did you think the women's draw in Melbourne is really open? Do you think it
could be more open?

JUSTINE HENIN: I think women's tennis is quite open now. It's going to be
interesting, especially first Grand Slam of the season, because you need a
little bit of time to get used to this kind of pressure again.
Because you know the French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, everything in two and a
half or three months and a half, three months, and now we didn't play in
Grand Slam for a few months and we need to get used to the atmosphere again.
Everything can happen in Melbourne for sure.


Q. Svetlana was here and she said you're the favorite. Do you see yourself as
the favorite?

JUSTINE HENIN: Well, as the No. 1 player in the world I can understand that
everyone sees me as the favorite. But I can tell you every time I wake up,
yeah, like I said, anything can happen. I just do the best I can. I'm really
focus on myself and I just try to do my best and be well-prepared and, yeah,
just give 200% on the court.
We'll see what's going to happen. A Grand Slams is long. I'm still in Sydney
now and in the semis tomorrow and Grand Slams is seven matches. You need to be
strong mentally physically, and you need a little bit of luck also.
It's long story, I can tell you, so you must go step by step and match after
match.


Q. I know you like being No. 1. Do you feel as like one of the drawbacks it's
having a target on your back?

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah.


Q. Do you feel like that's a downside?

JUSTINE HENIN: Yeah, everyone loves to play against the No. 1 player in the
world because there's less pressure on them when they play me, and I can feel
it. They always have a better level, which is interesting and very exciting
for me because it's always a good challenge to keep my ranking and to improve,
also.
Like I said, if you think only about ranking, what can I do better? I mean,
I'm the No. 1 player in the world, but that's not the most important thing.
I just want to be a better player this year. That's it.


Q. Can I just ask you, off the court I know you love Australia, but Sydney
specifically, have you had much time to get around this time?

JUSTINE HENIN: Not enough. I'll come back in a few years. No, I like the
atmosphere. I like Sydney a lot, but I cannot tell you that I really know the
city pretty well. I like to keep my energy. I'm the kind of player who is
really focused in the tournament, so I don't take too much time to do other
things.
I'm a bit frustrated about that, because it's beautiful country. I'll take the
time in a few years to come back and really maybe take one month in Australia
to know the country a little better.


Q. If you could have time this week, what would be the top three things on
your list to do in Sydney?

JUSTINE HENIN: I don't know. I didn't think about that.

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