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Here is a new interview with Davenport, I took it from the ESPN Board. Let me know what you guys think of it!
Date: 24/12/2001
The world's top-ranked player believes she is heading to Sydney next month unworthy of the position, writes Diane Pucin in Laguna Beach, California.
Lindsay Davenport is the No.1 female tennis player in the world, which makes her laugh.
"I don't feel No.1," says Davenport, who will play in the adidas International starting on January 6 in Sydney. "Venus [Williams] is the best. I think you have to say that the way she won Wimbledon and the US Open makes her No.1."
"I know the WTA wants people to believe all the tournaments matter but for the players and the fans, it's all about the grand slams," Davenport says.
"Would I trade my year of being No.1 for winning Wimbledon and the US Open, like Venus did? Oh yeah, of course I would."
Over the course of an hour, Davenport talks about Martina Hingis: "It's going to be hard for Martina to win slams anymore." And Jennifer Capriati: "I think I hurt her feelings when I say Venus should be No.1 but, come on. Venus played, like, 12 tournaments. Jennifer and I played 17, and we're still just barely ahead of her in the rankings."
Davenport is sitting in the living room of the Laguna Beach, California, home she shares with Jon Leach, an investment banker, brother of touring doubles specialist Rick and son of longtime USC tennis coach Dick.
It is the home of a regular person, which is something else good about Davenport. She is, of all the top female tennis players, the one you would want as a friend. She readily shares her thoughts, her emotions.
Now Davenport is getting restless. She had to pull out of her final match of 2001, the championship match of the WTA Tour Championships in Munich against Serena Williams.
Her left knee could not take one more moment of play. The knee is hyperextended and bone is rubbing on bone. She very much wanted to play Serena and was feeling a little guilty about her [Davenport's] No.1 ranking.
Davenport was playing Hingis when Hingis tore ligaments in her ankle in October. "The way she screamed, I've just never actually been on the court when somebody got hurt like that," she says. "Martina played so many tournaments trying to be No.1, and I think her body couldn't take it. "Actually, I kind of admire that about Venus and Serena. They don't feel any responsibility to play except when they want to and when they are totally healthy. If I'm entered in an event, I always feel like I have to play, even if I don't feel physically ready for it."
Davenport, 25, will be starting her 10th year as a touring pro. She wants to have a baby by the time she is 30. By her calculations, this gives her two, maybe three more years of professional tennis.
"If Venus played even close to a full schedule, I don't see right now how anybody else could be No.1," she says. "Over the last couple of years, her game has improved so much. Everything is better. It's pretty amazing. I've never seen anyone improve so much."
Date: 24/12/2001
The world's top-ranked player believes she is heading to Sydney next month unworthy of the position, writes Diane Pucin in Laguna Beach, California.
Lindsay Davenport is the No.1 female tennis player in the world, which makes her laugh.
"I don't feel No.1," says Davenport, who will play in the adidas International starting on January 6 in Sydney. "Venus [Williams] is the best. I think you have to say that the way she won Wimbledon and the US Open makes her No.1."
"I know the WTA wants people to believe all the tournaments matter but for the players and the fans, it's all about the grand slams," Davenport says.
"Would I trade my year of being No.1 for winning Wimbledon and the US Open, like Venus did? Oh yeah, of course I would."
Over the course of an hour, Davenport talks about Martina Hingis: "It's going to be hard for Martina to win slams anymore." And Jennifer Capriati: "I think I hurt her feelings when I say Venus should be No.1 but, come on. Venus played, like, 12 tournaments. Jennifer and I played 17, and we're still just barely ahead of her in the rankings."
Davenport is sitting in the living room of the Laguna Beach, California, home she shares with Jon Leach, an investment banker, brother of touring doubles specialist Rick and son of longtime USC tennis coach Dick.
It is the home of a regular person, which is something else good about Davenport. She is, of all the top female tennis players, the one you would want as a friend. She readily shares her thoughts, her emotions.
Now Davenport is getting restless. She had to pull out of her final match of 2001, the championship match of the WTA Tour Championships in Munich against Serena Williams.
Her left knee could not take one more moment of play. The knee is hyperextended and bone is rubbing on bone. She very much wanted to play Serena and was feeling a little guilty about her [Davenport's] No.1 ranking.
Davenport was playing Hingis when Hingis tore ligaments in her ankle in October. "The way she screamed, I've just never actually been on the court when somebody got hurt like that," she says. "Martina played so many tournaments trying to be No.1, and I think her body couldn't take it. "Actually, I kind of admire that about Venus and Serena. They don't feel any responsibility to play except when they want to and when they are totally healthy. If I'm entered in an event, I always feel like I have to play, even if I don't feel physically ready for it."
Davenport, 25, will be starting her 10th year as a touring pro. She wants to have a baby by the time she is 30. By her calculations, this gives her two, maybe three more years of professional tennis.
"If Venus played even close to a full schedule, I don't see right now how anybody else could be No.1," she says. "Over the last couple of years, her game has improved so much. Everything is better. It's pretty amazing. I've never seen anyone improve so much."
