"I just was tired of all the questions about my past" - When Jennifer Capriati broke down in press conference following US Open loss to Monica Seles
At the 1999 US Open, Jennifer Capriati broke down in her press conference following her fourth-round exit.
Capriati was a precocious talent who made a name for herself during the early 1990s when she was still in her teens. The American was already a top 10 player and an Olympic gold medalist by the time she was 17.
However, she was also involved in a few issues off the court, which included being arrested for shoplifting and marijuana possession. Capriati's results took a hit amid these controversies and she dropped out of the top 100 of the WTA rankings.
The American, however, had a period of resurgence in 1999, winning her first two titles since 1993. That year, Capriati also reached the fourth round of the US Open before losing to Monica Seles.
She started her post-match press conference by making a statement about her life and the wrong choices she made early on in her career. The American added that she was tired of the questions about her past and wanted to get that topic over with.
"I just was tired of all the questions about my past, just all the mystery. Just once and for all, I wanted to get it over with. I mean, I'm tired of like every time I read something about myself, I always read that little tidbit about the past. I just hope by doing this, it will sort of just end that chapter, and I can start a new life," Capriati said.
The American eventually broke down during the interview; she was in tears before it ended.
"I'm going to start crying. It's nothing bad, it's just, it's just a little overwhelming, that's all. I just wish I didn't have to talk about this stuff all the time," Capriati said.
Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles locked horns on 14 occasions
Jennifer Capriati and Monica Seles locked horns 14 times, with the latter leading 9-5 in the head-to-head.
The first match between the two came in the semifinals of the 1990 French Open, with a 16-year-old Seles triumphing 6-2, 6-2 over a 14-year-old Capriati. The American's first win over Monica Seles came in the San Diego final in 1991, where she won 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(2).
Apart from the 1990 French Open semifinal, the two played another Grand Slam final-four clash as teenagers at the 1991 US Open, with Seles narrowly winning 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3).
The pair faced each other five times during the 21st century, with Seles winning thrice and Capriati twice. The former Yugoslav player won in the fourth round of the 2000 US Open while Jennifer Capriati came out on top in the quarterfinals of the 2001 Australian Open.
The last encounter between the two came in the semifinals of the 2002 Miami Open, with Capriati edging out Seles 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).