Author's Note: I basically wanted to write a story that combined two of my favorite things: tennis and Jane Austen.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pride and Prejudice, and I'm crossing my fingers that no tennis (or soccer/football) players mentioned in this story will sue me for using their names.

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WIMBLEDON VS. WORLD CUP

Prologue:

Commentator: "Welcome back to live coverage here on ESPN2 of arguably the most famous tennis tournament, Wimbledon. As you can see behind me, it is raining, and play has been delayed for a couple of hours now. The weather is expected to clear up later in the afternoon, however. So, hopefully, we'll have more live tennis action for you soon."

"In the meantime, let's recap what's happened in the last few days here. There haven't really been any surprises so far in the tournament. On the men's side, both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have gone through the first three rounds with relative ease. Federer hasn't lost any sets while Nadal only gave up one set to the Russian Mikhail Youzhny in the second round. Meanwhile, on the women's side, Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin-Hardenne, and Amelie Mauresmo have all moved on to the fourth round. Sharapova received a bit of competition when she played Tatiana Golovin, the feisty Frenchwoman, but Sharapova prevailed with a 7-5 victory in the third set. Henin-Hardenne and Mauresmo both received straight set wins over their opponents."

"The big story this time around is the rise of the young British tennis player, Elizabeth Bennet. She's already managed to break into the top 20 this year and hopes to gain a spot in the top 10 very soon. She started this tournament with a mild upset when she beat Nadia Petrova 6-3, 6-1. Since then, Bennet has been almost unstoppable. I'll get to ask the teenager a few questions about her stunning performance when we come back."

(Camera cuts to commercial break)

Commentator: "Hello again to our presentation of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. I am sitting here with the new Brit sensation, Elizabeth Bennet. (Turns to Lizzie) Hello and welcome."

Lizzie: "Thank you."

Commentator: "So, how does it feel to be in your first ever Wimbledon tournament and to be doing so well?"

Lizzie: (Laughs) "Well, it's a truth universally acknowledged that every tennis player wants to win Wimbledon. So, of course, it feels wonderful to be here and to be playing some of my best tennis. I played at the Australian and French Opens, but I never really felt at ease there."

Commentator: "You did do fairly well in both tournaments, though. I mean, you reached the third round in both cases."

Lizzie: "There's a difference between winning matches and playing well. Or at least playing to your full potential. For example, when I played Caroline Bingley at the French in the second round, I won 6-4, 7-5, but I should have closed out the match much earlier. I played her game and tried to overpower her instead of putting more topspin on the ball, like I usually do. (Smiles) I did come back to my senses, eventually."

Commentator: "Speaking of Caroline Bingley, many British fans have grown tired of her seemingly constant temper tantrums and have been on the lookout for a new star to support. From the enthusiasm of the fans during your matches, it seems that you are that new star. How you feel about that?"

Lizzie: "Of course, it's wonderful to have the support of the crowd during a match. It gives you that added incentive to play as well as you possibly can. I do not think, however, that I am in any way 'stealing' Caroline Bingley's fans. I am certainly not trying to replace her. Tennis fans want to see great tennis, and great tennis, in my opinion, occurs when there is variety in a match. I just try to offer that variety; I'm not trying to take anything away from any other players."

Commentator: "Well, you have taken away Caroline Bingley's title as the number one ranked British tennis player on the women's side."

Lizzie: (Smiles) "I would rather think that I earned that honor than I took it from somebody else."

Commentator: "You certainly have. That is quite an accomplishment for so young a person. By the way, how old are you exactly?"

Lizzie: (Laughs) "I am not yet twenty."

Commentator: "Okay, fair enough. In any case, one of our crew members here on ESPN2 has compiled clips of people's reactions to your tremendous success."

(Video footage is shown with generic music in background)

A teenage boy: "Oh yeah, Lizzie Bennet, she's alright. I mean, she doesn't go around thinking she's the bloody Queen of Sheba, like Caroline Bingley. (Grins) Plus, she's quite fit."

An older man: "Well, she's done a lot for the sport already. My wife and I almost gave up watching women's tennis for a while because all the players would just serve aces. It was just a power game. It's nice to see long rallies again, complete with volleys, lobs, and passing shots."

Caroline Bingley: "Very frankly, I can't really say anything about Elizabeth Bennet. I am trying to focus on my personal game."

Will Darcy: "It's hard to say if Elizabeth Bennet is here to stay. She certainly wouldn't fit my definition of an accomplished tennis player. She's had very little experience. Besides, Wimbledon is only one tournament, and it can hardly compare to the World Cup. Forgive me, but I'd rather focus on my team than on young, pretty tennis players."

Two eight-year-old girls: "WE LOVE YOU, LIZZIE!"

(Video footage ends)

Commentator: "Well, that was enlightening. Just for you fans out there who are wondering, yes, that was THE Will Darcy, Caroline Bingley's ex-boyfriend and captain of the English soccer, or football as it is called here, team. His words weren't exactly flattering to you, Lizzie. Any concerns?"

Lizzie: (Laughs nonchalantly) "No. Like I said before, I just want to play to my full potential. I'm not trying to gain anybody's good opinion, except for my own."

Commentator: "Well, thank you very much for coming on to the program."

Lizzie: "Thank you for having me."

Commentator: "We all hope to see much more of you in the future. When we come back, we'll show you the highlights of last year's Wimbledon men's singles final match."

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Author's Note #2: As some of you know, I originally wrote this story as a one-shot (with the title of Lizzie Bennet: A Private Interview). However, your amazing reviews have convinced me to continue with the story! I am currently working on Chapter 1, and I hope to post it very soon. As for the rest of you, I hope you enjoyed the prologue. Feedback is very much appreciated!

Author's Note #3: By the way, I just changed the title and the summary on the spot, so if you have any better ideas, please let me know.