|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
WIMBLEDONJuly 12, 2015Martina HingisLeander PaesLONDON, ENGLAND PAES‑HINGIS/Peya‑Babos THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Was that more straightforward than you expected? MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think that was the best we played pretty much since Australia in all the matches. I think it's pretty exciting to come out like this in the finals of a Grand Slam. I think, yeah, beating Bryan and Mattek was definitely a huge win that day. It was my second match in that day. I'm grateful to have him on my side to pull me through that one. Today I had a great night after last night, so... Good night's sleep and I was ready to go all the way. Q. Martina, do you think on Centre Court you are the most popular Swiss or is Roger Federer more popular than you? LEANDER PAES: It's getting hot in here (laughter). Q. Why have you struck up this chemistry with two Indians? MARTINA HINGIS: With Leander, we played TeamTennis for the last two years. I'm looking forward already in two weeks, we play together again, for you, the fifth title, for me three, the Washington Kastles. With Sania, it was only March this year, yeah. Since then it's been a great ride for me. I feel already like quarter India. Been to India three times already, last November, in February. No, the fourth time actually. I'm meeting the prime minister and everything. Q. Are you doing Yoga as well, standing on your head? MARTINA HINGIS: I used to when I was a kid. Sometimes when I really need it, like last night after that match to be ready, I did some stretching and some Yoga. Sometimes even like 20 minutes Yoga breathing helps. My mom used to. So she taught me as a young girl. It's not that great when you're young. You think it's, like, boring. Later in the age it helps. Q. Martina, can you put into context winning two titles in 22 hours. How does that compare to all the titles you were winning way back in the day? MARTINA HINGIS: It feels like it's a lifetime away. The one yesterday, obviously after 17 years last time here, the match, also the way we won it, was so much drama, coming back from 5‑2 down. It's just one break, but still it feels very far. Those five games we played almost perfect tennis. Just really mentally strong. Today, I think the confidence that it gave me yesterday, to come out today with Leander, I mean, he was striking the ball, winners right and left. I'm like, Okay, if I can just keep up with him, join him a little bit. It was incredible. The chemistry we had today. It's almost like, yeah, I don't want to feel sorry, because I don't. Q. BBC said you were the best woman's doubles player in the world at the moment. MARTINA HINGIS: Thank you. We won two titles this year, so... Hopefully they say that (laughter). Q. How does that make you feel? MARTINA HINGIS: I think it's deserving also. I won yesterday. We won in Australia. We won today. I think in the mixed doubles definitely. I'm not playing alone, it's like I have a great partner to cover me up. I know I can trust him 200%. The way we play together, I think it's just a great match. I mean, Leander is just a great person that I know I can always, even like the last two weeks, whether it's practice, or off the court also, it's a great help. We practice together, we made each other better. Also we practice mixed doubles here and there. That was pretty cool. That keeps you going. The motivation is also so important. I think that even off the court it's more important that you get along than on the court. At least for me, that's how I am. Q. Martina, what is the experience like for you playing this time around as opposed to when you were younger? MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think now I just really enjoy it. I digest it much differently than when I was 17. I was like, Okay, Wimbledon. You don't have time really. There is another tournament, another week you have to get prepared for. Singles is just so much more stress. Playing, your body is hurting here, there and everywhere. In doubles, it's not that when I woke up this morning I was like, Yeah, I'm feeling great. I think just that ride that you have, the adrenaline that got me back out here with Leander, in the practice already we felt good. We just go out there and enjoy and bring this title home. It's even more incredible. I think last night and today was just amazing, the emotions. Then the lights came on even more. We didn't have the roof back in the day, the lights on at 5‑All, the people, the standing ovation. It was just like one of the best moments I could share with anyone, with Sania. It was amazing. Q. Leander, can you put your 16th Grand Slam final, where it stands, what it means to you? LEANDER PAES: It's hard to really say which one is the best one out of all of them. But coming out and playing like that on one of the most prestigious courts that we've grown up with. And winning a title like that, again for the second time in a Grand Slam without losing a set, that is really special. Australia was something brand‑new, something fresh, because it was the first time we were playing in a Grand Slam. We played World TeamTennis for a couple years and we're undefeated there. But to come and do it at Wimbledon is something really special. Everyone knows what Martina's achieved over the years at Wimbledon. To come out there and do it back‑to‑back, the physical and mental effort that it takes to win two titles in the same week, is something really, really special. To come out and for me to play like that, just be the anchor on the team, to give the team a base to work off, is my job. So that's something I really enjoy. MARTINA HINGIS: He gets better when he has more pressure. I wasn't pretending I'm tired, but he knows he was so good with that, so... Q. The only real kind of gap on your CV is the Olympic Games. MARTINA HINGIS: I'm here at Wimbledon now. Let me enjoy this moment. Olympic Games is another year to go. Q. Stan Wawrinka spoke previously to say there had been some kind of discussions about whether or not you'd play in mixed doubles in Rio. MARTINA HINGIS: You have to ask them. We previously talked, but it's been a while. Q. Do you still have any desire to play in Rio? MARTINA HINGIS: Of course. I always said. That's why I asked Roger and Stan. You know, I definitely would love to play in Rio. We'll see how it's going to develop. Q. Martina, yesterday how did you cope with your opponent grunting? She seemed to be shouting Tanya or something, the Russian opponent? MARTINA HINGIS: I think it's just like you focus on what you have to do. I mean, it doesn't bother me. It doesn't matter. I just focus on what I have to do and try to hit the ball, put it in. I don't know, do my job. It's never bothered me. Q. Leander, you've had two Martinas in partnership. Which is the better Martina? LEANDER PAES: You can't compare the two, mate. They're just two great legends of the game. To be able to play this game for so many years, it's my 26th year at Wimbledon, to play with two of the greatest female players of all time is just such a treat. In 2003, with Navratilova, and 2015 with Martina Hingis, to be able to be on the court with great champions like this, it's something really special. MARTINA HINGIS: You've been around for two generations, three generations of players. It's amazing. Q. Both of you combined is age 76. LEANDER PAES: Easy, easy, easy over there (laughter). Q. How much longer do you think you can go as a pair? How important is that experience, do you think, in doubles? MARTINA HINGIS: I think as long as we're healthy and really enjoy each other, enjoy to be out there together, the way we play. It's my lack of knowledge, my lack of English (laughter). Q. Leander, speaking of generations, you've had the privilege to play with another player named Martina, played with this player named Martina. Can you talk about the two Martinas. Obviously two different style games. Talk about the experience of playing with them, how that has been in your career. LEANDER PAES: You know, I won't talk about the amazing legends that they are with the game of tennis. We won't talk about the amazing champions that they are, the number of Grand Slams they've won. Going on to mention they epitomize what an athlete should be. They're both the two greatest female athletes on the planet that we've had in any sport. There are few other athletes in different sports that we can talk about, but in the game of tennis, both Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis are right at the top. What I will talk about is the champions of life that they are. That is a very important similarity that they have. Navratilova used to be a serve and volleyer. Martina Hingis probably has the best groundstrokes or return of serves I've ever seen. I still learn from her. You talk about the way that Martina Navratilova is up and quick and quick, everything is fast and quick. Martina Hingis is nice and easy and relaxed and smooth. When you look at them as human beings, when you look at their trials and tribulations that they've gone through, the champions that they are off the court is what I really respect a lot. I respect them as athletes, but champions they are of life, the way they stood their ground, the way they speak, their word. Maybe sometimes even getting into a little bit of trouble about being really honest. At the same time they are so truthful to themselves that when they rest their heads on their pillow, they know they've done the best they can do in their life. To me, Martina Hingis is one of the most honest, truthful, straight up person you'll ever meet, let along not to mention a professional after last night. She won last night. MARTINA HINGIS: Thank you. LEANDER PAES: Anybody else would have gone and had a bottle of champagne, partied, stayed up late, and all that sort of stuff because you're winning Wimbledon. She came out there today ready for practice. She was ready doing her lines, doing her sprints. She got me in check. MARTINA HINGIS: How did you know what I was doing last night? LEANDER PAES: I know you didn't sleep until 3:00 last night. I know you weren't partying. You couldn't get to sleep. Just they epitomize what an athlete and a human being should be. To be alongside both Martinas is just a real treat, mate. Q. I understand you're a Christian. What do you think it will mean for your nation that in two days, a Christian and a man, an Islamic woman, have won international titles? LEANDER PAES: That's the beautiful thing about India. We're a big country with so many different cultures, religions, community, people from all different walks of life. To me that's what India stands for. You have a population of 1.3 billion Indians or so, who all live in a fairly large land mass, but when you look at it we're all living together. If you look at the highrises in Bombay, Chennai, Calcutta, Delhi, we're all pretty much getting along with each other. To see more of that, regardless of our color, race, culture, background, we all come together and be the best we can be. It's not just in India. It's around the whole world. Martina has gone all around the world and brought happiness to people regardless of their religion. For Sania coming in and winning, is magical. She's worked so many years to win a Grand Slam title. This is the first women's doubles title she's won. Phenomenal. So really I think when you look at tennis as a vehicle to bridge communities, bridge cultures, we're so blessed to have that opportunity. MARTINA HINGIS: And I'm blessed to have you, too. Q. After that wonderful tribute, talking about the trials and tribulations you and Martina faced, what would you say when it comes to tennis was the biggest thing you had to face and overcome in your career? MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I was very lucky to have my mother. I mean, that's the first thing. It's like every time, I always remember the Hall of Fame, 2013, she was there. When you think back what she sacrificed to have me play tennis. She had three jobs at once so we could go and drive to tournaments, giving 50 hours a week lessons so we could, again, drive to the junior events and all that, that she sacrificed for me to be able to play tennis. I'm very grateful to have her in my life. I think that's the biggest tribute in my life, from gratitude that I have, it's to my mother. She made it easier for me to have a greater and better life. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|