THE LIPTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 23, 1999

Marlene Weingartner

VERONIQUE MARCHAL: Questions in English.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Like one week ago, last Sunday, I started the qualifying. I wouldn't have thought that I'm going to be in round four of this tournament. I had a really good week. I think I deserved it because I really worked hard to get here. Also the month before. Today was my first time I played Hingis, my first time. I went on the court pretty calm. I knew I had nothing to lose. I tried hard. She's very solid. That's why she's No. 1. I think I learned a lot out of the match for the next time.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: I mean, in the beginning of the match I wanted to finish the points too early. I was confident to hit the winners and to hit the ball, but she was running and she got everything back, so I had to stay also in there and play a few balls and rallies. Then she was missing too, that was happening in the second set a little bit. I think I was a little bit tired today. My legs were a little slow. I didn't get to all the balls because I played six matches before. I had a good feeling still about the match, even if it was 6-Love, 6-2. I think there were some very close games which could have been also the other way.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: In the women's, I was last year at the US Open also. I qualified and I reached second round, lost to Steffi. I played also Fed Cup. I won my match there. I had good success in the Juniors. I was three times finalist in the Juniors, in the French Open, Australian Open, US Open. I finished my school last year also. That's why I really started focusing since last year, July.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yeah, in Heidelberg. That's pretty much it. I played a few little tournament tournaments, like 50,000, I was finalist.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: Yes.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: It's a small city. But I started to play there in the center, the tennis center, where always Steffi practiced, Becker, Anke Huber. I left it when I was 14. I just stayed there for two years. We still kept the ATP there. We actually also got the ATP from Boris, same ATP. He gave it to us.

MARLENE WEINGARTNER: In '90. It was long time. But since then, no.