US OPEN

September 12, 1998

H.J. Hippensteel

Q. So we know, which one is David?

DAVID MARTIN: David Martin.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: K.J. Hippensteel.

DAVID MARTIN: Since March. Our first tournament, we went on kind of a USTA sponsored trip to South America and played our first two tournaments there.

DAVID MARTIN: Got to the semis and the finals, right?

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: Right.

DAVID MARTIN: Yeah, I think so. I guess since we had a lot of opportunities in the first set also. To finally actually come through and get a set just really pumped us up, gave us a lot of confidence. I think we felt really, really good then, so we just went for it.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: This one for sure. This one's a Grand Slam. It's the one you dream about, you know. Hopefully we can move on to the adult senior Open.

DAVID MARTIN: Yeah, I think so. I think -- Kalamazoo is an awesome tournament to win, really prestigious. But, I mean, when you have the best people from around the world, I think that makes it a little more special.

DAVID MARTIN: Hopefully. I mean, he's going away to Stanford. I'm not sure -- I'm going to be a senior in high school next year. I don't know how much we're going to be able to play. I mean, it would be fun if we got to.

DAVID MARTIN: Uh-huh.

DAVID MARTIN: Main draw, the pros are a lot quicker, it's a lot faster game. They move a lot at the net. Sometimes the ball's by you before you know it, before you even see it. I'd say volleys and every ball that's above the net, they'll put it away. They don't give you any second chances.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: Yeah, and there's no free points either. In Juniors, you get a lot of service winners off our serve. But, you know, in the pros, they make you compete every point.

DAVID MARTIN: Both have pretty good serves, I think, get some free points off of that. I think we can return well at times. KJ returned especially well this match. I was struggling a little bit.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: That's okay.

DAVID MARTIN: I think also that we like each other and we get along on the court, just feel comfortable with each other out there.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: Yeah. The fact that we're two lefties kind of helps, too, on our serves. It's a different look. You know, they're not used to facing two lefties. Whenever we're down, the other partner picks us up.

DAVID MARTIN: Bowen from I think the States, and something Zdrazila from Czech.

DAVID MARTIN: No, never seen them before really.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: No.

DAVID MARTIN: That would be awesome. Yeah, I mean, playing in Davis Cup. I never really thought of it. That would be awesome.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: We have to beat the Bryans first. They're the next team.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: No. We've never played them. They're a little older than us.

DAVID MARTIN: It's pretty wide open. I'd say Stanford and Duke. Just Stanford because they, like, win every year. And Duke, I like the school. That's it. It's kind of a toss-up.

DAVID MARTIN: Yeah.

K.J. HIPPENSTEEL: Yeah. I hope he goes to Stanford (laughter).