WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2001

Martina Hingis

MODERATOR: Martina Hingis.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, what went well? Not much. No, I wasn't really able to practise last week that much. I had a little tendonitis in my back, in my lower back. I was more or less only able to play from like standing. In the match, you have to move around, and that's a little bit more difficult.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I still tried to hit. I still played the movements I could do, yeah. But I had a hard time. I thought it's going to get better. I had treatment. I didn't want to miss Wimbledon. Yeah, it's behind me.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think some of the people have seen me a couple days ago at adidas. I did an appearance, an appearance at Roehampton. It was a new shirt for Wimbledon. Normally it's cooler here these days, but it was very warm today.

MARTINA HINGIS: These are different reasons why. I wasn't really able to move. Yesterday, I got a little better. Today, I was just afraid of moving. I didn't exactly now how far can I go. Against any player these days you have to just be able to run. She took advantage of it. She played well.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, it started like in the beginning last week. I had acupuncture in my lower back. It got better. But still, it was too short a recovery time to really heal it. Also practise, I mean, you have to practise before Wimbledon.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, once you lose the first set and you're losing 3-Love, I mean, that doesn't look very rosy out there anymore. You know, you never know. She could -- I felt like I wasn't playing well, but she hit some great shots. You know, she was just better today. I mean, there's no excuse. Whether you're injured or not, if you go out there, if you step out there, you just play.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it seems like either I do really well here or I lose first round now. No, I mean, it's just a different opponent. Like I said, two, three days ago, I didn't know exactly if I was going to come here at all. I tried. I did everything I could. It came out this way. Once you're out there, you don't think about it. I mean, it's a great court. I had great experiences on that court.

MARTINA HINGIS: Where did that one come from?

MARTINA HINGIS: I don't think it will happen.

MARTINA HINGIS: But it's not there yet. Venus still has to win this tournament, I think.

MARTINA HINGIS: You know, if she takes over, she deserves it. She had a bad loss last week -- well, at the French Open. I mean, it showed my consistency that I always was at the top spot because there was always a different player who was No. 1 or who always played well at the big tournaments like the Grand Slams. But it was always a different player who beat me in the semis or in the finals. But I was always there with the top. Maybe sometimes I always felt like maybe the second. Because I was No. 1, I was always there. That's why the ranking system is there. That's what it's there for.

MARTINA HINGIS: Now I have five weeks off till the next one.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think like always I had little ups and downs in my career. Downs were like I dropped to No. 2. Yeah, big deal. Like right now I know sometime, you just need some time to recover, your body and soul. Now I will have the time to do it. We'll see where I go. I go home to Switzerland and then prepare myself for the hard court season already. I have definitely some time now.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I knew I had a chance against Virginia. I mean, if I had to play some other player, like I said, I wouldn't even have come here. I just tried to do my best. I thought maybe it will be good enough. Once I get past the first round, I have a chance to go along, everything gets better, my mental situation, just the view of the court and everything. But, you know, I played it, I tried. Now it's behind me. Next time I will be definitely better prepared. If something like that happens, I just have to, you know, decide beforehand whether it's a good idea to come or not.

MARTINA HINGIS: It's frustrating. If you want to go out there, practise, you know it's a Grand Slam coming up, and you can't run. I mean, that's the only thing. If I can't play one, two days, I want to do something. I want to be able to move and run. If something hurts, bothers you, even if it's a little thing, it's still disappointing.

MARTINA HINGIS: I mean, otherwise I'm fine, yeah. I don't have a mental problem, no.

MARTINA HINGIS: Didn't you see her?

MARTINA HINGIS: Yes.

MARTINA HINGIS: The things I've said. I mean, "You tried, you tried your best. Now it's over. You have to decide what you're doing next."

MARTINA HINGIS: I don't think it's such a big failure. Like I said before, there was always one player who was better than me at the end, whether it was Lindsay in '98, Serena for a while, Venus; French Open, Mary played a great tournament. Now it's Jennifer. It's always the one player who I have to be able to beat at the end. Hopefully, you know, I'll be able to do it again.

MARTINA HINGIS: Not at all. I had a great beginning of the year. I beat both sisters. I know if I'm a hundred percent, I can go out there and beat anybody. That's a great feeling to have. Not many players have that. You've seen other players having ups and downs. I mean, that's a very natural, normal thing.

MARTINA HINGIS: I don't think so. I don't want to be staying here, even the weather is great. I think other parts of the world is going to be good, too.

MARTINA HINGIS: No.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, no. She's playing very well. She looks fitter than ever. She's very hungry. She's believing in herself. I wouldn't be surprised, no.

MARTINA HINGIS: No, I think Jennifer right now is the favourite definitely, yeah.