TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 23, 2001

Martina Hingis

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

MARTINA HINGIS: What am I making of it? Nothing. What shall I do of it?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I mean it's a family matter, you know. This is professional sports and things happen. It's not up to me to judge these things, you know. I am trying to do my job and so are they. I don't know, you know. Is like I know as much as you do.

THE MODERATOR: Next question, please. Based on security and legal reasons she's not answering any of those questions.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think it's when I was a kid I used to play a lot, and I think it's the way I practiced, the way I train and do things outside of tennis that I try to keep everything like very plain. I have to give lots of credit to my mom because she knows me the best, and maybe I don't push myself also over the limits where I get really, really tired and I can't control my body anymore. So the injuries happen if a player gets tired and in just matches or practice goes over that barrier and where your body just collapses. And I haven't really done that.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, while I was cramping, yes. There was times like against Steffi, but usually I had like my ankle sprained a few times, but I had it taped before the match, and during the match it wasn't too bad. In Filderstadt one time I had my ankle taped. But I don't remember cramping that time. I don't really remember. But I go to the trainers before the match to try to avoid things before and not during it. So...

MARTINA HINGIS: I think I played very consistent, very, you know, solid game. I think because I didn't play here or I didn't play since, you know, Indian Wells, so it's been a week. You have to get this kind of routine of the new court again, of the new stadium. Even though I've played here, it seems like it's new every time you go back out there. Night match, it's dark so you practice during the day and you go out there and it's like nothing there, just the lights. I think I still need some improvement on my returns, the court side you have to get. And I was fine otherwise.

MARTINA HINGIS: For me, that's good average.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I mean we have a very professional relationship. It's based on results and, you know, even like Australia, they were like next to me in the locker rooms because they had this new lockers. We have to, you know, be there together in a way, so you definitely don't kill each other in the locker room before you go out there, no way. No. It's normal. I leave that up to boxing, you know, like when they go in the ring and they... (Laughing.)

MARTINA HINGIS: For me, it's always nice because I had great memories of this tournament, winning here twice. It's always been like a step in my life because either I played great here or I played terrible, so I think, you know, it's always either you have to get better or keep going in one direction, and, you know, I just see how it happens this year. So far, so good.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, top five is hard to say. I think more Top 10 it would be probably like Clijsters, Henin is playing very well, she's very solid. She's little, she's quick, and has some chances I think. But you can't really tell, you know, how long that's going to last because if she wins only like two, three matches and then it's gonna be too much or if she has the same problem as me, you know, how long against power players, how long can we last? But otherwise, it's hard to say. You know, there are Russian youngsters coming up Dementieva, Bovina, you don't know.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she's a big girl. She's become a big girl, that's for sure. I didn't see the match she played against Corina, but I know Corina very well. She was in Zurich practicing with me for three days and also today I hit with her. I know her game, and I ask her about, you know, how did she do. She hits the ball very, very hard but she can't really move. So I think once she gets that, but if she will. That's the question.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think people remember more who has been the No. 1 player than they would how many Grand Slams have you won, and I think I won Grand Slams in the past and, you know, hopefully there will be a time when I'll win them again.