TMS - INDIAN WELLS

March 12, 2001

Martina Hingis

MODERATOR: Questions for Martina.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, not too much actually. I don't count how many times I play someone. I just played her recently in Doha where she didn't play that well. I mean, she had some good matches before she played me in the semis, I think. It was the semis, yeah. I kind of had an easy time there against her. But I knew today, I mean, she had nothing to lose, as always. She played a better matchh today than she did in Doha. I had my chances, being up a set and 4-2 on serve. But she stepped it up a little bit. Some of the shots went just right for her. They were close to the lines. There's not much I could do about that. But I was happy winning the tiebreaker at the end, that's for sure.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it was kind of hot out there, so it was a little bit more difficult to maintain your high level. It was very intense, as you say, and tiring to play every point. I had my chances, as I said, especially at 2-1. She was a little bit down, but same I was. She just held that serve to equalize it. Then I went up the two games. But she didn't play that well, and I just a little bit was taking my time. When I needed it, I really made the points, and she would just miss basically. Then she just stopped missing, and I had to step up a little bit too. That's what I did. Sometimes, you know, you don't know. She was 5-4, on serve. She hit a great first serve, the first point. Then you're like, "Okay, the set might be over soon." There's still a third one, so I was like, "Okay, we'll see what happens."

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, not high confidence. But she's not like -- I had tough matches against her in the past. It wouldn't be anything new if I had to go and play her a tough one again. I was just out there. I think I played a much better match than the previous two, so I was happy, especially towards the end when it got really tight. We both played I think very well towards the end. I was happy about that, yeah.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, but she would miss a lot more. She just wasn't playing there very well. She was always a little bit late. Here she has more time because it's kind of slower, the ball bounces higher. She just was able to make some great winners out of positions where you wouldn't expect her to do that. I was like, "Okay, not much I can do about that" at some points of the game. I still felt like, "Okay, just play point by point."

MARTINA HINGIS: I thought so, too. It might also be on the player, I don't know. But I kind of like that Stadium 2 court. I don't really care where I play. You have to go out there and play your game, play your match. I kind of like the setting, which is a little bit more familiar. It's nicer to have a smaller stadium which is crowded than a huge stadium which is empty.

MARTINA HINGIS: Foot or leg problems?

MARTINA HINGIS: Not really, no. I went to the Palm Canyon yesterday with my mom. We ran a little bit up to the hill. I wanted to see what's behind the next one and the next one. I'm a little bit sore actually. Not too bad. I was still able to play. I should be used to that from Switzerland. I just went in the snow, was there in the hills, too, or mountains.

MARTINA HINGIS: Sometimes you have that feel. I only practiced yesterday morning like an hour. Then we knew we were either going to go for a walk or run or something. But I felt good. I just kept on going. It was like, "Okay, you better turn around." I think it closed at five (laughter).

MARTINA HINGIS: Only like an hour.

MARTINA HINGIS: No, we drove up there, then there is kind of this parking lot with the restaurant, then you just walk down, just go the trail. I didn't run all the way, only when it felt like it was going downhill or just when I felt like it.

MARTINA HINGIS: That I wasn't able to go?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it's difficult if you have to do something like that during the tournament. It's very important. I knew I had to play today early match in a way, so I just felt like Venus, you know, she got the award, so it was her night.

MARTINA HINGIS: I know that, but I think it's difficult. There's like so many people there. I asked some players, "How was it?" I think it's difficult at the last moment to know you have to go there and do things if you have to play next day.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, was Venus there?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I don't know. It probably was made at the last moment, last minute. You can't just always make the players do everything. I think I did a lot for the tournament and for the sponsors so far. I've been pretty good with that.

MARTINA HINGIS: It wasn't mandatory to go for the players.

MARTINA HINGIS: Nine of the Top 10 weren't there?

MARTINA HINGIS: I think it's the way it's just been probably made in the past. Now it's always like different settings. You get to know like two weeks before or a week before, then you just -- okay, you don't even know if you go or not, especially if you have to play next day, as I'm saying. It's really not just the greatest time, I think. I don't know, I haven't been told what it is about exactly, but I knew I maybe was getting something or not. I felt like it wasn't an appropriate time. I think it's just the date. I liked it better when it was at the end of the year when it was during the Chase Championships. I think that was much better towards the end of the year instead of the middle of March.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think so, yes. I think this is one of the more important tournaments. I think you could put it at six, seven best tournaments, biggest tournaments of the year. It's not worth it for me to show up at a gala or something then lose next day. I've been at a lot of parties, made a lot this year. I felt like I had to focus on my game, not on showing up. I know it's been a great event, I guess. As you mention, it was nine of the Top 10 players. It's says something that it's not just being made right.

MARTINA HINGIS: No, we haven't had anything to say about that.

MARTINA HINGIS: We had a meeting here. I think it was just a little bit too late to have it. We got that message it wasn't mandatory. It was either if you want to go. Those players that lost, they can have a great time. Those that are still in the game, it's probably not the greatest time.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I played with a different racquet in Doha and Dubai. I kind of messed up my serve. I was happy I put a lot of first serves in today. Well, maybe sometimes better than others. I think, you know, I wasn't very satisfied with all my all-around game, so I think it's a lot of mental. If I feel safe from the baseline, play my game, serve would come along. I think I served much better than in the last two matches, especially the first serve, I placed it better, got some better points in the situation. Second serve was never really the biggest part of my game. I didn't double-fault today, only once. She didn't really pressure me that much on the second serve, so.

MARTINA HINGIS: Not here. I think I need a little bit more time.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yes.

MARTINA HINGIS: It was a little heavier towards the head. Just got a little bit too heavy. I started feeling my arm a little bit, just couldn't hold it three or four times going back and forth, like the speeding rallies.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I'm totally satisfied with the outfit. Maybe I have to tell adidas to get some new ones. I don't know if I put some weight on or is just shrank. I like it. It's very light when you play in it. When it's hot, it's white color, so it doesn't affect. It's not like floating around.

MARTINA HINGIS: Support for the muscle. It's a little tighter than the shirts I had in the past. But when you're on court, you don't really think of it. It definitely gives me some kind of support, yeah.