COMPAQ GRAND SLAM CUP

September 29, 1999

Martina Hingis

WTA: Questions for Martina.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it's good to have a victory before a birthday, so let's say this. Well, definitely the beginning wasn't that great. The first set I was up 5-3, was able to serve it out, didn't take the chance. I had a set point on her serve. It was long waiting for that guys' match. ^ for both of you it's the first time here, I'm sure you wanted to put up a show, but keep it a little shorter next time. The tiebreaker went very well. In the second, just continued and keep focused.

MARTINA HINGIS: What do I want? I think I'm quite happy the way my life went so far, this career, this season, especially at the end. Well, I think I'm more or less a happy person that way, but I'm looking for surprises tomorrow. I don't know. Good to have this victory, as I said. Don't want to go losing into the birthday.

MARTINA HINGIS: I finally want to make it to the Oktoberfest. That's my goal for tomorrow.

MARTINA HINGIS: You go out there, don't really know what to expect again. I think if my confidence wouldn't be that high, I wouldn't be able to pull it out in difficult situation. I know I wasn't playing great, but so was her. It wasn't the greatest match ever. I think I won because I was just all season long better, so I was supposed to win.

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, yeah. I mean, I know I can only get better now since I made it through, won the first round. Now I'm looking for the next opponent, either Venus or Barbara. They play the quarters also at the US Open. It's going to be an interesting match, I think. Whoever is going to be the better one, I meet them Friday. But I have to raise my level, definitely, against one of these players.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think I went a little bit down because I wasn't working out as I was in Saddle Brook or at the tournament itself. I think my physical part went a little bit down. But I'm going to try. You know, it's easier to keep focused at a tournament or when you know there's something big coming up. I think this tournament is still like the preparation for the indoor tournaments. It's kind of a slow start until this tournament is going to be as important as the others. Well, of course, once you step out there, you don't want to lose. You don't sometimes know how to take it, as an exhibition or a real thing. I think you have to start to take it as real because, I mean, only the top eight players are here. You definitely want to win.

MARTINA HINGIS: Against Amelie?

MARTINA HINGIS: That was an unbelievable match.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah. I had so many people like even on Sunday coming up to me, "Hey, that was a great match, congratulations." I went shopping on 5th Avenue. I never had that feeling before of so many people recognizing me, telling me how great that match was. Especially that backhand down the line, all the tennis players that still were there, told me, "Hey, that was a great match, great shot." I was kind of excited about that.

MARTINA HINGIS: After the US Open I went to the Czech Republic, a lot of horse riding and tennis, too. It's a somewhat different type of level as compared for the Grand Slam tournament. You come back and play at such a tournament. I think that my practicing wasn't too bad, only physically I didn't have all the facilities down there, physical training.

MARTINA HINGIS: No, no. This has been over for some time now. I think we both consider each other a player on the other side and try to win. All the rest really doesn't matter. Can I say something? Since it is going to be my birthday tomorrow, I'd like to invite the whole press, together with Opel, my sponsor, for a cocktail at 11:00 at our stand as last year. You are all absolutely welcome and invited. I hope you receive this, as last year, it was a great event. Let's see what you get tomorrow. Maybe a Tigra, as I did last year.