US OPEN

September 3, 1998

Martina Hingis

Q. When you are having a little trouble against Iva in a match like this, do you think back at all at Roland Garros?

MARTINA HINGIS: I just played her three weeks ago in L.A. I beat her 3 and 3. It was kind of much easier than today. Actually, she made same amount of game as today, second set was much better. I was kind of very nervous in the beginning. I was up a break 4-1, still I didn't have my rhythm. I didn't feel like I controlled the game. But it was just kind of very strange coming from last night not having played and have to play next day. I don't know. I was just very nervous the first set. I was still also in the second. I kind of loosened up and everything started to go in, which I tried to do in the first set too.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, 3 and 3.

MARTINA HINGIS: Actually, I only lost that match against her in the French Open finals, but I was so tired -- she won that match. She is the champion at the French Open last year. She deserves that title. She got it, but I wasn't like 100%. I was like so happy I am in the Finals there after my surgery. So I was very satisfied about already being there.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, but I was strong. I didn't let her back in the game so was focused from the first game on. She would serve and -- she would still be 30-Love up in the first game, and I still kind of came back and won the game -- just try to go through and play my game.

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, gosh, don't want to remember. I played her in Fed Cup. I was like 7-6, 4-1 against her, but I still won that match. But it is different time, different occasion, this is Grand Slam.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yes -- what?

MARTINA HINGIS: I was always up, actually, in the match. I was always ahead. I just -- she kind of always moved from the back and made it to the tiebreaker, but I have a good score in the tiebreaker, so I am pretty much -- in the past, I won so many tiebreakers. So I kind of feel confident when it even gets to the tiebreaker, so it is okay.

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, yes. I mean, everybody does that. I mean, you just want to go round by round, match by match, but you know who is in there. And well, I saw, especially, second round Huber and Majoli, that is enough for me. They both were in the Top-10 for a long time, and it is just very hard to play either of them. Now I am over, and I hope in the next couple of rounds it is hopefully going to be easier.

MARTINA HINGIS: We will see. I had a good match against her in Montreal, I lost. But that was kind of close again. She is a very powerful player and I think I improved in the last, three, four tournaments, especially. I got better and better each time. I had a good time playing her, but she was just a little bit stronger. She is just mentally stronger to hold her serve and go through the match, but this is a Grand Slam. You just go for it.

MARTINA HINGIS: No, no, just myself. I want to do well out there and if something don't work what is going to happen -- especially when you play her, it is like second round, if you -- would it be in the quarters or semis already. You know, she is a good player, but like second round have to play Majoli, and she is like 20 in the world, but I think everybody knows she could be a lot better player or she was. You never know what is going to happen with these players, either they play well or they played bad, but you never know. That is what is difficult about it. That makes you nervous because you don't know what to expect.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it is very open, I'd say. I was playing -- Williams, she had two easy wins so far. Even Lindsay, she feels very good, I am sure. So far once you have been winning in the match everything was so easy; especially you don't have any upsets so far and just everybody seems to be in good shape.

MARTINA HINGIS: I like playing here. I am unbeaten so far in the stadium court here so I like this tournament. It is always nice to come back at any of these Grand Slams and you know you are the past champion and you did well out there. It is good.

MARTINA HINGIS: Lindsay and Monica right now, I'd say.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, they are very powerful from the baseline and with those players or even like Mary or Venus because, you know, they are like stronger than me from the baseline. I kind of always have to be -- or defend myself like in the commercial - oh, God, has anybody seen it yet?

MARTINA HINGIS: Yes. How did you like it?

MARTINA HINGIS: I like it. It is fun and some players came up to me and said it is good. Nice seeing athletes doing something as you would see like basketball players making commercial for something and I think it is fun.

MARTINA HINGIS: No. Should I?

MARTINA HINGIS: For the court it is very -- not very practical, I like the head band better.

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, yes, I love them. For GQ it was.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah.