CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE COREL WTA TOUR

November 23, 1996

Martina Hingis

MARTINA HINGIS: It's a great feeling. I had great last weeks and I played just great tennis, and also this week I improved a lot in my -- especially I grow much more confident in my game and mentally I feel much stronger now. And just I try to play my best tennis against Steffi tomorrow. It's the finals and you always fight a lot more than the first rounds, I think.

MARTINA HINGIS: Iva, she played -- like first set she made a lot of mistakes, and then she started to hit winners, where she made mistakes before. But I was just started to not being concentrated anymore and took it a little too easy anymore. And then the third set I played almost perfect tennis again.

MARTINA HINGIS: I did it yesterday, too, I watched the game, Sanchez and Novotna, the first set, too. No, it doesn't bother me at all. After the first set I go to my locker room and I change and I lay down a little bit. And it was three sets, so I had enough time to prepare for my match. But I don't care, I don't have problems with that.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I never had big problems to be long on the court. During the U.S. Open I played three events and just some people asked me if I want to stay overnight on the court, I played so many sets and matches there. And I had also a great match against Steffi. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it's the first time I'm actually going to play best of three sets, it's going to be a different match, different thinking, different tactic, for sure. And Steffi is very good physically, but she didn't play so many matches and tournaments the last couple of weeks. And she had to retire in Philly, also, and she had a tough match today against Jana. So I hope I'm going to have some chances tomorrow. I think I'm going to have some.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, if you practice, two or three hours a day, so it's not a big problem to -- I never practiced really sets. Probably I played some 2, 3, 4 sets in one day. But if you practice it's different than playing real matches. I feel in good shape right now, so we'll see.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think there are more matches which were very important for me this year, especially Wimbledon, like finals; the doubles, even if it was only doubles, it gave me much more confidence. And then I practiced a lot before the U.S. Open and I took it over to the singles and I made a semifinals there. And then finally I won my first event in Germany, in Filderstadt and it was a big help to me. I knew I can be a winner in a big tournament.

MARTINA HINGIS: It doesn't make me nervous at all. I just try to play my best tennis against her tomorrow. And if I'm going to be there, I'll be there. But the results, very great for me the last couple of weeks. I won two tournaments, I make semis and finals. So I think right now where I am I should be there. But you never know, it's a hard way to get to be No. 1.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, hopefully in a couple of years, yeah.

MARTINA HINGIS: Probably I don't look to be nervous but I am.

MARTINA HINGIS: Nervous? Yeah, as I say I'm almost always nervous in the beginning, especially, because you play such big players and it's the semis or finals tomorrow. And so I am a little nervous. Probably doesn't look like I am, but I feel very good in my game.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it's probably that Steffi didn't play there so many matches. And on claycourt it was even easier for me to, she made a lot of mistakes. But I almost play everything back and on claycourt it's very tough to make a point. And I just played very good tactically, I just played my shots and not play her backhand all the time. It was at the same at the U.S. Open. But I had my chances there and I didn't take them. So I hope to do it tomorrow.

MARTINA HINGIS: First, you play everything back, and to try to make your own game.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, for sure I am. I had a great match against her at the U.S. Open, it was the semis. And I had four set points until the first set. 40-Love, especially. And I know I can -- somehow if I'm -- if I would make that point, so I would take the first set and I try to do it tomorrow better and just take every point I can get.

MARTINA HINGIS: Not really, I just try to play my game and how I did it against the other players, too. I can play her backhand or forehand all the time, because my forehand is not as big as hers is, and her serve is very well, too. And I just try to -- make my shots and not what's better for me or for her.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think my speed, and that I can open on the court very well, and just let the opponents run a lot, play a lot of long lines.

MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow, but, yeah, maybe I try to do that, too.