AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2006

Martina Hingis

MARTINA HINGIS: It did. I played really well the first I would say one and a half sets. Oh, I just -- boy, 5-3, 30-Love, I'm like, "Please, two more points." And it took me a while till we finished that match. She's a great fighter. She started attacking more. Also partly because I was getting tired or just loosened up a little. But I think it was just toward the end, it was all nerves. And being down 5-2 in the tiebreaker, I was just all happy to, you know, finish it off in straight sets.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, the other match is on Wednesday, right? I don't know. It's just really can't -- like I said in the beginning, can't ever prepare physically for matches like this because, you know, I don't know. It's all concentration which takes me where I am. Sometimes finishing those matches at, you know, 4-2, 5-3, when I had the opportunity, that's definitely the key which I have to be working on in the future. But I don't know. Just happy that I'm in the quarters right now.

MARTINA HINGIS: You know, the victory counts at the end of the day and that's all that matters. Easy or tough, I take it any way. One or the other, doesn't matter to me right now.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it wasn't really tight. I wouldn't call it "tight." Just getting a little tired. That's probably a different word. I just got late to a few shots. She was definitely going for my forehand, which was smart. I mean, all the players know it. I know it. Just in the beginning I was coping with it very well, getting me around it. You know, I just start being short and she could attack. That's something I, you know, was struggling with five years ago. I was struggling ten years ago. Now I know that, I mean, I came through it today. I know I have to play better against Kim and the next one. But right now all that counts, I made the last eight.

MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know. Just different. I'm 25 now. It all seems like it's so long ago. I don't know. It just really feels when I was 17 playing here, so much time passed since winning here. Right now I just, I don't know, I just enjoy the moment. After I won the match point, I was just like, "Okay, I'm through another round."

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah. Well, you see them all the time. It just makes me proud to be hanging on one of the posters or the pictures when you walk on court. Yeah, it's great just to be back and playing again, yeah.

MARTINA HINGIS: They just really appreciate that I'm back. I'm just very happy that I'm able to play some good tennis and still hang on with these girls and winning some matches. Just I think the tennis I've shown in the first set today was almost perfect. I mean, at least what I can, you know, from my perspective, what I can play and reach that potential. It will be just nice if I could play two like that.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, sure. I mean, it's very flattering. It's like you walk around and there's people from all around the world. And just I've had so much publicity now here as well. So, yeah, it's really nice, flattering. But sometimes when you practice, you just really want to have the time for yourself. And there is a lot -- I mean, I just mainly stay at the hotel on my days off. It's nice. It always gives you a little something to work on. I wouldn't necessary say it to show off, but it's just really you want to, you know, they're watching, they're fans and supporters. I've missed that for three years. I didn't have it. So sometimes in Switzerland there is some cows watching, so that's not the same (smiling).

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, yeah, well, she's too far away.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think since then I am definitely, you know -- that showed me what I have to get better at and try to follow that path. Really, I was very happy about the first set, how I played. I mean, this is probably going to be a different story playing Kim on Wednesday. But I think we do play on Wednesday. You know, she's definitely more, you know, powerful player. But I think Sam, she's got great potential, and she's very fast ball, lot of topspin, heavy topspin. Yeah, I just hope to have a good match against her again. But since Justine, you know, just I knew with every round I've come so far, I got better.

MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know. It's hard to tell. What do you think?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you see the matches. You're the professional writer, so...

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, rugby. Oh, I thought we were playing tennis here.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, from what I saw today in the past matches, I knew that she had, well, some problems physically. But she's been overcoming that. Definitely she tries to keep the points as short as possible, and I just have to try to outlast her at this point. You know, just the first couple, three shots, are going to be key. Just try to stand against it.

MARTINA HINGIS: Not a number of times. It's just like three times.

MARTINA HINGIS: Five already? Five, wow, okay.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think times have changed since, you know. Like that's too long ago. She's gone on with her game. I'm trying to get back on track. So it will be a new story this time around. Well, probably the thing is, which has changed, she's the favorite one and I'm just the underdog right now.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it was just always very stressful because you always had to defend yourself, your No. 1 status. Just every match you went out there, in a way you could win and also so much to lose. Right now I don't really have anything to lose. I enjoy going out there and playing those matches. Yeah, there is still definitely a lot on the spot for me. But I probably take it, yeah, different approach this time around for sure. I have nothing to prove anymore, you know.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, but I also wanted to prove to myself that I could still challenge the girls. And, yeah, like I said, I knew that I put a lot on the spot, but that kept me going, and that made me probably more hungry and more willing to or wanting to succeed.

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, just not let them cheer on too much (smiling). Well, definitely, I mean, I was ready for that. I mean, she has a fan club out there and the supporters. She's definitely had the momentum against me for today's night match. But I just really tried to use that in a positive way that, like I said, well, I try not to let them get too loud, too noisy.

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, maybe toward the end of the match because those points started to be really long and just really using the time. I think we both were using the time for us and so we could really be hundred percent for the next point. But not because, I mean -- it was just also I think for the fans, for the crowd. It was just really tight toward the end. Well, I got more lucky at the end.

MARTINA HINGIS: No, this is definitely one of the more relieving matches I've had. Now I already stand in the quarterfinals, you know. Making the last eight coming into this event, I would have never thought I got that far. Now here I am. Really no one can take that away from me anymore. Just really happy right now. I don't know. Just in the previous matches when I, you know, played like Jennifer, back to that question, you know, it's definitely you remind yourself, because there was a similar plan, or similar games have been played when I was really leading, I was up and somehow almost couldn't -- or I couldn't finish it. But today, I went, "Okay, I'm facing Sam Stosur, who is a great player, Aussie favorite," and I came through.