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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 12, 2006

Martina Hingis

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Martina, please.
MARTINA HINGIS: No? Okay.
Q. Any chance to work on things in a match like that? I mean, do you ever use it to say, okay, what can I -- take some chances and do some things or you just want to get through, get the win?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I think pretty much you get through, get it done. But definitely I think in the second set or toward the end of the first, I mean sometimes it's more like sticking to the strategy, don't change anything because you might get caught up with your own things. So you just try to really -- probably toward the end, I try to be more aggressive and really step in a little bit more, try and, you know, get to the net and close it up there. So, yeah.
But sometimes it's like if you try to change something, it doesn't work all of a sudden. So you still have to find a way not to overdo it.
Q. Martina, take it through your thought process for those three years you were off the tour. What led you to really make the decision to come back earlier this year?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you've got to be kidding. I mean, that's going to be an answer which takes me probably a week to answer.
Q. If you could summarize, if you could.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I just made every year adjustments, you know. First year was just really -- I moved back and moved away from the game and just tried to do other things, you know. It's pretty much all on the Internet if you read some stories, you know, every year.
Q. You did a lot of horseback riding that was documented, but...
MARTINA HINGIS: Right. I haven't done anything else, but that, so that's pretty much -- last year the Team Tennis and I nothing really crossed my mind, you know.
Q. Was there a moment or an epiphany where you said I'm going or...
MARTINA HINGIS: Not really. It just was a process really of thoughts.
Q. Martina, do you feel that players of your size can make it, maybe you can, but other players can come along and make it?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't think -- yeah, I don't think I'm the only one. If you look at Justine, you know, she's the same height, maybe even like an inch smaller, so...
Q. But are you the exception, not the rule on the tour?
MARTINA HINGIS: I'm not the only one. I mean --
Q. No.
MARTINA HINGIS: Justine, you know, is definitely, you know, a girl who shows that you can have physical disabilities, but you can still make it, you know. And I'm probably one of them and there are always some in the past and there's definitely some in the future. And tennis, that's the beauty about the game. You still have chances no matter what size you are.
Q. Martina, you made a lot of beautiful dropshots in that match. Take us through the moment of when the professional tennis player knows the time to hit that dropshot.
MARTINA HINGIS: When the wind comes floating against you, you're running for a shot, you don't know what to do anymore and you throw a drop shot. No, it's -- especially when you see the opponent being pinpointed to a wall and, you know, just try to put it at short angle or just really backspin it.
Because playing against the wind sometimes, you just don't have that much power and energy, so that's just -- just you throw something different into the point. Yeah, because a lot of girls, they're so backed up, so even if it's not a perfect dropshot sometimes, it's just a variety that helps, yeah.
Q. So if you're going into the wind, you hit those dropshots if you're with the wind?
MARTINA HINGIS: With the wind.
Q. If you have the wind at your back?
MARTINA HINGIS: I wouldn't suggest that, no. But sometimes, you know, even if it's like a low one, short one, it still can work. But mostly, yeah, you'd hit that one against it.
Q. Do you think your colleagues will learn from you that the dropshot is not an obsolete weapon?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I mean --
Q. You don't see anybody else doing it.
MARTINA HINGIS: Justine has.
Q. Well, we're --
MARTINA HINGIS: Sometimes, you know, she can.
Q. I'm talking about people who play tennis, you or Justine.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think it just -- in general, when you look at girls in the academies, they are just not taught that way. I think they're just not even given a chance to be playing like I was five, six hours standing on the court and doing whatever I want to do at times. Maybe one, two hours I was really focused with my mom, but the rest I just play a lot of doubles, a lot of matches.
You've just got to find a way, and I think it's just because they're always so one-sided, playing with their coach or playing with their hitting partner. And you know just boom, boom, boom all the time. I think it's also the problem of the coaches or parents, because they don't teach them no different. I don't think it's the problem for the girls because I think if you show them how to do it, how it's done, I think a lot of them, they would use more skills.
Q. You're right. Most of the coaches should be shot with rubber bullets.
MARTINA HINGIS: Exactly.
Q. Martina, you think the day will come when we'll see a net --
MARTINA HINGIS: You said that (laughter).
Q. I did. Do you think the day will ever come when we'll see women being net rushers, continually rushing the net, or do we now have to be satisfied with baseline player for the rest of the history of the game?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I probably can't change that, can I?
Q. But do you think it will change?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, if you write about it and bring stories, you know, girls maybe -- or people start thinking about it. I mean, it's just not me. I try to, you know, just be a little part of it, how it could be. But I mean, even me, I'm not the typical, you know, serve-and-volleyer person. I mean, it's one thing which I have to overcome, also coming in because I'm a woman. It's not in the woman's nature to just attack, and you have to learn that.
Q. Martina, just a while ago Justine was remembering back to the practices you had with her in Saddlebrook when she said that she was taken by surprise when you wanted to actually toss -- toss the coin of who was going to serve first in the practice session. And she said you're competitive in practice. Is there anything --
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she's the least one to say so.
Q. Is there anything that you're not competitive in?
MARTINA HINGIS: I mean, I think it's an athlete's mind. It's not only athletes, we have different kind of people, some are competitive, some aren't. But I definitely am. I mean, no matter what I do, if I play cards, if I play checkers. I mean it doesn't matter what I do. Anything I touch, the ball with the racket or play soccer or do skiing, I always try my best, or at least if I feel like I have the opportunity or possibility.
I mean, yeah, it's just -- it makes it more fun. I mean the challenge, the competition, if you know there's someone on your level -- I mean I wouldn't try with someone who's not, you know, who's a lot better or worse. It's no challenge. But I mean, just playing with Justine at Saddlebrook, I mean, she's been on the tour, she was the No. 2 or 3 in the world, yeah, definitely No. 1. But at that time, she tried a comeback. But I mean, I was happy that I was able to play and hit with her. Why shouldn't I try my best?
Q. She wasn't being negative.
MARTINA HINGIS: No, no, I know.
Q. She thought it was amusing. But do you think that if you're not competitive, you wouldn't enjoy it as much?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, not only that, but maybe if I wouldn't be competitive and just come in there and just like lack it, then, you know, she probably wouldn't be -- wouldn't be wanting to hit with me anymore and I don't want that.
Q. I meant in general. I don't mean specifically. In tennis, if you're not trying to be competitive in something, you're not necessarily going to enjoy it as much.
MARTINA HINGIS: It's always been in my nature. I mean, I don't know. It's just not -- yeah, I mean, I don't sleep well at night and I wake up in the morning and everything's not as much fun, you know. I don't know. I mean, are you sure want to write the best story possible or not?
Q. Martina, the tournament seems to be depending on you a lot to put a little zip in the women's competition, for instance, the No. 1 and 2 seeds were positioned today on the outside courts and you're playing in the stadium. Clearly you're a -- kind of a glamour figure this week. Is that putting any more pressure on you, do you suppose?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think a lot of things have a reason for why I played on the stadium today. I mean, I saw Lindsay in the locker room and I thought, "Well, definitely if we get to play today, I'm going to be on one of the outside courts." And she definitely had the opportunity to play on stadium, which she didn't -- you know, maybe the night match or something, but she'd rather play in the day because it's so chilly, I think. And also it's not just me, but the TV have a lot of things to say.
So, you know, I mean at the end of the day, I was surprised to see my name on center court, but -- because there is a lot of names out there, and especially also on the men's draw, but I'm definitely happy that I did get the chance to play on it.
Q. How excited are you about the possibility of playing her again? I know I asked you that the other day, but it's almost here.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I'm very excited, you know, to -- we've had great battles over the years, and now that I haven't played her since my comeback, it's -- you know, it's definitely a great challenge. We always played one of the best matches because we knew every time we played, either we win the tournament or we were close to doing so. So always brought the best tennis out of each other.
Q. Do you have a little checklist in your mind of all the best players, because you've played Sharapova, Justine, Clijsters, Lindsay is next, you're down to the end now. As you play each one of them and you play them competitively, do you say, okay, I can play with her, I can play with her? Is that how you think of it?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah definitely. I mean, you know, playing Justine and playing already couple weeks later Clijsters, three sets, and beating Sharapova and playing her again Mauresmo, now Lindsay, it definitely puts you where you're at.
Q. She's someone that you once turned to and said, "I can't beat you," you know. So there must be a little bit of -- if you can come back and you're as competitive or more than before, that's a good thing, that's a good --
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't think anyone wants to lose the third round of the tournament. I mean, we play each other early in the tournament. That's definitely one of the goals, that I try to move up as soon as possible so I don't have to face someone like Lindsay in the third round. But it's here right now and one of us has to leave the tournament. But you know, I think we both give it the best shot, but that's the game.

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