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NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 22, 2006

Martina Hingis

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.
Q. Ever been in a race car before?
MARTINA HINGIS: I once sat in a Formula One car, yes. I think it was the Frenzen car, back at Sauber in Switzerland. So they took me once, yeah. It's very narrow.
Q. You went fast, or you went full speed?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, we just sat, took pictures, you know. Just have the feeling what it's like in the car, you know. I wish we had.
But there you have to drive yourself. It's not like -- there's only one seater, it's not like two seaters.
Q. Do you think you'd like to do that?
MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, I'd love to. I was like, "Ooh, let's get it at least into the second gear." But, no, I mean, I love anything what has to do with speed. So whether, you know, it's skiing or horseback riding in a way also, yeah. Pretty much.
Q. One of the things you questioned at the beginning of the season was back-to-back tournaments, playing a lot of tournaments in a row. You are in an extremely demanding stretch. How has that been so far? How are you feeling compared to what you thought?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's not even the stretch of the tournaments but it was back-to-back matches. The tournament stretch, if you make the semis, quarters, semis, you're down Friday, Saturday, so you still have couple, three days to recover and keep going.
So I wasn't really worried about, you know -- maybe more that I play on hard courts a lot now here, Indian Wells and here. But you always pretty much get a day off in between. That was one of the goals, to get seeded so you don't play until Friday at least. So that's definitely one of the things I accomplished, and I'm happy about that.
But, yeah, so far, so good.
Q. What has been the thing that has surprised you the most? It doesn't even have to be like results-oriented. Is there something about these first two months that have sort of been unexpected for you?
MARTINA HINGIS: What specifically you mean?
Q. I don't want to like tie you down to like you're playing better. Is it something, a feeling you feel being back out?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's everything. It's a combination of a lot of things. In the beginning you don't know where you're at, if you're going to win first or second round. Now I feel like, yeah, my confidence is getting better. It's raising. I mean, depending on the results.
I think I've accomplished that because I've won a few matches, and I think that's the key, that you get better with victories. So I'm glad that I was able to have a few opportunities to play, yeah.
Q. I saw all the cameras trailing you out, the kids wanting your autograph when you came off the practice court. How much of an adjustment has the off-court stuff, the photo ops, the stuff besides hitting a tennis ball, how much of an adjustment has that been?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I didn't expect it to be somehow such a boom. It's like every time I play somewhere, doesn't matter if it's a match or practice, there's always a lot of attention, a lot of people watching. Indian Wells, it was always like two, three rows.
So it's nice that I'm given this credit and respect and the attention from the people, yes. But adjustment, I mean, mostly it's been like that, so it's not adjustment. But I'm surprised or kind of overwhelmed that it's still like that, yeah. It's nice, yeah.
Q. Do you have a different appreciation for the game?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, well, I'm older. So in a way, you don't know how people are going to react to you. Definitely, that was a very nice -- you know, people are very welcoming, whether it's on the tour or the fans and everybody.
Q. Did you worry that they wouldn't be? What was your --
MARTINA HINGIS: No, but, I mean, I was more worried about whether if I can satisfy those, you know, the expectations. I mean, even I didn't know where I'm going to be, and how I'm going to play. With every win, I was like, "Okay, I'm a round ahead." You put some expectations on yourself, and so do other people. I knew that. That was definitely one of my fears.
But that's slowly going down, calming down, because, yeah.
Q. Once upon a time you talked about not really liking the weight room. There were quotes from you in '98 and 2000 where you said you don't like to spend time there. You look strong. Have you made peace with the weight regiment?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, in a way you have to adjust a lot of things. But I think it's more also because you mature, your body matures as well. So it's not only - what would I say? - I'm not 17 anymore, 18, but it's not a child's body anymore, it's more of a woman's body, I'd say. I think everybody, if you look around yourself, the conversion - how do you say? - convert yourself?
THE MODERATOR: Transition.
MARTINA HINGIS: Transition, yeah.
Q. Are you doing more weights?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, no, that's the thing. Because everyone says like, "You look stronger," and everything. I just probably have the five pounders, two kilos, and I warm up with that. But consistently. Maybe before I would do only once a day, now I do it daily. Probably that shows.
I mean, my regime is probably stricter and more disciplined because I want it now. Before, we were like fighting over it, with my mom. Now it's my choice and I know that if I keep doing things and keep my routine, it's going to take me further. I know otherwise you have injuries, you have to do it.
Q. You've played eight matches now against top 10 players since you got back. You've had a couple of good wins and some losses also. Once the clay court season starts, do you feel in your mind as if that's going to equalize a lot of the distance between you and the top 10 players?
MARTINA HINGIS: I'm not quite sure about that. I mean, I don't know how to answer this question because it's on one way, yes, it's slower. But on the other hand, it's more physical, more demanding on your body, I'd say. It's both ways. You could turn either way.
I think it's the approach you have each tournament, each match.
Q. You've been to tournaments all over the world. What do you like about this tournament? What makes it distinctive or special to you, if anything?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it's the atmosphere. When you walk into the grounds, it's the people, you know; they are hungry to see tennis. They are tennis fans and they come with families. They're really very into it. That makes it special for us as players, yes.
Q. More than perhaps you're saying other tournaments? Is it different from other tournaments in that aspect?
MARTINA HINGIS: They're all unique. They're all special. Grand Slams. I mean, this is the fifth biggest tournament, biggest event.
You see that there's attendance of, you know, people, and they come every year just to see men's and women's tennis at the same time.
Q. Are there places you like to go in Miami when you're in town?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, hopefully I won't have too much time to go out (smiling). There are like people in the locker room talking about the players' party tonight. I'm like, "What? What are you talking about? At the Delano, oh, really? I think I have to play on Friday. But maybe after I'll have plenty of time to". But definitely, South Beach is one of the places you always like to visit. But I'll give myself a few days, hopefully over a week, to go there.
Q. How extensive a clay court season are you playing?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know. I mean, I really don't know what I'll do exactly after this.
Q. What are you signed into right now?
MARTINA HINGIS: I have not signed into anything yet.
Q. Even though you're straight into a number of tournaments?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah. Right now we're talking about what I'll do, my agent and mom, yeah.
Q. You said at the beginning of the year that you had no expectations, you weren't going to say, "I need to be back in the top 10."
MARTINA HINGIS: I still won't.
Q. Is it harder, though, the better you play, to keep from thinking like, "Wow, I am close to this or that"? How do you stay in that frame of mind even as the results maybe get --
MARTINA HINGIS: I mean, you always have expectations, definitely. It's not like I'm moving backwards, I'm still on the move up, moving on up.
You look at the things you've made, you know, in the race and things, you know. But these are all the things you have to have back-to-back. Those results have to come recently and not just once or twice. But I'm definitely happy that I haven't -- except Sydney where I had to play Justine first round -- I've always made it at least into the quarterfinals. That's definitely -- I'm happy with that.
Q. Have you seen any of the instant replay today?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, I didn't. But I've heard a lot about it.
Q. What do you think about that? What do you think it will bring the game?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's really hard before you've experienced it. I've experienced a little bit in the Team Tennis where we've had like three calls, five matches -- five sets.
So I think it's kind of funny. But I didn't see it.
Q. Do you think it's a good idea?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, there's always pros and contrasts, definitely. I mean, I hope you can't take it for -- as an advantage and disadvantage. But in a way, definitely it's fair because you have the right choice and you're right about the, you know, outcome of the point. So, as I said, you get a chance on it. On the other hand, hopefully it won't slow down the game, too.
Q. It seems like there are a number of players that we hear about possibly making comebacks.
MARTINA HINGIS: I have one question to you. What are the other players saying about it?
Q. They like it.
MARTINA HINGIS: They do like it so far?
Q. Yeah, so far. Two challenges.
MARTINA HINGIS: Two challenges.
Q. Sorry.
MARTINA HINGIS: Possible comebacks?
Q. Have you heard from Anna or Jennifer or Monica? Circumstances are different, but having the success you've had, have you heard from other players who might be thinking about retiring?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I played in Rio with Anna, the exhibition. I haven't really heard from her since. But Jennifer, Monica, I have no idea. I don't know.
I always answer the question what I've been asked, you know, if they really want it, they definitely have a chance because they've been top of the game before. You definitely have to be willing to, you know, do things that you have to, you know, sacrifice for the game.
Q. When you left the tour three years ago, arguably, the women's tour was at its most intense level of competition. Williams sisters were at the top of their game, Sharapova was beginning to come up. Do you sense the intensity is as strong now or somewhat less than when you left the tour?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's hard to say because sports generally always moves up, you know. It's always on the move ahead.
But definitely that was a very intense time, you know, with the sisters, Lindsay, Monica, Jennifer and the Russians coming up. So, yeah, it was a tense time.
I mean, still very much the same players still up there, yeah. Amelie, winning her Slam now. All these girls.
Q. As somebody who knows how difficult it is to win a Grand Slam tournament, and also knows Roger Federer, do you think he's capable of winning all four in one year, or is that too hard in today's game?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think he's probably the most likely person to do so. I mean, I couldn't think of anybody else to win all four. He's won the first one, and he's won all of them except the French. But he's gotten better each time so, yeah, definitely he's the one to aim for.

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