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NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 24, 2006

Martina Hingis

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. So, you're hitting the ball the way you want to hit it?
MARTINA HINGIS: Still early in the tournament to say, you know, where we're at.
But I think I've played plenty tennis recently, so I feel fairly good, yeah.
Q. You played a lot of tennis. In fact, you played more matches than anyone on the tour?
MARTINA HINGIS: I saw that, I read about it, yeah. The most wins (laughing). Most tournaments.
Q. Your enthusiasm is carrying you through, is it, you feel fit and strong and not tired?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, maybe definitely you have some ups and downs, especially in the beginning. But now that you find your fluency and routine again, yeah, I mean, this is the sixth week in the row. But on the other hand, there's four tournaments, the one in the Middle East. But, like I said, I was very happy to get seeded so you had a Friday start at least.
You know, since then, it was not like the tournaments -- feels like playing like almost Grand Slams. You play every other day. For that reason it doesn't feel like that hectic. I mean, for one month, six weeks, but only four tournaments. So I enjoy it.
Q. Did you come here in your off years? Did you come to the tournament?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, here. I drove. Actually, I was twice, definitely I was here.
Q. Commentating or...?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, I just visited because I was here during the period of the time, in Tampa. So I drove from Tampa down here. I think it's a nice time, quiet time to come here. When you're in Europe, it's cold. Here you get the sun and enjoy it, watch the game, watch the tennis.
Q. When you left tennis, there was a lot of Russians coming through. Now there's a gaggle of Chinese coming through. Do you think they will be a tennis force in years to come?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, definitely until, you know, Beijing for sure. I mean, there is more and more of them. Before, you had one or two. Now, there's six of them coming into the top hundred, and we'll probably see a lot more. When you watch the news and you have the Beijing, the two academies, you see 200 girls hitting those balls, so I was quite impressed when I saw it.
So definitely they'll be driving 'til the Olympics, yeah. Maybe, hopefully, after that as well.
Q. What did she have tonight? What did you think she had that could be useful?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think a lot of things. She has a great serve. She served well in the beginning especially. They all have physical abilities, and they still have a lot of discipline, you know. They're very driven, very hungry.
Q. Is your game where you expected it to be this many months back into your return, or where you hoped it would be?
MARTINA HINGIS: I didn't -- I can't really say. I didn't have any expectations. I didn't know how am I gonna be, where am I gonna be. So, it's hard to say yes or no because it's where it is.
Q. It's very good, but, I mean, what do you have to do to take it a little bit further? I know you're already back in the top 25?
MARTINA HINGIS: Just keep going, keep working on it, you know. It's not like it's gonna come down from heaven; you have to work on it (smiling). You have to help it.
Q. What surprised you most? I mean, you obviously had watched the game, saw what was happening in the game. Getting back on court against the top players, has anything surprised you?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it's, I mean, I've been saying this over and over, the game's gotten more relentless. You can't ever let down otherwise the other people, the players, are going to jump right back at you.
You know, it's never won until the last point's played. Maybe that used to be sometimes a little different. I was up and leading 4-1 and still felt like I could give the opponent a chance, but still, you would win it. But now it can easily turn around with one, two points.
That's probably the biggest difference.
Q. Did you enjoy the fact that now you can challenge a bad call?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, yeah. I really enjoyed it. It was really nice. Especially the time when it happened, you know. It was a breakpoint, to come up. It would have been 30-All. It's a different story.
I think, you know, maybe she was a little afraid to also do it, so I kind of like helped her (smiling). But it was close. I mean, I wasn't really quite sure myself, but I think it's, yeah -- the crowd loved it. The people, they did.
Q. Was it exciting for you to watch the giant screen and then waiting for the call to come?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, it's very exciting, especially when you feel like you're right (laughing). I was in this case.
But, I mean, you feel it -- but I think everyone's more watching out, more aware of not making mistakes. Everybody's more focused. I felt it already when we played Team Tennis, we had it already back then. So three calls, five sets. Everyone's more like not to miss (sic) because no one wants to be blamed for it.
And you feel like some tension, yes. It's good. I was relieved when I was right. It was very difficult for the linesman because I was right in front of it so he probably couldn't see it. Sometimes it's hard. That's why it's nice to have it, yeah, couple calls (smiling).
Q. Can you relate to what Andre Agassi is going through? He was in here today, has terrible pain, he wants to keep playing but he's dealing with a difficult situation. How similar was that to your situation?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, this is kind of difficult for me to answer because I think he's, you know -- I'm 10 years younger on one hand and on the other hand, he's had couple years off, you know, when he was younger. So I don't know. He probably lived a lot of things or went through similarities that I've been through. Then he came back and became No. 1 again and won some more Grand Slams.
This time around, I think it's different because he's more or less at the end of the career as an athlete. I mean, I was 22 when I stopped, so I was still hoping maybe I had some chance, yep.
Q. Can you relate to the whole pain factor?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know exactly what he has. You tell me.
Q. It's a chronic back problem, he's frustrated. There's only so much he can do about it.
MARTINA HINGIS: It's really hard for me to answer. I don't know. I have feet, so that's also chronic. It was like, you know, ongoing. The more you were playing, especially hard courts.
But I think it's a little bit different, you know. I'm 25, he's 35. So different situation.
Q. What was your foot problem?
MARTINA HINGIS: Heel spur and I had couple surgeries on both feet.
Q. You still enjoying the game as much since you came back? Is your enthusiasm the same as it was before?
MARTINA HINGIS: You know, I always liked the game. But when you have certain difficulties with your body and you can't play the game you want to play, it's no fun. And I think I always was a player who would try to have fun and enjoy the game. It's, now I look at it differently because I'm a little older, but that's the other -- I don't take it for granted anymore. When you're 17, 18, you think it's ongoing, but it's not. Now I know it.
Q. What are you doing differently in the way that you don't take it for granted? Your training? Mentality?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I try to do everything possible to not get any injuries, you know. Be more disciplined. Go to bed early, what I was fighting with my mom about all the time (laughing). Just little, simple things which can make it easier for you just so you're fresh the next day, not waking up with headaches or anything like that. I think just be more serious and more disciplined about it.
Q. How involved is your mom?
MARTINA HINGIS: Very much. You know, she was very, you know -- always a helpful force, and she still is. I'm happy about, you know, that she can come and travel with me. She left me all alone in Australia, but now she's back. She came to Tokyo and that's when things started rolling with her again.
But she also -- we were practicing together before Australia. She just didn't want to make the trip (smiling).

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