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NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 26, 2006

Martina Hingis

MIAMI, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Martina, please.
Q. Just a general reaction? The way the match went, it was a long, physical match.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, 2:20, I think, something like that.
Yeah, no, I mean, I played well. She just won one point more at the end. It's, definitely, the first set I did well, then she came in the second. I kind of would say I didn't make the, you know, 2-All game in the second, then kind of she breezed away. In these kind of conditions, you can't ever let down, like I said. I mean, that's what's the difference, when I used to play before and now, it's just full gas, you know, on all the time.
Q. Where was your mind at during that tiebreak where it was just back and forth, back and forth? What were you telling yourself to keep going? It looked like you were just drained physically or something.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you know, it's the last few points of the match. I mean, I wish I could have finished earlier, you know. Maybe -- there's always "maybes" and "if" and that. So it didn't happen. She played a great match. You know, last time I beat her in Doha where it was just very close as well. The first set she had couple set points, I made it, and that was like matchpoints already, you know. Whoever won the first set breezed away with the second; that's what I did there. And this time around, it was just, you know, her.
But, you know, I know I have something to work on, and I'll try to, you know, play the next tournaments and wherever I play, just add something to it.
Q. Do you have any idea what your schedule will be from here?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, I don't know. Well, definitely I'm not going to play for the next couple, three weeks, that's for sure. Plenty of tennis recently.
Q. The trainer came out during the third set. How were you feeling? A rub-down?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, just a little bit on the left leg, I got a little tight, I couldn't jump off for the serve. I guess you saw that. I mean, my serves, I just tried to put it in and make the play.
But, you know, you have to be in shape, especially toward the end of a match like that. And, you know, she's very fit and strong and that's what, you know, I have to win with the tennis and not with anything else.
Q. Finishing the match, calling a challenge, a replay?
MARTINA HINGIS: I like that, yeah.
Q. On matchpoint.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you still hope, you know (smiling). It's like, you can always have hopes, right? I mean, even if you, you know -- I mean I thought it might be out, but it was very close call, so you can. Maybe something happens. There is always wonders (smiling).
Q. I don't know if you answered this already, but when did you start feeling the left leg? Was it cramps? At what point in the match did you start to feel it?
MARTINA HINGIS: It was toward the end really. Just cramps. I mean, you feel it, it's getting tight, you know.
Q. You were shaking out your legs like midway through the third set. I wondered if something was going on?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't exactly remember. I mean, I don't know. It was probably around 4-3, 5-4 there somewhere, yeah.
Q. After the past couple weeks, where is your confidence level now? How do you feel?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, where do you think it should be? I don't know.
Q. I mean, I guess where you were like before the season started, before you were about to start.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, before the season started I was happy to win first-round matches, you know, so that's definitely a different story. I know, you know, I've beaten players in the top 5. I've lost except, you know, like match today or against Pennetta, she's the only one -- she was 21 or something. I mean, except the top 10 players, I haven't lost to anybody. I mean, Kuznetsova, I think she's playing better again so she'll probably be there soon. Except that, you know, that's what you're aiming for, you know.
Q. Was fatigue in the match today again -- just you talked about back-to-back matches, how your body hasn't adjusted to that yet. Was that something that was going on today, or was it that this particular match was grueling?
MARTINA HINGIS: She played well. There is nothing to say against that. It's like those girls in the top 10, they're, you know, relentless. You can't just think like they're gonna miss, you know. You have to earn your points, you have to make them, you know, do the mistakes. And toward the end I was just kind of sometimes in the past it was enough to just wait, wait for your chances. But now you have to take control and earn your -- or just be more aggressive.
I mean, that's what I'll try to do. Maybe add a little more off the net game, and I did that in the first set, and I was very -- quite successful.
But it's not in my system yet and I'll have to work on that.
Q. But not too much tennis at this point?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, sometimes in your mind, you know. You just focus on the matches because practicing, practicing, you know, the last six weeks - there wasn't a day except when we travelled that I didn't play, you know. That was the only time. So I'm kind of happy not to have to play for the next couple, three days probably.
But then I think I start wanting to hit some balls. You know, I'm just happy not having to, run, move, or something. Pretty much since the beginning of the season there wasn't a day that I just put the racquet aside. So it's time to do that for a few days, yeah.
Q. I want to ask, did you feel any differently losing on an instant replay call versus if you had to wonder if that call was in or out? How does it feel different?
MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, no, I mean, not at all. It was out and it was out. I mean, doesn't matter. You just have your last call to do. It was a close one, so it wasn't like that much wide, but it was a close one.
I mean, it was -- she was laughing, I was laughing at the end, so it's just really, you know, she deserved it, she earned it, I made a mistake and that's it, end of the story.
Q. You knew it was out, it was just a last-ditch effort?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, sometimes when you hit the ball, you feel little bit, you know. But, yeah, you still -- like I said that before, you still have hopes. Still hope to be wrong, you know (smiling).

End of FastScripts...

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