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INTERNAZIONALI D'ITALIA

May 15, 2006

Martina Hingis

ROME, ITALY

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Martina, please.
Q. Most of your serves were over 160 kilometers, your second serve was over 140. Did you hit harder especially for this match?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, I think I played a lot of matches just so it's all coming together on clay. I'm more confident now. I've played some good matches. I mean, although I lost, I think it was quite good. I knew I have to do something. Then in the late stages of the match, I got maybe a little tired and I knew just if I play well, I have to finish the match.
No, I mean, there's new racquets also maybe. You know, there's always new evolution, new material, so.
Q. So it was working well.
MARTINA HINGIS: It was, yeah. I mean, it's becoming fun (laughing).
I put my serve in and I'm already in a good position, not defense. It feels pretty good. It's new to me, yeah.
Q. With your comeback going so well, how much of a job do you think Alicia Molik has with her return?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she wasn't away as long as I was. I think when she stopped, she was quite at the top. I think she almost was top 10, or she was in there, or 11. She was beating or giving trouble definitely to top players.
But she has a different kind of game. I don't know how long it's going to take her. But, I mean, here she is and, you know, wish her good luck and all the best, you know.
Q. Do you think that six months, even a six-month absence is huge now and it's really a big job to come back?
MARTINA HINGIS: I think mostly it's in the head. It's that you get some matches to play and some confidence. That's the key, you know. You have to win a few matches so you know where you're about.
On clay, I'm surprised that she comes back on clay because I don't think that's her favorite surface. But she's like, "No better place to come back than in Rome," you know, so...
Q. Is there any fear that you might have had before the beginning of your comeback that has disappeared now with all the wins?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, because I think I've come a far way. Now I don't need to be nervous about winning first or second round, you know. I feel like if I do well and I know where my game is, then I should be -- or I should go through those matches, you know. I was giving trouble to the top players out there. I mean, so many times I was so close. So I just try to stay positive about it and then just try to improve and get, you know, the next set.
Q. What about your health, your body? Is your body holding well, as you expected?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I mean, I feel even better now that I've played some matches. Physically, I feel sometimes there is aches and pains, you know, but that's everybody, you know, has some little problems.
But I feel like stronger and I last longer, you know. Those matches like against Amelie or Kuznetsova I've played, or even against Venus in Warsaw, you gain a lot of strength out of that and you try to just keep going.
I've always been a player that, I mean, couldn't stop for too long; otherwise, my level of fitness drops. That's the easiest way, to keep playing matches, at least for me, you know. It's easier for me to be disciplined at tournaments than at home.
Q. With the longer matches on clay, is it about your mental stamina as well as your physical stamina, kind of staying concentrated?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, definitely. I mean, toward the end of like today's match I had some stages where I dropped my level. But the end is like you have to -- or at least I'm trying now to play kind of percentage tennis. It's like you have to win four points in the game and it doesn't matter if you miss two. But that's what I'm working on, and it definitely worked today.
I mean, I know she's not the type of player, you know, she's not in the top 10, but it's good to have someone like that in the first round and try it out.
Q. Do you think the withdrawal of Mauresmo opened your way to the final?
MARTINA HINGIS: That would be nice, like if everyone was giving it to me, right (laughing)?
Absolutely not. I mean, there is Italian players as well, you know. I have Vaidisova in the next round, which is not easy, I've never played her before. Of course it's someone I have good chances against, especially on clay. If I would win that one, I don't want to really look beyond that because of course there is Schiavone, who is a favorite here in Rome, one of those Italian players.
Q. But you beat her.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I know. I wish I could do that again. Yeah, of course I'm looking forward to it.
But first round is next round against Vaidisova, and I don't think that's going to be too easy, but...
Q. You came close to beating Venus. She's been a mystery woman this year. What's your take on her? How is she playing? We're anxious to see her as well as yourself. What do you think of her?
MARTINA HINGIS: Me, too, you know. How is she going to hold up?
Because I think, you know, in my match it was very special, you know, especially towards the third set. I don't think she has played -- or how she's practiced, she didn't -- I mean, of course I would want to replay that match over and over, but here we go. I played in Berlin and now we're in Rome. So, I mean, I'm just as curious as you are, you know, more or less because then next round she lost to Kuznetsova.
You know, she's traveling with her dad. I think she tries to be the best she can in her capability right now, yep. I don't know.
Q. Did you watch the men's final yesterday?
MARTINA HINGIS: It was incredible, yeah. I mean, it's over five hours. That kind of level, to keep it up, yeah, it was quite amazing. I mean, that's only one thing you can watch and learn from definitely.
Those two definitely put the level somewhere else in the men's game. For the people, for the crowd, for the tennis fan, it's, you know, top of the top. I mean, you can't say anything else.
Q. If you could pick one shot of each of theirs, what would you pick?
MARTINA HINGIS: Of?
Q. If you could have one of their shots.
MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, well, probably, I mean, Roger's serve definitely. He can always get out of trouble in difficult situations.
Nadal's unbelievable topspin forehand, you know. It's just like out of tough situations, moments. He's got legs and he's so strong that the heavy topspin, even like it doesn't seem like it's so dangerous, at times it's just like off the bounce it's so fast. It's hard to do anything out of it.
I don't think in the women's game anyone can play like that, so (laughing). Yeah, so those are the two shots, yeah, I wish I had. But I have other skills so (smiling)...
Q. Which is your opinion about Errani? I know that you won so easy.
MARTINA HINGIS: No, I think she's talented. She has will. She runs well. It's just she needs some experience to play matches like that. I mean, you can't just come on tour and think that you're going to beat everybody, you know. She's 19, so promising player. She got through the quallies which says a lot already. You know, she's beat some good players.
You know, just keep up the good work.
Q. What would you say about your second life of a tennis woman already? Is it better than the first life or different?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's different. I wouldn't say it's better or worse, it's different. I probably realize every moment a little more than what I used to. I mean, at 17 you are just in there and you just keep going. You know, you try not to look right or left.
Now, I've experienced other things in life so it's probably I'm more cautious about what I do now.
Q. Do you find that younger players look at you as though you're sort of an ancient?
MARTINA HINGIS: You're funny. What about you (laughing)?
Q. I'm ancient-plus (laughter). However, the way things move along, you're not at a different generation from them, but they may think of you as being a different generation?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think I am. We all are who are probably the age of, you know, Jennifer, Williams sisters, even Davenport, Mauresmo. I think we're the generation which played already and they stayed. I've come back again after a three-year period.
But, yeah, I would consider us the older generation.
Q. Do they look at you respectfully or wonder what you're doing around?
MARTINA HINGIS: I hope they do, yeah (smiling).
Q. Have you talked to them?
MARTINA HINGIS: At least when I beat them.
No, they do. Some definitely show respect, some are just the generation they are. I mean, they're just very selfish, they focus on themselves, because that's how this sport's going. You know, it's just everywhere the same thing, whether you're in school, in the sport, everywhere.
But I think it's still probably on the highest level. There is still a hierarchy, and you just still have your piece and your spot and your level, yeah, where you belong to.

End of FastScripts...

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