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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 13, 2007

Martina Hingis

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Martina.

Q. Compared with your comeback year last year, how do you place for this year's Open?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, definitely just had a great year last year, so much more confident. Had a good start at the Gold Coast. Sydney obviously was a pretty tough draw, pretty good tournament.
Well, I just hit on center court back again. It always felt like a home ground. You know, I'm seeded now compared to last year, so that's a big difference.

Q. Do you feel after a year back in the game you're really ready to challenge for another Grand Slam title?
MARTINA HINGIS: I'm not talking about titles or anything like that. I'm really just happy to have had a great season without injuries. Hoping for the same this year.

Q. What kind of goals or expectations do you actually have for yourself coming into this tournament?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you always have hopes. I mean, definitely. I didn't want to put pressure on myself last year. I'm going to do the same thing this year. Being the No. 6 seed, the top 10, you definitely have certain expectations.
But, you know, there's still some girls ahead of me, 6, maybe this tournament 5. But there are a lot of youngsters who are dangerous. You could see like last week in Sydney, Jankovic, Safina, who are even behind me, Chakvetadze winning Hobart. So many young ones coming up who are dangerous as well and you have to watch for those.

Q. Do you feel it opened up a little bit this year with Lindsay and Justine and Venus not being here this year?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, we have Serena. Definitely Justine is probably the one you miss the most because she was the finalist here last year, ended out the year as No. 1, made four Grand Slam finals. She's definitely the one to beat.
Hopefully she'll be back and playing soon again. She definitely will be missed. Like I said, there's many other names out there who you have to watch out for.

Q. You came back. Do you think Serena can come back, too?
MARTINA HINGIS: She hasn't played in a while. She won a few matches at Hobart. She got some matches in. I don't know, who is she playing first round? I only look at my part.

Q. Santangelo.
MARTINA HINGIS: Actually I know that. Yeah, well, she'll just have to play her game. She never depended really on anybody else. With the sisters, it's always been either they are or they're not. But it's up to her. Like I say, it's always if they really want it and they're hungry they're like one of the favorites to do well and come far in the draw.

Q. What do you feel you have to improve at this point to get to where you can win a Slam or be No. 1 again?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think I had some really decent matches against the top players. Sometimes I'm like, Okay, you have to be continuously out there, play three, four matches in a row at a high level, high standard, to be able to win a Grand Slam.
You know, last year wasn't probably quite able to do that. That's definitely also a little bit the physical part which I missed out on, not being out there for three years. I'm working on that. Hopefully, you know, I can get further in.

Q. Now that you've been back for a year, does it seem in a way like when you're away for three and com back it's tough , but there were no three years you were away, it's all the same from the beginning of your career?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, it's like I know where I belong to. Last year I came back. I'm like, Okay, how am I going to play? Will I survive these girls today? I showed that I can. Like I said, against the top players, you always need a little bit extra, maybe sometimes a little bit of luck, a few points here and there you win or lose matches.
That's the great feeling I had last year, that I was able to actually hold up against them and hold my own. That's pretty much the goal which I'm looking forward to getting better and be tougher match in, match out.

Q. Are you surprised you held up so well physically last year?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, sometimes (laughter). No, I mean, my feet are okay. I still have to always watch out for my body. Especially the older you get, the more you have to be careful with choosing what you do, where you go. Definitely a lot more treatment. As an athlete, you have to also be able to relax a lot more than when I was 17. Just listen to your body, follow the path.
But that's definitely easier at the Grand Slam because you have a day off, and you can recuperate, just have more time for yourself.

Q. With Kim getting ready to retire at such an early age, do you have any advice for her?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't have any. I think if she's happy with what she's doing in her life, her private life, I think that's the greatest balance to have. I mean, it's kind of funny because she just won last week. She's playing great tennis. Whatever will happen will happen.
I don't think I'm the right person to give any advice to anybody because I love the game; so does she. If you listen to her interviews and things, yeah, might not be her priority always, maybe later. But she's playing great tennis. As long as she can hold up, her body, she's a great sportswoman.

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