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WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2007

Martina Hingis

LONDON, ENGLAND

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please, for Martina Hingis.

Q. That was close, wasn't it?
MARTINA HINGIS: You couldn't get any closer than being two match points down, no.

Q. What is your overriding emotion after coming through it then?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I had three set points in the first set. I mean, one point can be sometimes a long distance. We've had that in our sport in the past.
I mean, I was still serving. It's not like she had serve, was serving it out. I had the game point before.
I thought, okay, you know, not much I can do here. Try to put a good first serve. That was actually one of the few times I wanted to do serve and volley, and it worked. Try to be more aggressive, come in more. It really helped.

Q. Did you know anything about Naomi before, and were you impressed with her?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, not too much. I asked some players about her. I haven't seen her play, but I knew she was a lefty, the way she looked and everything.
I was hitting with a couple lefties the other day, so I tried to make myself the most comfortable playing a lefty.
Not having played for so long, and I only started hitting last Friday, so I've come a long way. I'm happy to be through today. I'm still in the draw. I mean, it's all that matters.

Q. Are you surprised at the strength of the opposition?
MARTINA HINGIS: Like today, Naomi?

Q. Yes.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I mean, you just have to go out there and play every match. It's not like it's going to be given to you because you're a name any more. She started off very well. I felt like if I hang in there long enough then I can do it.
Even the first set, like I said, I was a bit disappointed after not making the set points. I think I'm still lacking a little bit in cardio. Every match like this is going to be good.

Q. Can you talk about your struggles the last five weeks, what went into your thought process coming in here, whether you were going to play or not?
MARTINA HINGIS: I just didn't want to give up not playing Wimbledon, no matter what. Maybe wasn't the smartest decision at first. My doctor, I talked to him also last week. I've done some MRI. You're about 60, 70%, like it's not healed out properly, but I can't hurt it.
It's an inflammation in the femur bone. Usually it takes six to eight weeks. But I'm like, I don't want to miss out on Wimbledon no matter what happens. I was happy he told me I can't make it worse. So it's about like me taking the responsibility how far I want to take it. I'm trying to do everything possible.
I have help from a lot of people, doing a lot of stretching, a lot of rehab, practice as much as I can.

Q. So 60 or 70%, do your expectations change coming in here?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's not the preparation you wish to have coming into Wimbledon, definitely not. I think, you know, that was last Tuesday when he told me, so every day is a good day for me. Now I have another couple days until Wednesday.
Like I said, rehab like this, by the time hopefully second week comes around, that should be the six weeks, or whatever, five and a half or six weeks that I can play. I've been like this in the past. I know it's been 10 years going into the French Open like that, having had surgery.
That was the same thing. After five weeks, I already came back. It was a very similar situation. I was younger, but like I said, I'm through today, and that's what matters.

Q. It's the 10-year anniversary of your win here. I know you're not at your best right now, but can you reflect on what it means to you now to try to contend for major wins?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, up till today at least I got myself pretty much together in the third set. I mean, I started playing really good tennis. I have to build on that, knowing that I can't have fear going out there, which you have as you get older.
I mean, I don't know. Like I said, it's not the perfect preparation. I don't see myself right now after today's match as a contender. We've had players that have come through first-round matches which were tough, then still made a long way through the draw.
You know, I'll just really look forward to my next match.

Q. Is it important for you to consider yourself in contention, somebody that can still contend for Grand Slam titles?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know what answer to this question, not right now. I mean, yeah, hopefully by the time the second week, whatever happens will happen. But I'm happy to be able to run and walk and play tennis again. I wasn't able to do that five weeks ago.
You know, sometimes simple things make you really happy. That's what happened to me today. Sometimes you realize, you know, that not everything is about winning Grand Slam titles, what it does to you at the end of the day.
But I wish I definitely wasn't injured. You always want just having a smooth career and everything. The older you get, the harder it gets. I'm happy to be back playing.

Q. What was going through your mind when you had two match points down? You have had some first-round disappointments in the past.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, there is a Czech saying, you would say in this time. I was just like, No, this is not going to happen to me, not here again at Wimbledon. I never lost on Court 2. I know it's a graveyard of champions, but it's never been to me.
I played really good on those two points. One was just like she missed a return. The second one was short. I just made a winner I think, or something.
After that, it was just like a pretty smooth ride. Somehow I never felt like, okay, she's on top of me. I was always hanging in there. It was never like on my mind that I'm going to lose. I was right there with her.

Q. What's the Czech saying?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know.

Q. Give it a go. What's the gist of it?
MARTINA HINGIS: (Speaking in Czech.) I don't know if somebody is in the room that can translate it.

Q. What does it mean?
MARTINA HINGIS: Just Happy Wimbledon, something like that, I don't know.

Q. Were you actually in discomfort when you were playing today? Were you actually in some pain?
MARTINA HINGIS: I was a little bit tentative in the beginning because like four, five days ago, you know, when you go to extremes, I feel a little bit like it gets tight. But, you know, it's always like give and take, release, gets tight, you can't push more. I've been stretching a lot. I've been stretching five, six hours a day to make it happen, to be playing.
I'm relieved today. After the match was done I was very relieved. I actually felt a lot better throughout the match. I thought maybe it would come, but it didn't.

Q. Does it seem like 10 years ago that you were 16 years old and smiling all the time, schooling all the other players, winning this title? Does it seem like that long ago now?
MARTINA HINGIS: Some days, yes. Some, no. When I look at the pictures, like the past champions, whatever, I look totally different now. It's been 10 years. But a lot of things have happened since.
Somehow, I don't know, I'm happy to be still around and be playing. It was a great moment. Like I say, it's like the older you get, probably the more fears you have. I was totally like pleased with myself at 17. You think the whole world belongs to you. I was almost like on top.
When you actually win, I was No. 1 at that time already, so that year you feel like you're invincible.

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