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SONY OPEN TENNISMarch 28, 2014Martina HingisSabine LisickiMIAMI, FLORIDA HINGIS‑LISICKI/Black‑Mirza THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Well, I guess how exciting is it for both of you, but I guess especially Martina‑ she's been away longer than Lisicki‑ to be in a final of a big tournament? MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, it's been a while, seven years, right? No, but Sabine, having a great partner, I knew we had ‑‑ the first time we played last week in Indian Wells we got close. I mean, the draw wasn't like as easy, but I thought, Okay, now again, we have to just overcome the first match, first round, and then the draw kind of opened up and we played really good. I think we just‑‑ the chemistry works out well. You know, what she doesn't have I have and vice versa. So I think it's really a great match that we played together. SABINE LISICKI: And I also think saving the seven match points gave us a lot of confidence and a lot of belief, as well. So it definitely helped today. Q. Do you need wildcards to get into these tournaments? MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, because I don't have a ranking really. Q. So are you thinking about that for the slams, as well? MARTINA HINGIS: Hopefully we don't need them anymore. Two, three more tournaments, hopefully if we continue like we did here‑‑ I mean, you can't always expect everything like coming together like it did here, but obviously Sabine, like I mentioned today, the few tournaments that she plays in doubles, she always does very well and goes far in the draw. I think right now we both going to make the big jump. Q. Just full out, right? Semis of Wimbledon? PLAYERS: Yeah. (Laughter.) Q. Is that your plan to play almost full‑time doubles, or are you going to pick and choose? MARTINA HINGIS: I think it's definitely up to Sabine. I mean, her priority is her singles. When she wants to play doubles and play ‑‑it started off with playing some matches before the singles. Now I think it also helps for the singles definitely now to overcome like this time like, Oh, I want to win at least two, three matches and we don't just have to train all the time but get some matches in. I think this week was really important to win some doubles matches and now, since she's going to go to Charleston next week, so, yeah. We're not just like practicing, practice champions, right (smiling). Q. Cara Black was across the net from you. She used to be a No. 1 player in doubles. Did she bring out some of the things that you had planned to play her? MARTINA HINGIS: I played her last year in one of the tournaments, New Haven. That didn't come out that great. SABINE LISICKI: I played her last year and beat her here. MARTINA HINGIS: I think I played her, like I mentioned ‑‑I didn't mention before the match, I think 12 years ago I played in the semifinals against her and we lost with Daniela Hantuchova. I had a few matches open against her, but I think we played a few times in the past. Q. So it hasn't been a long time since you played her? MARTINA HINGIS: Only last year, but before was like 12 years. Q. I know you have tried to come back a while ago with singles. Do you ever get that itch again when you see the other players and say, Hey, let me try the singles thing again? MARTINA HINGIS: Not the singles itch, no, I don't have that one. The doubles I had for seven years but not the singles (laughter). Q. What did you miss most about the game? MARTINA HINGIS: Matches like the other day, you know, coming back from seven match points, it's like by a hair. You know, the ball was en route and the challenge, and, I mean, happiness and sadness are so close to each other, the adrenaline, and, you know, winning these matches. It's like, wow, being in another finals. I mean, nothing compares to this when you're out there and winning matches. Q. Do you feel like in your prime that you could have been competing with these girls of today, top 10? I know they are bigger and stronger, but you played strong women. MARTINA HINGIS: Obviously the same names are out there. It's not like they have gone anywhere. Serena still No. 1, Na Li No. 2. I played Sharapova, I played Azarenka. The only one that I didn't play was probably Kvitova or Sabine. But, no, I mean, I think at that time the Williams sisters were already the best, you know. When I played, they were coming. No, it's no different. Q. Are you shocked that Serena is still the best at 32? MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she's playing smart. You know, she uses her experience. And also, in the last two years, she's done pretty well, I think, with Patrick Mouratoglou. He's helped her with a couple of things to play smarter. Obviously before she was already winning Grand Slams, and now he helps her to get back to the top again. Q. Is this catching you by surprise? Did you expect this much success at a tournament? MARTINA HINGIS: Yes and no. It's like... SABINE LISICKI: I think two weeks ago before Indian Wells, no; and then after Indian Wells, yes. Well, because we played against Casey Dellacqua and Barty, and it was such a close game. We could have won it, but we just hadn't played together yet. So we practiced and we played a few more doubles matches in practice, and then we started here being more a team on the court, knowing what who does, so I think that helps. With each match it made us better. That's good (smiling). Q. So last year Lisa Raymond and Laura Robson, they lost in the final, another wildcard team in the final. SABINE LISICKI: I think I haven't lost a doubles final. MARTINA HINGIS: Good. (Laughter.) SABINE LISICKI: I hope so. I hope I'm not mistaken now. Q. We are going to check that out. SABINE LISICKI: No, no, no, Wimbledon. Wimbledon finals. Yes. (Indiscernible.) Q. Would you say of all the players today, someone has a similar game to you in the Big 10? Would it be maybe Radwanska? Do you see a similarity there? MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she's a great counterpuncher and has definitely great skills, but I'd still like to see her winning a Grand Slam. You know, that's like probably ‑‑ what I did maybe a little bit better is maybe from like being defense/offense, that game. I probably cut the cord a little bit more. If she does that, if she could add that to her game, that would definitely help and maybe make her win a Grand Slam. But it's easier said than done, right? Many of them out there who try to do the same. Q. And the net game too, you're pretty proficient. MARTINA HINGIS: Thank you. I will take that as a compliment. Q. As far as I know, Fed Cup is going to be in Australia; is that correct? SABINE LISICKI: Yes. Q. Are you going to leave here to go there or will you stay over in Europe? SABINE LISICKI: I'm available for the team, so Barbara Rittner is making the choice. So we will see, yes. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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