Interview with Hingis after winning the final against Mauresmo

MARTINA HINGIS defeated AMELIA MAURESMO

6-2 6-3

30 January 1999

Q. Your impressions about the final, Martina?

A. Very good. Couldn't, you know, be any better. I played
some great tennis out there. I think from both sides it
was very, you know, exciting, and specially for me, you
know, playing such a great match against her. I played
her three sets before and today I just, you know, put my
mind together and came out great.

Q. It was a lot tougher than what the score reflects; you
must have been cross with the last game?

A. The last game was just never ending. I mean, you could
really see, you know, how - Morariu had already like
match points against her, I know, in the first match, so
now you could see really, I mean, against that girl, how
she came back. I mean, she hit some great shots on match
point. She aced me like, two big serves, and, you know,
two balls on the line; that was like, "Okay. Come on.
Miss it or something". But I just trying to put the ball
in again. Some other girls might be probably more shaky
or something, but she just went for it and played some
good points there.

Q. You looked a bit surprised, you know, the way she was
coming back in the last game. What went through your
mind?

A. Well, I know that she - it's not the first time that she
would come back after being match point down, so I was
like hoping it doesn't happen against me too, or I would
be serving with the wind for the next game anyway, so I
thought that at 5-4, you know, in that game, if something
goes wrong in that one; but I preferred it that way.

Q. Was it a closer game than the score suggests?

A. Well, the score pretty much says at the end how it was.
I made the more important points when it was really
needed. So, this time, I was just better. So, you can't
tell, you know, what is going to happen next time, if I
play her, you know, in semis or finals of another
tournament again or - she's got a big potential. But
this time, I was just more experienced and that helped me
a lot, definitely.

Q. The game in the second set, when you were ahead 4-3, down
0-40?

A. On my serve?

Q. Yes?

A. I was 40-0 down in another game already, came back to
deuce, but lost it there again, and I was just, you know,
going for the shots. I would be more aggressive; when
you're 40-0 down, you just say, you know, whatever
happen, happen. You just have to go for it. I was a bit
lucky, I would say, that - she missed the easy shot, and
all of a sudden it was deuce, and then I started playing
again.

Q. What about that drop shot?

A. Oh, yeah, that was so lucky. I forgot about that one.
Just, you know, "Just go for it. Make a winner or
something", and that point, I was like, "Okay, take it"

Q. Martina, it's a while since you have won a Grand Slam.
Did you feel confident today - - -

A. I felt very confident going into this tournament. I
mean, I played - the last two tournaments I played,
championships, I was in finals in Sydney and I only lost
to Lindsay, and I knew she was on the other side, so not
big danger, you get maybe in the finals, and I played
some great tennis from the beginning. I have a little
bit more trouble against Amanda, specially that day, and
it was very hard, but I came back here and played some
awesome tennis against Pierce and Monica. That helped me
definitely mentally. I lost against Amélie, and I had to
play her in the finals. Same as last year when I had to
play Martina in the finals. It was a very similar
position I was in today.

Q. Martina, you looked more eager and enthusiastic about
going in to play today, more so than perhaps usual. Was
that something you knew particularly you had to do today?

A. No, I'm always like this, especially in the finals of a
Grand Slam. You just go for it, and the whole tournament
- I was actually very excited about playing here, and
because I felt like I was in good form and I have a big
chance to win.

Q. How special is this one since, considering it's a year
since the last?

A. I always do well here in Australia, so I was kind of
expecting, you know - this is my surface, my, my - how do
you say it - territory, territory. And I did it again
for the third time and, you know, I'm just probably a
different player here, this tournament, and I hope I can
keep it up, the whole season, this year.

Q. Did you feel you came to the net more than you normally
do in this match? You seemed to - - -

A. No, I was just - when it was like really important,
sometimes you just want to shorten up the points. I
mean, you see the chance, so you go for it, and specially
when you have to run, like all this time, there and back,
and you say, like, "Come on. I need the shorter one",
and just go for it. And she doesn't have like a huge
passing shot, so I saw my chances at the net. But it was
like, I was down, and came, you know, forward.

Q. She hit quite a few winners there. Was there any stage
of the game that you thought maybe - - -

A. Well, maybe a little bit when I was down 2-1, when I lost
those two games, I think. But I think it was against the
wind. I don't know any more. I don't remember. It was
just a fun match for me; just actually, I always expect,
you know, playing well, with the wind, with the sun, and
serving, because you have more power from that side.
But, sure, she just went for winners from the other side
and she played some great, you know, winners down the
line with the forehand, and at that stage, and I felt
like, "Okay. Too good, I mean, if you hit the ball like
this". Somehow, she had to get into the final, so she
can obviously play tennis too.

Q. Did you notice much difference from the last time you
played her? Did she move a lot?

A. I took her definitely more serious this time than the
other two times when I played her. I think I was more
focused from the beginning, because the last time I
played her I almost lost the first set, and I was sort of
very relaxed when I played her, and I thought pretty
much, I can't lose anyway. If I see a girl on the other
side with a one-handed backhand, it's usually a big
weakness. So, you know, when it gets very tense, when
it's like 30-all, deuce, I always go to that backhand.
And also the girls don't have enough power at that stage
to hold up.

Q. Has she got the best backhand in women's tennis?

A. I think I have got a better one.

Q. Martina, you said it was - - -

A. As a one-hander, yes, but not the double-hander. Doesn't
beat me.

Q. Martina, you said it was a fun match. Do you feel that
she really tested you today, or when was the last time
you really felt tested and played to your absolute
potential, or does that not happen so often?

A. Well, I think at this tournament I was, you know, kept
the matches quite short all the time, and when I really
needed it, to make the points, and to go up. I was
always leading in most of the matches, so even today, I
was only down 2-1 in the second set, and that was it; and
I mean, if you keep winning - so, it's like, "Just go for
it. Keep going". So I didn't feel like - sometimes,
especially at 4-3, when she was up 40-0, you mentioned it
before - there I was, like, okay, I don't want to go
like, you know, through three sets, especially against
her, which I think - she's very strong, you know, going
through three sets, physically she would be - - -

Q. Martina, did you speak to her about at all about the
"half man" comments, or the comments made in the - - -

A. No.

Q. You haven't spoken to her at all?

A. On the court a little bit. But it's only between us, I
think.

Q. So it's settled; there's no problem between you?

A. I said it. It doesn't have to go to anyone. It's just,
I think, between me and her, and what is going on, you
know; besides that, nobody has to know.

Q. Martina, what are your thoughts on whether women's tennis
should go to five sets for Open finals, such as like the
US Open?

A. Well, I played, you know, the championships once in five
sets. It was quite tough playing Steffi there. She's in
great condition, and if, you know, you have to play
Steffi like three sets, best of five, it's kind of
"Okay. Please, keep it short". But I don't know. It's
- for women, it's almost too tough, going through three
sets; and if you never play, it's a total different
strategy. I mean, if you want to go for, you know, best
of five, you would have to integrate, and also other
tournaments, because otherwise you just don't know what
is going on out there.

Q. As far as fitness goes and endurance, would the girls be
happy to play five sets?

A. You play so many tournaments, I think it's not really, it
wouldn't be very healthy for all the girls to go through
five sets.

Q. Just for the final, even?

A. It depends on who is on the other side.

Q. Just as a spectator, you know, a match is over in one
hour, and it's sort of like a bit of an anti-climax when
it finishes that quickly.

A. I don't know. From my side, it's pretty much even. I
don't mind playing a 5-setter, but I'm also not for it.
So you would have to get definitely in good shape, be
different prepared, and also more strategy - a whole
different match. So I think in women's tennis, it's
different from men's, that the first set would be very
important, that I played it, and in men's it's the
second, very important, you know, so that would be a
little different.

Q. When you say "between me and her", does that mean you
have talked to her about it and sorted this thing?

A. Yeah, on the court, quite quiet. I think we will talk a
little bit more.

Q. Martina, you talked about strategy just then. I'm just
wondering whether or not the way Amélie plays tennis
means that perhaps players like yourself have got to
change your strategy when you play a player like her?

A. Yeah, because she plays a lot of topspin. The other
girls, the way she play, like Conchita, a lot of topspin,
Arantxa plays a lot of topspin too. But you don't have
that many girls playing one-handed backhand at the very
high level, which have very strong forehands. You have
got Jana, she comes in and slices it down, and Steffi
too. But most of the girls at the top level play
double-handed backhand, play very flat tennis from both
sides, big returns - Monica, Pierce, Venus, they are just
big shots. Nobody has this much topspin in their game.

Q. So is she going to change the way you play?

A. You have to play different because the balls, they bounce
higher, they are not as long; but you have to, you know,
come in to the court and play them faster.

Q. Do you think that physically strong players like Amélie
Mauresmo are the future of women's tennis?

A. I don't know what the future brings. I mean, there are
players like me, Anna, and Williams sister, which have a
different type of game. I think that's more like, you
know, you could say Dokic or Dementieva played this
tournament, or even Petrova - you have to see the
juniors, the way they play. That's the future, but not
Amélie. She has got a really like - maybe next two,
three years she's going become a lot better. But not,
like, the future. It's more the juniors. They are the
future, I think.

Q. How is the situation with your sponsor? Is it getting
better, worse, the legal problems? I don't know?

A. I remember there was some problems last year.

A. There are no problems.

Q. When the contract is going to expire?

A. In 201, I think.
.
Q. Martina, do you think you have improved your forehand
quite a bit over, say, the last year? You hit a number
of hard forehands down the line, which is something we
didn't see from you a couple of years ago?

A. I think I always play a forehand down the line, more
than, you know, cross court. But I think I learned that
one, you know, if I'm in danger, you know the running
forehand cross court game a lot better, more important,
my tennis. Also to get out of danger, you know, I think
that is very important, I think. That one down the line
goes through the other girl's backhand usually, if it's
not a leftie, so I think it's a very good shot for attack
and come in, and, you know, get your chance for the next
one.

Q. How about the Grand Slam this year? When you win the
Australian Open is that - - -

A. Oh, yeah. This year I learn from last year, and I won,
97, three of the Grand Slams, so I feel very good right
now. And I always have a great start here in Australia,
so I hope I can keep going, yes, this time, and I'm a
different player.

Q. Did you change your schedule for this year, compared to
last year?

A. Not much, I think it's pretty much the same as it was
last year, I'm going to Tokyo; then I didn't play Paris,
which I'm playing this time, Indian Wells, Key Biscayne.
I'm playing most of the big tournaments again.

Q. You don't think you made any mistake last year?

A. No.

Q. In your schedule or in your - - -

A. No. I think I'm in better shape this year, and I, I can
hold up, and if I don't, if I find I feel, you know, I
don't want to play this tournament, I just don't play
it. I mean, you don't have to force yourself until, you
know, the last thing, and then you get injured or
something, as I got injured last year. Not for long
though; I was lucky. But it could have been worse.

Q. Could you just clear for us, Martina, what you did say to
Amélie on the court? Did she speak to you about the
issue that has been raised?

A. I said I'm not going to talk about it.

Q. I'm asking the question?

A. I told her, you know, something.

Q. You told her something; an apology or - - -

Q. What?

Q. Did you apologise?

A. There's nothing to apologise for.

Q. I'm just asking you, did you need to apologise?

A. No.

Q. Martina, did you run today as well as you can run?

A. Sometimes you run more; depends on the opponent.
Sometimes less.

Q. But speed-wise?

A. Speed-wise.

Q. You were getting to a lot of balls?

Well, so was she, so I had to do something, improve my
game, and I just, you know, make her play, definitely,
because I don't think she has got like, - you always have
chance against her. She has so much topspin on it, and
she would miss sometimes, so you always have the chance,
like, getting to some of the balls, which are like -
players like Monica or Lindsay, or Mary even, they kill
you. But not Amélie. You always feel like you are
having a chance to get back into the points.

Q. How much a priority is it to get back to No 1?

A. I'm happy winning a Grand Slam again. I don't know how
far away I am right now, so - - -

Q. Twenty points?

A. Thirty points.

Q. Twenty?

A. Twenty - gosh.

Q. Four hundred?

A. More. Well, I had to defend this tournament. But I
have, you know, played quite shitty the rest of the year
so - - -

Q. So is it big to you, to get back to No 1? Is it a big
thing?

A. It would have been great if I could do it over the year,
but doesn't matter. There's, next week, another
tournament, big one, which I make the finals and, you
know, we will see what is going to happen there. And
definitely Indian Wells and Key Biscayne, Hilton, are big
tournaments so, you know, if it comes, if I'm going to
continue playing well, it will be there.

Q. Who would you say are the most dangerous players on the
tour?

A. I still think Lindsay is, you know, the best player, most
consistent on the tour right now. Even she lost to
Amélie. I mean, she beat me in Sydney, and she's always
going to be a tough player to beat.

Q. Martina, do you think you are mentally tougher than
Amélie?

A. Me?

Yes?

A. That's why I won today.

Q. Because you are mentally tough not - - -

A. Well, physically, I wouldn't have a chance against her.
It's good in tennis, you know, still, the mind is
sometimes more important than the rest. You definitely
have to be in good shape to get to some of the points or
balls, otherwise you have nothing to talk about. But
still, tennis is a game, not a - like, it doesn't go like
for seconds, like athletics or anything else. So it's
still - - -

Q. Martina, sometimes girls who have a great tournament like
this, they are not able to sustain it. But where would
you think that she will be, let's say, at the end of the
year? Do you think she has the game and the ability to
stay in the top 10, say, through to the end of the year?

A. Well, what is she going to be after this tournament?

Q. Eighteen?

A. Well, I think, if she continues playing like this, she
definitely will have a big chance, you know, being in the
top 10, soon.

Q. From what you have seen of her, both as a player and of
her mental strength as well, do you think she has got the
capability?

A. It depends on how she will handle all this. It's easier
getting into the finals, but I think, because she was No
1 junior in the world before, she knows how to be, you
know, a champion; so she showed it at this tournament,
that she can beat great players. So she, for sure,
gained some confidence here, and will be very good in the
future, and a very dangerous player.

Q. Which one do you pick for the men's final?

A. Enqvist, Kafelnikov - that's a tough one. I mean
Kafelnikov already won a Grand Slam at the French Open,
and Enqvist would be the first time; but he's, you know,
been playing some great tennis last week, and this week
too. So I don't know. I don't want to hurt anyone.

Q. Martina, do you feel like the best tennis player in the
world right now?

A. Well, I won this tournament. But that doesn't mean - I
think I was the best player right now, those two weeks,
but, you know - - -

Q. Martina, is that where you learnt to be a champion, from
your great junior results?

A. I think it's very important, specially if you are from
Europe, to learn to win. It's not everybody can win, I
think. It's also a lot of mental things that you have to
learn, and handle the press, everything, and because
there was always attention on me since I was nine, ten
years old; so, for me, it has always been normal, with
the winner, and this is the thing you have to learn.
It's not given to you, I mean, at birth, so - - -

Q. Martina, you like to buy yourself little presents when
you win the big Slams. Have you seen anything you want
to buy this time?

A. Actually, I bought the things already when I was in
Perth. I got new now ear rings, a ring and a necklace,
so I bought them in advance, so I hope I play well.

Q. Wasn't that a bit presumptuous?

Q. I was just going, on a personal level when you bought
those rings, I just noticed the finger on your left hand.
No big announcements, anything like that? Usually that's
a wedding finger?

A. I know. Cute.

Q. Is that to put the boys away or?

A. So far, I'm buying the presents myself; but, who knows?

Q. So no man in your life?

A. I still have time, I think, for these things. Right now,
it's more important to play good tennis again, to me.