NESHA STARCEVIC - 29/09/98
Associated Press Writer

MUNICH, Germany (AP) - Finally, Martina Hingis gets to take that Porsche out for a spin.

The world's top-ranked woman tennis player celebrates her 18th birthday today, and fast cars are on her mind.

``Turning 18 is a new stage. I've been waiting for it,'' Hingis said. ``I won at Filderstadt, where I got a Porsche. It's staying at home in the garage. I can't drive it.
``Now, if you turn 18, I'm able to drive those cars. I don't need anybody else from my family to drive me. I'm able to move more freely. Apart from that, I will continue going to the tournaments with my mom to coach me.''

Hingis advanced to the the semifinals in the $6.7 million Grand Slam Cup Tuesday by beating Conchita Martinez 6-2, 7-5.
Hingis is coached by her mother, Melanie Molitor, who usually accompanies her to tournaments.

``Before, my mother had to sign when I was asked to sign something,'' Hingis said of her 18th birthday. ``Now I can sign on my own.''

Hingis could pick up a brand new Porsche next week in Filderstadt, Germany, where the car company is the main sponsor.
But Hingis could also lose her No. 1 ranking, which she has held since March 31, 1997.

After winning three of the four Grand Slam tournaments last year (Australian Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open) and reaching the final of the French Open, Hingis captured only one Grand Slam event this year - in Australia.
Since then, she has won only three more titles, at Indian Wells, Hamburg and Rome, and she is being challenged by Lindsay Davenport, who beat her in the U.S. Open final earlier this month.
Her tournament singles record is 54-10, and she has been beaten three times by Davenport, and twice each by Venus Williams and Monica Seles.
Davenport is now only 26 points behind in the rankings and could capture the No. 1 spot in Filderstadt.
But right now, Hingis is too busy celebrating to worry about the ranking.

One of her German sponsors (Opel) is preparing ``something big, something special,'' which could result in another car.

And just in case she runs out of pocket money while trying out the beer and the Bavarian wurst, Hingis could end her week in Munich earning 800,000 - the first-place prize for women at the Grand Slam Cup - for winning three matches.
Just by clearing the first hurdle against Martinez, Hingis earned at least $200,000.

``It's really a great tournament. There are no points to win, so you can really have fun playing,'' Hingis said. ``Of course, there's always the money, which isn't bad for three matches.''

The Grand Slam Cup began in 1990, and women are playing for the first time.