08/29/2002
M. HINGIS/A. Serra Zanetti
MODERATOR: Questions for Martina.

Q. Did you play better than the first round match?
MARTINA HINGIS: I think so, yeah.

Q. How did you feel? Talk about the match.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, at first I didn't know the girl. But I played her bigger sister in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open so I knew, you know, pretty
much what I was going into. I watched her play a little bit also like a few times in practice. I knew she had a good backhand and a little weaker forehand.
Yeah, that kind of worked, just playing her forehand, just attack the serve.

Q. So physically you were talking about the other day you don't feel quite there. Do you feel every day a little bit stronger or not?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, I do. I mean, I think that match kind of helped me. I knew I could survive a three-setter, one like that. Today I definitely knew that I can, you know, play my game and go out there and not be afraid of rallies. That was a positive thing today, that I won the long rallies, just kind of hang in there in the first set, then I could be more aggressive.

Q. Are you feeling the ball like you were, say, in January?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think I'm playing game-wise -- technically , I think I improve on my forehand. Especially today, I was rallying, some good forehands, attacking there, played well like the forehand rallies. Other than that, I don't know. Some things better, some worse. But that's like all relying to the injury or whatever you have.

Q. Being away from the game for a while like you were, did you find it sort of rekindled your love of the game, the feelings you have toward the sport? Some people would be away from the game and say they liked the normal life.
MARTINA HINGIS: I mean, you like it until a certain stage, a certain time. But then you feel almost -- I wasn't fulfilled with the way of living at that point. You know, a couple months, just kind of traveling and doing other things which you're not used to do because you never had the time. You've always got to practice and travel and play tournaments. Just like no regime, no routine.
After a while you miss it. You miss having the practice hours, the times, just the discipline. That's been all my life like that. You know, I start missing it.

Q. Is it too much to think you could have even a small impact on this tournament, and I don't mean winning it, but if you go up against a big player? Are you capable of winning a set, maybe upsetting Venus, something like that?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I'm not there yet, I mean, to play her. Definitely I wouldn't have anything to lose. I mean, I would love to get that far and play her, if we both get there. I'm looking into the next round, I think AmandaCoetzer now. I think I've got plenty to worry about.

Q. Did you miss winning while you were off the last few months?
MARTINA HINGIS: I miss the challenge and the motivation. I love playing tennis. I did play just for fun a few times. I loved being back on court. I knew that first set back that I could still play, if my body would last. Just the passion has always been there.

Q. And you probably weren't too surprised while you were off that Venus and Serena kind of dominated?
MARTINA HINGIS: They played great tennis out there in the Grand Slams.
Well-deserved. The Wimbledon finals was one of the best matches ever.

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08/31/2002
M. HINGIS/A. Coetzer
MODERATOR: Questions for Martina.

Q. How do you feel about how you're playing?
MARTINA HINGIS: A lot better. You know, I think like if I wouldn't play the way I played today, you know, hanging in those long rallies, I probably would have had a lot of trouble against her. But, yeah, I was like trying always to be pressing and be on top. Once she made me running, I got into trouble.
Yeah, I'm pretty pleased with today's match.

Q. Could you get the confidence more and more by age much?
MARTINA HINGIS: Sure. Every time you go out there, you know you can handle the opponent. I feel like every time physically and mentally I'm improving, last longer. Yeah, everything starts coming together.

Q. Over the last two years you made the semifinals. This year coming off an injury, can you compare how you felt then as compared to how you feel now?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's like having two surgeries in less than 10 months, it definitely toughens you up in a way. You learn to be patient. You know if this tournament doesn't work out as you probably set the goal. But right now I'm not in a hurry. You learn to be patient, just try to do the best you can at this moment. You just try to get better in the next few weeks, month. Right now I'm looking almost into the indoor season, then into next year. You have plenty of time.

Q. Would you say realistically you're not a contender for the title simply because you haven't got the matches?
MARTINA HINGIS: Every day passing by, I feel like I'm improving, better every match. I think I played pretty good today. It's like those balls, you have long rallies, it's hard to make the point, it's hard to kill the point. With her, she's a very speedy player. She always gets the shots which sometimes would be a winner, but then she has nothing really to hurt me with. That's kind of nice. It was a good test today.

Q. Do you think you can win this title this week?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, that's going to be a harder task. But definitely I'm not counting it out. You always have hopes. As a top player, always want to look forward to the next match and give the best.

Q. Is that frustrating for you?
MARTINA HINGIS: You've got to be realistic. I just came off surgery. I played a couple events, made quarterfinals. Maybe I wish I had done better there. I feel like I learn from the last two weeks, already playing a lot better here. But still there is a lot I have to catch up with. We'll see.

Q. Can you look ahead to Monica a little bit?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I watched her matches, especially against Schwartz. That was a close one. I mean, it was almost like my first.

Q. Today.
MARTINA HINGIS: I watched it until 6-1, 5-1. I was like, "That's going to be over in a minute." I don't know what happened later. It's good. She's going to be tired.

Q. Were you surprised she had so much trouble with Schwartz?
MARTINA HINGIS: I know that she lost to her in Fed Cup. It's probably not her favorite opponent. You know, she came out of that, won it. That's all that counts at the end.

Q. Whose confidence is higher now, yours or Monica's?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know. We'll see in the match.

Q. How is your level compared to Australia, before the surgeries? Anywhere close to it? Is it going to take a while?
MARTINA HINGIS: I think I have to -- I don't feel like at this point it's where I was in Australia. Maybe I'm similar, but the game has even gotten better. It's hard to say right now. The sisters have been playing very well. If you want to beat one of them, you really have to definitely step it up. There's still a few things I have to work on, especially the physical part. I have to maintain the routine, just work on that.

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08/27/2002
M. HINGIS/M. Irvin
MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Was that a little more than you anticipated for your first match?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, obviously, you know, in a way I can be happy, too, to still be in the tournament. In a way I had to close out this match two times. You know, I never played this girl before. I mean, she's been around. I watched her play. She has beaten some great players. She had a good season so far.
But, you know, when you're like rolling, physically I feel like I've had a few matches since I've been back which I wasn't able to close out. But, you know, I did it today, so I'm playing Thursday next match (smiling).

Q. Why do you think there have been those matches that you haven't been able to close out, or today maybe you had to do it twice to really win? How come?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you know, it's like physically you have those ups and downs. Mentally, you know, when you're physically not up to it, you just tend to tighten up. I was real nervous when I walked on the court and the first few, you know, points and games, then I started feeling better. When she was up 3-2 after that, I kind of rolled and cruised through the first set until 2-0, 4-1. Them I'm like, "Okay, been here, done that before."
I'm just like at this point -- all I can say, I'm happy to win the last point.

Q. How do you think you're different mentally right now than maybe in the Australian Open or earlier?
MARTINA HINGIS: You know what, I was nervous there, as well. You know, it's just there was the beginning of the season for everybody. This time it's like everybody's been playing without me for the last three, four months. It's just more difficult. Hard courts, as well. Rebound is a bit slower.  You know, it's not like I feel I'm not there; it's just like really to make the next step. I'm happy I did it today, you know.

Q. You spoke the other day about playing to the last point, and that's the thing you had to learn. Did you have thoughts of Myskina as you were playing?
MARTINA HINGIS: In a way, you know what, at 4-1 I changed racquets for my serve. New balls. I thought maybe next game, I'll go ahead. You can't do that, not at this kind of level. The first two serves were like in the bottom of the net with the new racquet. I'm like, "Oh, my God." I knew it was going to happen almost before I hit the ball. You can't afford those mistakes. Two games later they switched the balls. It was already 4-3. It was getting closer.

Q. When you were serving for the match the first time, were you startled by the way she pounded that ball deep to your backhand?
MARTINA HINGIS: Players like her, at that point you have nothing to lose anymore. You know, she was getting back. I gave her the confidence a little bit to come back in the match. You know, I wasn't feeling the greatest at that point. You know, it's just like until that point, I was like giving her the opportunities to miss, then do something by myself. I was too defensive. But I was happy to be able to step it up again in the third set and just kind of change the game plan.

Q. How difficult has it been coming back from two surgeries?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, it's like two surgeries in the last 10 months. It's not easy for nobody. You know, Lindsay, it took her nine months. She's playing great right now. She's slimmed down, moving well. But her, she's still got the serve. I still have to use my feet and anticipation.
You know, it's like slowly but surely. Hopefully I'll get it back, you know.

Q. How long ago does it feel like when you could walk out onto the court without nerves, without the fear of losing a match? How long ago does that feel like?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, as a woman I think it's just natural instinct, I guess. Every time you go out there, you're afraid to lose. I don't know. Only if you really feel confident, like you've beaten that player many times, so you know that you're 100%, that you're going to win. That happens very few times, I guess, these days.

Q. Earlier in your career, wouldn't you go out and feel that way?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, but you have a little different mentality when you're 15, 16 years old than when you're almost 22, won a few Grand Slams, been No. 1. It's a little different walk-on.

Q. Do you think you could do some damage over the next two weeks, or do you think you're still in a process of figuring out where your game is?
MARTINA HINGIS: I pretty much know where I'm at, I think. It's just a matter of not giving up, just playing matches. This is like pure will, you know, getting through today's match, being still in the tournament.
I feel like, you know, until a certain stage, I'm really competitive with the girls. I mean, that's not the problem. It's not the power or anything. It's just like physically at this point.

Q. And physically, what do you feel like? What does your injury feel like?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, strength, strength-wise.

Q. But no pain?
MARTINA HINGIS: (Shaking head negatively.)

Q. You talked a little bit about the game when you were away, that it even changed in that short time. Could you expand on that a little bit? How did it change?
MARTINA HINGIS: The girls, physically, they worked on themselves. Montreal you had a gym, and everybody was working out before, after the match. It gives you motivation. It's a challenge. You have to do it yourself. It's gotten so much more professional.

Q. Just in the little time you were away?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes (laughter).

Q. Monica has spoken of this. If you've been No. 1 in the world, been a Grand Slam champion, is it okay to be No. 3 or 4?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you obviously know the feel of how to win matches, Grand Slams. I think at that stage, when you've been there, it's the most important to me being able to beat anybody who you face on the other side. It's like if I go out there, play the Williamses, if I'm at the best, I want to have the feeling that I have the chance to win.

Q. Why did you change your racquet?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, you know, I might as well change everything. My feet are changed for the better, new outfit, new racquet. It all changed.  It gives me a little bit more power. I feel like the ball flies deeper. Of course, I have to work on myself to take advantage of the racquet, too.

Q. You talked about Lindsay coming back from surgery. Chanda also has had two surgeries in the past few months. What do you notice about her summer? Do you take encouragement from what she's done?
MARTINA HINGIS: It's great, you know. She came back, made the finals right away, won Eastbourne, only lost to the sisters pretty much at both Grand Slams I think. You know, the first time she struggled a little bit more when she had the surgery. She kind of fell back. But this time, I think the older you are, the smarter you get, you know, more balance with your life.

Q. When she beat Serena, was that a shock?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't know. I don't think so. Serena hasn't played in a long time. Chanda can play great tennis. Everyone knows that.

(Note: this is a partial transcript)
 

09/03/2002
M. SELES/M. Hingis

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Martina, please.

Q. I know you came here prepared to be patient. You've got a long way to go to full recovery. Do you feel that perhaps you went as far as you could this time here?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, in a way. I mean, I could still be lucky I was in the tournament after first round. So in the past I wasn't probably struggling against players like Irvin or just the ranking, maybe.
But in a way, yeah, I thought maybe, you know, looking at the draw I had a chance making at least the quarterfinals, then play Venus, if we both would get there.
But, you know, Monica played well today. I have to give her credit. I definitely wasn't, you know, probably as far as I thought I would be, you know, coming in to these tournaments.

Q. How is the ankle? Generally, the whole side of the body that was affected. Have you come through feeling good physically?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, I mean, I felt pretty good, you know, starting to play, playing tournaments. But obviously it will take time, you know, to recover 100 percent physically and strength. That's like the biggest problem at this point, you know?
Once you don't have the physical conditions, mentally you're also a little weaker maybe than when you know you can last this long and that long. Against Amanda I thought I had played a better match. Then in the doubles. But against the top players, it still needs to, you know, to get a notch better.

Q. Is it different when you come into a tournament knowing that you may not win the whole thing as opposed to, you know, before the ankle you had a legitimate shot to win every tournament you entered?
MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, it's different, going into a tournament where you just look forward to every single match. You're not used to going into tournaments like that.
But hopefully I have now three, four weeks to train until the next tournament, so I know where I'm at. Probably that was pretty much what I was looking forward to. You know, that's why I played these tournaments, to see how the game has developed and what I have to work on till the next tournaments.

Q. How much power is she getting over the net right now? How did that affect you today?
MARTINA HINGIS: Power?

Q. Yeah, Monica, she seems to be hitting her shots.
MARTINA HINGIS: She always hits it with high risk. So today she returned really well. I didn't return the greatest, you know? I had a few opportunities, and especially in that first set, 3-2 up, 30-Love, that one close call there. But, you know, things like that happen. You just have to, you know, maintain what you worked on. But I didn't really have anything to hold on tight to today against her, so...
It was like every game was whatever happens, happens, you know?

Q. Last year the WTA Championships were in Munich, not far from your homeland. How do you feel about The Championships being played in Los Angeles this year?
MARTINA HINGIS: I think it's going to be a great event, great site. STAPLES Center, I think it's gonna be a lot better than in Munich, although it was only like two and a half, three hours away from my home. But the atmosphere, just everything, I think it's gonna be a great event.

Q. Does Monica have a legitimate shot against Venus in the next round?
MARTINA HINGIS: Against me, she was dictating pretty much the game. Venus has a better serve, you know, moves, hits more winners and everything. So, I mean, she beat her in Australia, so... But Venus has gotten better since then. Wasn't injured or anything. I don't know. I mean, you can't compare my game right now to Venus'. That's a good question.

Q. Can you talk about the difference in the way you were able to dictate points maybe four or five years ago and the way the game changed?
MARTINA HINGIS: It was slower. You have more time to think where you gonna hit the shot. Today you have to react so fast, it's so much speedier.
Sometimes it's like, "Okay, wait a minute. I need to think where I'm gonna hit the next shot." Sometimes you just got to hit it back fast, that is what is the difference. You don't even think sometimes, "Okay," all it takes, just hit it back as hard and fast as you can, give the opponents less time.

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