15 août - August 15, 2006 13h00
M. Hingis / M. Santangelo
7‑5, 7‑6(5)
MARTINA HINGIS
THE MODERATOR: We will take question for Martina in English please.
Q. Martina, are you happy with your performance tonight?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I don't think it was an easy match from the beginning. I never played her before. I knew what she was going to be a little bit like, but it's not so easy to always kind of try to control those wide shots. And she served very well, a very high percentage and it was hard to break her. And yes, I think overall it was a good match to get to win in straight sets.
Q. Down 4‑1 in the second set, she gets treatment, you get your mother to come. What did you guys talk about?
Well, it didn't work the first time. It worked better in the second time.
Q. How much do you feel that helped you?
MARTINA HINGIS: It was just kind to loosen up. I mean, you kind of are in that comfort zone me and her, we've known each other for so long, she knows my game inside out and sometimes when you have an overview from the outside it helps. She told me just try to play your game and maybe, you know, even like if you come to the net, go to the middle and just little things like that, you know.
Q. Hit in the middle?
MARTINA HINGIS: More forehand but in the middle. It worked right away the first or second shot, but then I got, "Okay, I got scared". But no, it was ‑‑ somehow, sometimes I didn't make, you know, I was thinking I was going to hold serve to go up 2‑1, then maybe she's going to tell, help me in the receiving game, but I was already down 2‑1. That gets you kind of on different thoughts, you know, just like someone who is there and in that comfort zone, that helps, yes..
Q. You have to call for it ahead of time, right?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she called for it like just during the changeover. I asked in the beginning and they said, it would be nice if you tell him like two games ahead but sometimes you don't know. I mean, I don't know. It was like, like in my case, I was thinking I'm going to be up 2‑1 and all of a sudden I'm down 2‑1. So it kind of changes the thinking. But you just have to try to be flexible, I guess. Then I told her one game ahead and I think she didn't tell right away. During the medical time, you never know when the opponent is going to take the medical time. So you just kind of kill the time for three minutes, I mean. I don't know. Or sometimes you just wait there and you're just like, I don't know, just like instead of ‑‑ so we keep talking. I think a lot of coaches can even, you know, bring the positive thoughts, you know, because you're thinking I didn't, you know, hold serve and blah, blah, blah. You're thinking about what happened, instead of what to do in the future and that kind of helped when mom said, "Just keep going, hang in there". Like I was down 4‑1 and she was sort of like, "Okay, just try to win those two games, live the wind and just be patient". And then when you see what happens after that, and if you lose that, okay, you hang in the third. We'll work out later what you can do in the third.
Q. Do you like the new challenge system?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, we've had that on a few tournaments like in Miami and I'm definitely in favour of it, because if you have the technology today to be that close. Sometimes it's hard to know like if they're really on or off. I mean you don't know. But it's set up for everybody the same and I think it works really well. You have it on the screen and some of the challenges I can... Like I don't know. There was the first point in the tie breaker, I thought that was a pretty big point. It definitely turned the momentum for me. You know, if I had lost that point, I don't know. So even sometimes you can't tell by millimetres, but yes, I like it.
Q. You've heard the comment, some players don't like it, like Federer, for example, is not so true about it.
MARTINA HINGIS: Everybody has his own mind, you know. I definitely think, you know ... Sorry?
Q. It's a good improvement?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, it's not like ‑‑ like in the beginning I thought maybe it's going to be a waste of time, like it's going to take too much time, like it will take too long, but it's very fast. I mean, you know, sometimes I thought maybe in the beginning players will only take advantage of it to have a break or something. It doesn't take that long and it's ...
Q. The game is so fast.
MARTINA HINGIS: The game is so ...
Q. The game is so fast.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes.
Q. The crowd seems to really like it.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, they do, you know. I think, I mean, but even then if Roger Federer is against him, it may help him on getting an ace that one day, you know. If you don't think it's good, don't use it.
Q. He used it.
MARTINA HINGIS: I think he liked it at that point.
Q. He used it in Toronto.
MARTINA HINGIS: Exactly. If you don't like it, don't use it is what I think. At that moment, he really liked it.
Q. Does that mean you like the on‑court coaching?
MARTINA HINGIS: If I like it?
Q. Yes. Because you used it.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, for someone like me, I have my mother in the Fed Cup for four years, so I think I have only lost one match, during that time, during four years of that period.
Q. You are for the idea? I mean you think it's a good idea? A lot of people think tennis players should be able to think by themselves.
MARTINA HINGIS: No, I mean, we've worked together for 26 years, so I think she knows my game.
Q. Don't forget the first nine months.
MARTINA HINGIS: Exactly. That's what I'm saying, I'm only 25, so that's why I say 26 years.
Q. The one criticism that some players have is that tennis is meant to be an individual sport and you are supposed to work things out on your own and that this kind of changes things.
MARTINA HINGIS: Yes, but there is I mean so much, so many eye contact during the matches, I think this just kind of relieves the pressure and does all of these things. I mean, some players are not in favour of it and they look at the coach every point, so I'm like, okay. Maybe not (indiscernible) because she doesn't have a coach, but some of the other players are not in favour or just like, I don't know. It loosens up those things that you think all that coaching, and blah, blah, blah, the signs or whatever people have. I don't think it will be that strict anymore. And it's just if you have the coach is there, why not. It's not like you do it every changeover or something, it's only once per set.
Q. Being a winner in Montreal before, is it more pressure for you to play Montreal again or less pressure?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it's been four year. I won this tournament twice and twice in Toronto. So it was great. I mean, tonight's crowd was just amazing. I mean, it's so welcome. So yes, I think that helped me getting through this match tonight too, not to disappoint the people.
Q. Martina, have you changed your schedule? Are you taking a little more breaks than you were when you first came back, meaning that you are more conscious about the resting time?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think hard court you have to be very smart about how much you play on hard court. I was always ‑‑ I didn't know how things would turn out, so I always scheduled these breaks in between because I play a tournament, a week off, play, a week off, in case I do well, and, you know, so. You also have to think the three‑hour time change sometimes it's, if you come from LA coming here it's not too easy either. And I'd rather practice one good week instead of losing some tournament in the first round because I'm not ready. I'd rather be always 100 percent.
Q. Martina, just one last question. I wonder if you could comment about your name sake of Martina Navratilova.
MARTINA HINGIS: I saw her in the opening gates. Like we were right next to each other.
Q. I mean, she's finishing off here in Montreal this tournament. This will be the end for her. And I just want your comments about what she has meant to the game.
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she's meant so much. I mean, I've been saying that over and over again. She's a true legend on and off the court, you know, great personality. And all those past champions, they always brought something in with the game. And she was the first one who really brought some physique and fitness into the game. Because, you know, you can really, even today, how much can you do to be so much in such great shape and how far you can push your body at her age, it's just amazing to see that. I'll probably read her book and learn how she does that. But I've had some talks with her. I mean, I kind of know already. But still, just to be so disciplined through so many years is amazing.
Q. Have you ever regretted that your mother gave you her name?
MARTINA HINGIS: No, I think it's a great name. It just puts some pressure on you, but I think I stand up for it.
