Semifinal post-match press conference interview.
Hingis defeated Silvia Farina Elia (ITA) 6-0, 6-4, on February 2, 2002:
Q: In the second game of the match you seemed to be alternating great shots with errors and it was really long, but after that you seemed to kick into cruise control, please comment.
Martina Hingis: Yes, I think it was pretty important in that second game to give myself a lead and after that I was maybe just kind of cruising through it, until towards the end of the second set. It was nice because last time I played her it was also an easy score, six-one, six-love, so I knew I had the game to beat her and that was probably the mental difference, also in the crucial points, and she still remembered it hopefully.
Q: You were kind of hitting the lines with everything the first set and then in the second set up until about three-one, you seemed to drop a level and missed a couple of shots, was that because it was going too easy?
Martina Hingis: Yes, I should have won also the go-ahead serve, to go up four-one and then it would have become three-two. There were like two or three points that just didn't go my way. It was like the one line call, which he called in, and then there was the serve that was just amazing. So, those two points could have gone my way and I should have won that game and instead of, it went her way. So, there was a little difficultly after that and she got a little bit more lucky and it was just the circumstances, a little turnaround. But after that, it was nice to break her right back and be able to just close it out after that. It was more just mentally, a little nail-biting there a little bit for awhile. But all the time it didn't go my way and it was nice to take control after that.
Q: Have you seen any progress in your game since last year and if you have what areas specifically?
Martina Hingis: Well, what do you think? You watched the game. So, what do you think?
Q: You have improved.
Martina Hingis: Thank you. Yes, I think so, too. I have been working on it for like three months so it is nice that it is paying off.
Q: The first time you played her you lost, do you still remember that game?
Martina Hingis: I lost to Farina?
Q: I think you were fifteen and it was in Paris.
Martina Hingis: Well, obviously I don't remember that. Right, that was a bad loss, but I don't remember it, really. She played well at that tournament. Was I supposed to win already at that tournament? I was young, you lose sometime, it happens.
Q: It seems like the Japanese fans are backing you up, do you feel that when you are playing? Is there something special about playing in Japan?
Martina Hingis: Yes, I have this great feeling when I play here, because somehow I feel more responsible, always coming from having played well in Australia, like six consecutive finals there, as well here. So, just a winning streak somehow always continues here in Japan. Of course, my sponsor, Yonex. So, I have to do well. I have to show my game when playing in Japan. Plus, I have had sponsors in the past, it was just like a lot of different things. It is just nice to have the fans behind you. It is more support.
Q: Top players are competitive, looking back on your career are there any losses where you still feel satisfied with content even though you lost?
Martina Hingis: Well, the latest match, pretty much the Australian Open. I mean that is the latest one which I was happy about, but have lost. I was so close and I hope to be able to soon turn it around and win against Jennifer again. Maybe in the past . . . there have been matches when I was going up and I played well, but it was just physically I wasn't able to compete all the way. But, I have won the first set and then lost in three, but it was always close, but there wasn't anything I could have done better. So, I was satisfied a few times.
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Martina Hingis Interviews-- 2002 Australian Open:
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