1998 Chase Championships at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Tuesday, November 17, 1998
Martina Hingis defeated Patty Schnyder, 4-6, 6-0, 6-3

An Interview With MARTINA HINGIS:

Q. What does this win mean to you tonight?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I mean, I started -- well, in Philly, actually at the end, I was like two days rested. I didn't have -- like play too much and just I also got cold like in Philly because I came from Florida and everybody pretty much is like talking like me, like a singer voice, but it was a good win. I mean, I lost the first set and I came back. It was kind of strange the second set 6-0 in ten minutes, I was still fresh enough for the third. I was just working on myself and I got better 'til the end.

Q. How important is that physical conditioning in a match like that?

MARTINA HINGIS: Definitely it is important because, you know, you have to even fight for every point in the third set because she is in very good shape. And if you lose the first set so, you know, oh, two more to go so you still want to win. But I haven't played her too much. Only once in Munich and it wasn't like an official match. It was just after Fed Cup and everything it was almost too much for me. This time I was better prepared and a little bit nerve-wracking. If you have somebody like her on the other side because, you know, everybody is making -- not here in the US, but like at home it is different. But I wasn't there for too much right now so I don't know what is going on.

Q. You were up a break in the first set 3-2; then you lost a bad service game.

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, yeah, like three doublefaults, something like that. I remember very well. It was -- when I go up I was like nervous in the beginning and when something doesn't go the way you want it, I was working on it like the last two weeks in the Academy in Florida and I didn't have like a great tournament in Philly so you kind of, you know, it is going to work what you have done or not. Like in the beginning I made the break and I was serving and all of a sudden like my concentration was like up and down, so, it was like -- like a roller-coaster.

Q. Did you work very hard in Florida?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, yeah. For my things pretty much. I was like playing 3-4 hours a day and some running and if you come from winter to this heat it makes like double as much. But it -- I was just trying to get ready for the last two tournaments, especially this one. I am happy to be in the second round now.

Q. Fourth game of the third set you had that unbelievable point. Put you down Love-40.

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, yes. Everybody thought the match is going to be over, if I would have lost -- yeah, the next point or just that game. I was like, you know, either now or never.

Q. Is that what you were saying to yourself?

MARTINA HINGIS: Not really. Even you are down 3-1, but she would be serving and just have to come right back. But it was much easier to just concentrate, but I knew like I was tired after that point. So she must be too, so just try to put the first serve in and she would miss two returns so that was like better for me but I knew she is not in great shape after that point. I was -- I had an advantage because I was serving. I was just trying to come back in that game and so I did.

Q. What was your reaction when you heard that when Arantxa lost yesterday you had no more chance to finish the year as No. 1?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, it doesn't make a difference. For me it is to end up the season as good as I can, just, you know, if you win this tournament, you go better into the next year. So just try to go for every round and we will see who is going to be my next opponent either Mary, or Amanda which Mary I lost last year and I would love to have a rematch.

Q. What do you think about your physical condition now, the way you are moving; are you pleased with that?

MARTINA HINGIS: It is getting better. I mean, I am - I was still in great shape in the third set because we had this unbelievable rally after that. I was still not like at the end of my breathing, I was like I could come back maybe some other day I would just, you know, have a total breakdown or something.

Q. You have played - I think you played six sets against Schnyder. Is she a player that could be in the Top 5 next year?

MARTINA HINGIS: She won most of the tournaments which she won was like 150,000, so, she didn't win like a huge tournament like one in Hannover where she beat Jana in the final was a great win, but she beat some great players. She made like three times quarters in the Grand Slam so she has been very solid this year. I think she needs more to be a Top 5 player than just win the small tournaments.

Q. What about her game?

MARTINA HINGIS: She -- she serves down-the-line. You never know or when they are going to come or she has like good defensive game, but she don't have like a huge shot from the baseline and she barely comes in and -- but she has a very good advantage with her serve, and a surface like this or especially clay court, volley is going to come back and come back. You just have to make her play and run.

Q. Do you think she has a bit of a mental block against you where she is afraid to beat you?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, she beat me, well, but we haven't played actually. I mean, when I used to play her at the juniors or in Switzerland I used to beat her pretty much. Also like Swiss Championships, but that was so long ago, but yeah, I was always better than her in Switzerland. But I don't know if she has a mental block. I was just better today.

Q. Do you think she has a hard time though because she has even talked about she is the second best player from Switzerland obviously always being behind you, do you think that is difficult?

MARTINA HINGIS: I have never been in this position and I hope I am not going to get there. (Laughs)

Q. Have you set goals for next year?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, definitely there are some goals to get back to No. 1, since I can't do it now anymore. There is always next year. I am still young just do well at the Grand Slams and, you know, win some of them again, maybe.

Q. Are you going to take some holidays during the off-season or are you going to work as hard as you can to be ready for the Australian Open?

MARTINA HINGIS: Oh, yes, definitely. Now, December, well, after this tournament I am going to probably take like a week off and just, in December I have a whole month to do something and to get in good shape and just think about what I am going to do next year. I made the schedule pretty much. I am going to start off with Hopman Cup and Sydney and the Australian Open which is very good preparation. I am looking forward to the next year; especially next month where it is like not much going on.

Q. How close to the top of your game do you feel you are this week?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I don't want to say too much. It is like, I don't know, it has been better but also worse. I mean, I won this match and I was feeling much better after the US Open, where I made the finals again. I had a great match against Monica and Jana was pretty solid. But after that, I was like just pretty much down because it was like the week after was the Fed Cup. It was like very tiring and I should have maybe had taken off the week after like in Munich or also Filderstadt because it was just too much. I had the same problem last year and I still made it again so hopefully I will be smarter next year. But just try to not make the same mistakes again and do better next year. I feel like my game right now is getting better again. I am in better shape and we will I would say like 70%, 75. You always have to have hope to get better and improve some things in your game, so...

Q. Also physically have you been stronger than you feel you are now? You say you worked physically lately. Do you feel there was a time where you felt in better shape than you are now?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, Indian Wells I think I was pretty good there. Wins over Williams and Lindsay, where it was kind of very easy for me to go into the next tournament and I didn't have it like any problems that I was sore or just mentally -- it was just also pretty much the beginning of the year and the end of the year is not only that you are just mentally, you are tired so it goes into your body too. It is not that you are physically pretty much down, but it is also mentally more. But the head tells you are tired, so, body can't do too much.

Q. What about your new outfit? Do you like your new clothes?

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah pretty much. What about you, do you like it?

Q. Yeah, it is good.

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, can I continue to play in that?

Q. Yes.

MARTINA HINGIS: Okay, I also have a dress but I figure it is a little bit too cold now to play in a dress without sleeves so keep that for Australia.