USTA 1998 US Open at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Friday, September 4, 1998
Martina Hingis defeated Amelie Mauresmo, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2

An Interview With MARTINA HINGIS:

Q. Can you talk about the first set how you got into the match?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, yeah, first set I guess I was still in practice because we got changed, the court -- that is not a good excuse to have. I just kind of went on the court. After yesterday's match I kind of loosened up and everybody told me, great much, played well, good win. I was like, hey, it really wasn't bad. Then I got to come back today and I kind of was, you know, just too confident. I went in there and I was like after I lost the first set, hey, girl, kind of wake up. You don't want to go back home after this match. I started playing better and more aggressive. I came out well.

Q. You were overconfident against somebody who had you up a set and 4-1 a month ago?

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, but I was a different player at that time. It was on clay, I was home. I was very nervous and we were up 2-0 after the first day I saw that match. Patty was playing against her and I thought, well, this girl can't really play, but she played a different level. I mean, she played so much better because she has nothing to lose when she plays against me. I give the players like more time -- not more time, but more space and just to do something. Patty played against her. It was like a three set and she actually had both of us already in her pocket. But once it came to be very close she is very chokey, so -- but I just felt I am playing very well this tournament and all of a sudden you are on the court and you lose the first set so was like, okay.

Q. Is there anything she does in particular that makes it tough for you to get into a rhythm?

MARTINA HINGIS: Usually when I go on the court and I know somebody is playing like one-handed backhand, I feel, you know, when you are behind or something, you always play there because that is usually the weak side of the opponent. But not on her side because once she is like moving -- she moves very well on court and whips it down the line so many times. I was like, okay, next shot.

Q. Is that the greatest backhand you have seen in a while?

MARTINA HINGIS: One handed, one of the best ones on the Tour I'd say, yeah, because she doesn't hit it only once. She hit it like five, six times down-the-line while she was running and you were like, okay, I got this point, but all of a sudden you see the ball passing you, you are like, hey, okay.

Q. How do you -- up until this point, how do you characterize the year? Are you happy with it, a little disappointed?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I mean, last year was definitely better. But I wouldn't say it was like so bad because I still won the first Grand Slam of the year. Made it to the semis at the other two and now I won early in the year, I won some tournaments too. So I am kind of happy. I am moving up again. I am in a good mood, motivated. Once you get sick of losing, you just want to keep your head up and go for it.

Q. Early in the second set you appeared to say something to one of the ball girls about her outfit, one of my colleagues said he heard that on TV --

MARTINA HINGIS: What?

Q. During the match did you say something to one of the ball girls that you liked the outfit they were wearing this year or --

MARTINA HINGIS: No. Ball girl that they have a nice outfit? No.

Q. Have you found it difficult to maintain the intensity you had last year? Do you put down the fact that you haven't won as much this year to that or to the fact that maybe players understand your game a little better? What do you put it --

MARTINA HINGIS: Everybody got better and just in better shape. Physically everybody has improved. So I have to do the same thing and I have been working on myself and -- but sometimes you do well in practice and you go on the court and some of the things don't really happen. Well, I played very well, you know, in the second and third set when I was like -- I am kind of happy that I still, you know, can improve my game and my level just I can put another gear into my match; especially today, because first set wasn't that great and I felt like there have been like a couple bad calls when it was like kind of important, I was up 4-3 and 30-Love and you could see the mark which was wide and I was like: Okay, great, but I was still up 30-15. And, she would hit a good serve and so on and I lost a bad game. Then I was up 40-Love again and I would lose that stupid game. Then I lost the set. But I felt like I should have won that one and then I got more aggressive, got into the game and just played better.