USTA 1996 US OPEN at Flushing Meadows, New York on Monday, August 26, 1996
Martina Hingis defeated Angeles Montolio, 6-1, 6-0

An Interview With MARTINA HINGIS:

Q. Could you talk about your match and how you played?

MARTINA HINGIS:: Well, I was pretty happy with my game today. It was very hot. I didn't want to stay long on the court, but it was one hour. It was pretty good for me that I don't stay on the court for two hours. But I played very good, very concentrated. I feel very good in my first match.

Q. Did you feel any significance being the first match on the stadium to start the Open?

MARTINA HINGIS:: I liked it first match on stadium, first day at the US Open to play on stadium, it was very nice for me.

Q. Even though there weren't a lot of people?

MARTINA HINGIS:: Yeah. It was nice.

Q. Considering how well you played today, how far do you think you're going to go? What are your expectations?

MARTINA HINGIS:: : Sorry?

Q. Considering the way you played today, what's your expectation for the rest of the tournament?

MARTINA HINGIS:: I hope I can get to the last 16. There will be more tough matches, but I hope I can get there. Then we'll see if Arantxa will be there, too. I hope it will be a good match, but first I play Wednesday. Maybe next round, we will see.

Q. Are things going the way you had hoped for your career at this point? Are you progressing the way you would have liked to?

MARTINA HINGIS:: Not the last time. But I played very good in doubles, not in singles very good. It was like I played very good matches in singles also on claycourts. I played the fourth match in Wimbledon against Steffi. It was very tough draw. In Atlanta it wasn't very good at the Olympics. I practiced a lot for the last three weeks, and I hope I play here better.

Q. Any particular part of your game that you've been working on coming into the Open?

MARTINA HINGIS:: Especially my movement. I lost a little weight. With my game, I have to move; especially on a surface like this, you can't play a long point. The condition is very hard. The training, we did a lot for -- not with weights, but for fitness, aerobics, some other things. I feel much comfortable now in my movement. I'm stronger a little bit.

Q. How much weight did you lose in the training?

MARTINA HINGIS:: Three or four kilos. I'll say three (laughter).

Q. About six pounds. When you turned pro, there was quite a bit of controversy over whether you should have been permitted to turn pro at your age. Do you think it takes an unusual person to handle the women's Tour at the age you turned pro?

MARTINA HINGIS:: It's a difficult question because I can't say anything about it because I'm young. I mean, I have nothing to do with what they are doing up here. I think it's very good that the young players can start at 16. I mean, I had a chance to start before, so I'm happy that I had my chance. The youngsters, they don't have it anymore.

Q. Do you worry about burning out at a young age?

MARTINA HINGIS:: No, I don't worry about it.

Q. By the time you're 24, you'll be a ten-year veteran.

MARTINA HINGIS:: No problem. I think the girls, at a young age, they're allowed to play maybe three or four tournaments at 14. You don't get the experience to play big matches. I think that's not very good for them. If they are good, if you are a champion, you'll get there soon, I think, 16 or something.

Q. What's been the farthest -- forgive me for not knowing this off the top of my head. What's the farthest you've advanced at a Grand Slam in singles?

MARTINA HINGIS:: Quarterfinals at Australian Open.

Q. Do you have an opinion on what's happening with the seeds with the men; that whole fiasco, do you have any opinion on that?

MARTINA HINGIS:: I play on the women's Tour. I don't care about it. We don't have these problems. The American players, there are so many on the top level, so it's difficult to play the last eight each other, so I don't know.

Q. You're laughing a lot this morning.

MARTINA HINGIS:: Well, I won a match.

Q. Do you get a lot of laughs as you go around the world playing tennis?

MARTINA HINGIS:: Yes. You have to. If not so, you get bored.