USTA 2001 US Open at Flushing Meadows, New York, on Sunday, September 2, 2001
Martina Hingis defeated Jelena Dokic, 6-4, 6-0 interview excerpt on Real Video

An Interview With MARTINA HINGIS:

Q. You really cruised in the second set. What was the change from the first?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, in the start, she started playing really quick, very fast, you know, very hard, flat. So I had to, you know, just wait -- I just had to play my game, you know, try to get everything back I could, just run. I think because I kind of added more topspin to it, you know, tried to just not miss. After I won the first set, her game kind of a little bit fell apart once she slowed down a little bit so it gave me more time to do something.

Q. I thought the game you served at 2-3 was the whole key to the match because she had a breakpoint, you had to hit a second serve. Can you talk about that game? Did you feel like that was a big hold for you?

MARTINA HINGIS: She had like I think a couple breakpoints. I hit a big serve, so that was also pretty big. Yeah, to hold there, because I kind of scrambled back from being 3-Love down, against the wind, holding on the serve. I wouldn't want to lose that opportunity.

Q. It looked like you were just more aggressive in general, volleying more than you did against Iva. Was that the game plan?

MARTINA HINGIS: I tried to learn from that match. I think I did. I played much better, much more aggressive. If I hadn't done that today, I mean, I would have lost probably like 0 and 2 or something. The way I was able to adapt today, yeah, I was happy about the match.

Q. Did you feel like if you got on top of her and won the first set, that her game would come down a little bit?

MARTINA HINGIS: I think it was also the first game in the second set was pretty big. She more and more tried to risk and go for too much. In the first set, she still hit winners. Once you get tired, you lose reaction, you can't go for it much anymore. She started missing.

Q. How is your cold?

MARTINA HINGIS: It's better. I'm over the hump, I think. Sometimes I need to take a little bit more time between the points. I mean, Iva was slowing it down. She was just kind of rushing through it. I'm like, "Hello, girl, slow it down a little bit." Otherwise, when I'm playing, it kind of feels better to sweat it out. Today was kind of cold so I liked my T-shirt.

Q. Are you glad you weren't doing the running on the in-and-out point, the dropshots?

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, this time.

Q. Do you sometimes get in sort of a peak place with your game where you feel in the zone? Can you describe what that is like?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think I still need to get better against players like Serena or Lindsay. Even like the next round against Daja. I didn't see the whole match. I saw just parts of it. She played very smart, served very well. From now on, every match is going to be a huge one. Just take it one at a time.

Q. What kind of match do you expect out of her?

MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I know her since she was a little girl. Hopefully she's going to have some respect. I talked to her. She was kind of surprised that she came out winning today. You know, she's a very talented, talented youngster. I don't think I'm in the zone right now, not yet. Towards the end of the second set, I felt it more. I wasn't missing. The girls, they kind of hit and hit and hit. Kind of trying to defense, trying to do something. It's hard. But once they slow down, that's my chance to come in and then I feel like I'm in control.

Q. More generally, when you get into that place, what does that feel like?

MARTINA HINGIS: I feel like I have total control of the game. Even if I miss, I know I was there. Sometimes like still now, I don't know what to expect from the opponent, whether she's going cross-court, down the line, coming in, serving right or left. When I feel like that, I know like every single shot, where it's going, and I'm always there. Even if I miss, it's my fault because I did something stupid, I wanted too much. That's when I read the game. Anticipation is important.

Q. Your decisions are right there?

MARTINA HINGIS: Yeah, the right things at the right time.

Q. Can you think of a match or two when you felt that way?

MARTINA HINGIS: I mean, it happens against lower-ranked players more often. Everything is a little slower, you have more time. I think last time I felt like that was probably when I played Serena in the Australian Open, that match. Even if I had lost, it was just a great match. Against Venus, she just kind of started shooting. No, that match was probably the biggest one.

Q. The level you're at right now, is this good enough to get through to the semi or the final or do you have to pick it up?

MARTINA HINGIS: You always have to pick it up, towards the end especially more.

Q. Did you watch Daja play?

MARTINA HINGIS: Many times.

Q. Do you think you will have a problem with her next match?

MARTINA HINGIS: I think she's a dangerous player. She has a system, guidelines. I've never played her. I watched her a lot. I hope I will see the system pretty soon, so I read her game pretty well, pretty soon. You don't know. There's always something new when you haven't played someone before. Her mentality is pretty close to mine. I kind of know what to expect. Not too early.

Q. Are you surprised she's had so much success this year, so much, so soon?

MARTINA HINGIS: No. Like I said, she has her discipline. She's very disciplined for being only 18. You don't see that very often. She's worked her way up with her dad, you know, very straightlined. She's from Czech Republic, but lives in Germany. It's kind of similar. I was born in Czech, lived in Switzerland. There are a few similarities in our lives. I think that's great to see that. She's doing so well.

Q. Ten years ago, Jimmy Connors made his incredible run here. Although you're different, some people have drawn some comparisons. You both have your mother as your coach, backhand, court sense.

MARTINA HINGIS: He was a lefty.

Q. Do you remember his run, watching his run here, what you thought of that run?

MARTINA HINGIS: Which year was that?

Q. It was 1991.

MARTINA HINGIS: I was 11. I don't remember quite that run. I remember when he played so well at the French. He was already 38, played Chang, made it into the fifth. "I'm out of here." I liked him. He was a personality. He was a character. I definitely loved to watch him. Back then, whether it was John McEnroe or him or Ivan Lendl, they were faces. I loved them, always with the umpire, doing something, talking. Back then it was a different time, yeah.