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Round 3
Nasdq-100 Open
Martina Hingis defeated
Tatiana Poutchek 6-0, 6-1
Q. Could you give us an idea of how you think your game stacks up this year
against a lot of these girls that hit with more power.
MARTINA HINGIS: I think it's coming along quite
okay. I've started off very well this season, and so I think now it's even been
getting better. I mean, you know, I maybe had a little setback in last week's
final or, you know, since Scottsdale playing Serena there.
But, you know, overall, I think I'm in a good way. And hopefully, you know,
I think I'm playing very well this week and I also did good last week. You know,
if I can continue this, it's looking good.
Q. Do you still feel like you're No. 1 caliber? I mean, that you could be the
No. 1 again?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, I think I'm mixing up with
those girls pretty well. It's not like they blow me off the court. I made the
finals in Australia, came one point short of winning it. So, I don't know what
to answer to that. I feel like, yeah, that's the most important, once you've
been up there, to have the feeling of being able to compete with the best, and
I have this feeling.
Q. That kind of thing is still pretty much consuming for you? That kind of
goal is still consuming for you?
MARTINA HINGIS: I mean, that's the game. I mean,
that's the competition. I love the challenge.
Q. Do you like the short match? Do you think you were out there long enough
to get a good workout?
MARTINA HINGIS: I think I played plenty already
this year so far. I think it's kind of nice to have matches like this coming
in to the tougher rounds. Plus I'm also playing doubles here with Anna. So I
think I get enough match time, match court, yeah.
So I think, you know, if I play like this, it's very uplifting. It gives me
confidence that I will be hopefully able to play like this also in the better
matches.
Q. Do you think of what you might be doing if you weren't playing tennis?
MARTINA HINGIS: No. Not at this point.
Q. And what about after tennis, not yet? Any thoughts there?
MARTINA HINGIS: Well, hopefully if I be safe of
injuries, there's still a few more years that I can think about it and just
worry my head over it.
Q. This shapes up as a great year for women's tennis, doesn't it, with so much
competition for No. 1?
MARTINA HINGIS: I know. There are very, you know,
close right now. It can change from week to week. And, you know, I'm still a
little bit far away to really be a threat to one of the girls. But hopefully,
you know, the time with the upcoming events, I can have a chance again to become
what I've been, yeah.
Q. Still seems to be somewhat of a gap among the -- although the small players
are challenging now, but there's a big drop off?
MARTINA HINGIS: I don't think so. You look at
this tournament. Hantuchova won last week, yesterday she lost first round. You
can't just take it easy anymore. You go out there and you have to be ready every
single time. And if you, you know, don't practice, don't do the things you're
supposed to do, you're out of there. And you see also Henin, she had a great
last year. This year she had a couple finals but also been struggling a little
bit lately.
I don't know, the way you practice is the way you play and the way you handle
things on and off the court.
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