Martina Hingis
Martina Hingis
Martina Hingisis a Swiss professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1 in doubles by the WTA. She spent a total of 209 weeks as the singles world No. 1 and has won five Grand Slam singles titles, twelve Grand Slam women's doubles titles, winning a calendar-year doubles Grand Slam in 1998, and five Grand Slam mixed doubles titles; for a combined total of twenty-two major titles. In addition, she has won the season-ending WTA Championships two times...
NationalityCzechoslovakian
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth30 September 1980
CityKosice, Slovakia
I served very well in the first set, I held my serve and that was key just like yesterday. I won with my heart today. Winning the tiebreak gave me confidence.
At my first press conference announcing that I was playing the game again they asked me who do you want to play that you haven't played before, and I'm like 'Of course, Maria' because she's a player that's gotten to the top winning Wimbledon at 17. I was just interested. I love playing her and hopefully we'll have many more matches.
If anyone asks me why I came back, this is why, the dream of being back on court, of winning major titles. He's the man right now in mixed doubles and also in doubles. Just next to him, it gives you so much satisfaction and security that you have to put the serve and returns in and he does the rest. You have someone to carry you all the way.
It's really great to be back after all this time. I have very nice memories because I was the first female player to win the title here (in 2001). Hopefully these memories will inspire me and it will be a good week for me in this great event. I was always impressed with the modernity of Dubai and all that it has to offer.
You can't hide. Sooner or later I have to play a top 10 player, better sooner than later. Win or lose, you know where you're at.
I think winning the first game showed her that I am here and I am prepared, and that she has to earn her points. It was really important to have won that first game.
I'm very excited. We've had great battles over the years, and now that I haven't played her since my comeback, it's definitely a great challenge. We always played one of the best matches because we knew every time we played, either we win the tournament or we were close to doing so. So (it) always brought the best tennis out of each other.
After three years off you can't expect to step out and win every match.
Any tournament you go to, you want to win it.
I still think I have the speed and the variations also to win the matches, but its very good competition and also a great challenge for me too.
What rivalry? I win all the matches.
I've played a lot of tennis this week and I'm not used to that.
I've been trying to work on my whole game, baseline and serve. You have to have a serve to be able to survive today and we'll see if I can bring it on.
Probably I was a little more determined, even more hungry.