Finding Martina Hingis in the Floodgate estate these days is not a surprise. The former tennis player who dominated the world rankings between 1997 and 2001, accompanied her husband, Thibault Hutin, involved in 4 Atlantic edition of the Tour.
But the presence of former world number one has stolen the spotlight with some of the world's best riders. Nothing that Hingis is not accustomed to.
Away from the courts, the 30 year old Swiss continues to smile ready and available to chat, sign autographs or interviews like this one that she gave the audience during the third visit to Portugal.
How do you feel in your new life away from the rider and courts?
I always liked to compete with my horses and that's how I met my husband. Sometimes it's good to do anything without pressure. It's something completely different than tennis, though sometimes frustrating, because I was number one for four years in a row (in tennis) and I don't have the same level in equestrianism or any ambitions.
It is a very different sport then tennis, we have to concentrate for a minute, but when wrong it is done, over. In tennis, we have more time, we could lose a set, wake up and win. It is also an expensive sport and you don't earn the same amount of money. When I earned a check for 1500 euros, it seemed to me to be missing a zero [laughs]. But thanks to tennis, I have money for this sport. I have two horses in competition here with me and have another for playback.
I remember you had a fall from a horse five weeks before the first final of Roland Garros, the only Grand Slam that you had never won ...
I was 17, but did other sports like horse riding, skiing ... I've always liked variety in my life. If I only played tennis it just wasn't me. I like to move, the speed, but do not go to the limits. I always had that lifestyle and physical fitness I was always outdoors.
I like to be flexible so as to be equally flexible on the court and have different game strategies. This fall may not have helped me at Roland Garros, but maybe it helped me win Wimbledon, a few weeks later.
And the other end, in 1999 [lost to Steffi Graf, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2] you received a point penalty for having moved to the front of the court to check an opponent mark (when winning by 6 - 4, 2-0) and eventually turned the public against you?
This I also would have liked to have won. I regret this more. I was winning 6-4, 5-4, 30-30, two points from victory, but my serve was not working. People are always reminding me of that, especially journalists [laughs], the rest do not usually think about it. In fact, recently I was reviewing the video with my husband and I was surprised at the level of play, and with the high-quality of tennis. I lost in the end, but it was a great game tennis quality, good points, long exchanges of the ball, very tactical ... I am also proud to have made history, because it was a meeting which was voted by fans as the best ever [vote online at the official site of the WTA Tour].
You finished in tears at the end and did not want to return to court for the trophy ceremony. What do you remember of that time?
Yes, of course it was an end with much emotion, because I wanted to win. But there were always stories about me. I've always been very emotional, always smiling when I was winning, when I was losing I was angry. At that time there were players with very different personalities, there were the Williams sisters, Capriati, Seles, Kournikova, different guys with different styles ... it was a good time for tennis. Today, all players have the same style, one-dimensional.
This lack of variety of styles was one of the reasons you returned in late 2005?
I felt I still had a chance and it was always best to do it at 25 years than at 30. I was proud to have reached No. 6 in the world again. Today it's amazing what happened to Kim [Clijsters], reaching number one.
I don't know if it is harder to reach the top, but tennis is more physical, there are more players with a high level, like Jankovic and Wozniacki, and veterans are still in the circuit like the Williams sisters (when they play well), also Li Na at 28 to reach the final of the Australian Open ... Even Serena, when she is physically well, is amazing. The older generation of players can play tennis better, more technical, because they have a better education/experience. The newer ones play more standard tennis, when things are going well, they have no plan B.
The return of Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters did not motivate you for a second comeback? Wouldn't you have like to have left the circuit another way than the accusation of cocaine use that precipitated your final withdrawal in 2007?
That's already history, but of course it is not the way I wanted to leave a mode where I was on top for so many years. It's one thing I can not change. I made a return that was successful and ready.
Your current connection to tennis comes down to commentating for television and radio?
It's more to follow some young players at the Academy that my mother has in Zurich - we have the best under-14 European, Belinda Becici you will hear about her!. I play two to three times a week with friends, do some exhibitions.
I'll play the Legends tournament [proof of veterans] at Roland Garros, and perhaps at Wimbledon, and then the Team Tennis [team competition very popular in America, which joins current and former champions] - always liked the team spirit!. I don't need any special preparation because I'm always doing different sports.
Current players you would like to see more?
The new, the one that is on top Caroline Wozniacki. I think she is very effective, makes the most of her abilities. But only when she wins a Grand Slam will she have the recognition from the world of tennis. I played with her about three times when she was 20 or 30 in the world and she has improved considerably. Her serve, is very consistent and, of course, dispute many tournaments. What she lacks is a major, because that is where you have to beat the best when they are at their maximum.
Know some Portuguese players?
I know Michelle Brito, hit balls with her a couple times, three years ago in an exhibition in Liverpool and again in the U.S.. When I was young, I had potential, but today it takes more. Physically being small is such a deficit, so she has to work harder in other areas. Like me: who was not very tall or strong, all the rest had to be very good, almost perfect.
desporto.pt
translated by Google edited for grammar by me (it's a bit rough sorry don't know Portuguese)
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