Interview by Michael Wehrle in „Aargauer Zeitung“ June 27, 2011.
After the Tonic press conference Martina was speaking about other topics. This was done in a small circle.
There are similar articles in other papers. So I made some 3 amendments from the „Basler Zeitung“. These amendments are marked at the beginning with „BZ“.
Q : How much do you enjoy playing tennis?
MH: I still enjoy to play and now I play a lot. If you feel fit, it is easier on the court and you have more fun. The last 2-3 months I played intensely, I play more or less every day.
Q: So you are totally fit?
MH: I am enough fit for an exhibition match. I have just won in Liverpool against Eugenie Bouchard, a junior, however on a grass court. Perhaps on another surface the result would have been different.
Q:How important is it to play well at exhibitions?
MH: Of course I am ambitious.
Q: Do you believe that you can keep up with the pros?
MH: I have no idea. It worked more or less at Teamtennis last year. The matches were against players ranked around 70 to 80. One set is just enough for me. I do not plan a comeback. Physically it is too hard, mentally it could work.
Q: People in Switzerland miss you but they also complain that there are no top players in Switzerland.
MH: Yes, that’s amazing. Following the resignation of Patty Schnyder there is no one. This is a shame. There are a lot of possibilities in Switzerland. Practically every village has a tennis club. How do you see it: Are there not enough coaches?
BZ: I trained 2 or 3 times with Belinda Bencic. My mom has already invested a lot of time and nerves in her. Belinda improved and in the next years we will see how good she is.
Q: You retreated too early.
MH: (Laughs). I was the only one who played R-and N-tournaments. Now, there are Swiss Championships for U10.
Q:Are you often in contact with Lindsay Davenport?
MH: We played some tournaments. I also played with Anan Kournikova and I am in contact with her. At these events with the „Legends“ you meet all the former top players. In Paris I got to know many younger players in the locker room.
Q: Are the matches at these tournaments real contests?
MH: Oh, with Lindsay I want to win. In Paris we did it. Now we have Barbara Schett and Magdalena Maleeva in our group. Maleeva played lately Fed Cup. It would be really good if there are more such teams. It’s nice that we can give back a bit to tennis and that the people still want to watch us.
Q: How is your life now? Do you play more tennis? Do you still ride?
MH: In summer tennis is priority. I ride only on amateur level. You cannot do everything at the same time. For fun and as a hobby it is nice. But I cannot do more.
Q: You were never more ambitious?
MH: No, no. I have my tennis career, that’s enough.
Q: Do you live now in Paris?
MH: No, in Switzerland.
Q: You still have the house?
MH: I sold the house. But I have an appartment at the lake of Zurich.
Q: At home means Switzerland for you?
MH: Yes. The appartment is not ready yet. So I was with my mother. I will combine both: Switzerland and Paris.
Q: Did the marriage change much in your life?
MH: You have more responsability. I try to combine the riding with the tennis.
Q: Do you see each other often?
MH: Yes, I do not travel so much. The French Open was in Paris and my husband comes to Wimbledon.
BZ: My husband comes for 3 days to Wimbledon and also to the USA afterwards.
Q: How is the family planning?
MH: I want at first to enjoy life without children. And when I am ready for children I will be ready.
Addendum:
BZ: .. Wimbledon, the women's side.
MH: For tennis it would have been good, if the number 1 Caroline Wozniaki would have won her first Grand Slam tournament. Maria Sharapova is a favourite. I think that Petra Kvitova will be a dangerous underdog.
Interview translation courtesy of hilarius from hingis.org
Interesting a while ago it seemed like she might turn riding into a career, but it's nice to see that's not the case and that tennis is still her first love :).
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