But the one that’s right up there is not winning the French Open,” the five-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion told this newspaper in an exclusive interview.
“In the final of 1999 when I played Steffi Graf, I thought I had a fair chance to win the title. There were some decisions that should have been in my favour. Back then there were no referral system and the match referee was a little sluggish. The replays showed the ball was in and so did the ball mark (referring to the third game of the second set when Graf went 30-0 up). I should have won that final,” Hingis recalled.
Asked if Rafael Nadal nine-time French Open men’s singles winner would have helped her with some of his expertise, she candidly said, “what Nadal does is something really unbelievable. He plays with such power and is blessed with a strong physique. I am more of a Roger Federer kind of a player. It’s more of class and elegance than power. I don’t have a physique that would have helped me play his style of tennis.”
A lesser-known fact about the Swiss star is that she was born in Czechoslovakia and she had to move to Switzerland after her parents had separated. It was difficult for her to adapt to a new country at age seven. “When we moved, it was difficult as a kid. Had to leave my friends behind, make new ones and adjust to the situation. It was not easy but I had to move on. In a way it helped me grow stronger,” she said.
Speaking about the 209 weeks she spent as the no.1 ranked women’s singles player, Hingis said: “When you are in it, you don’t have the time to look back and think if it was a dream or reality. You just have to look ahead and ask yourself what’s next. But now that I have retired (from international singles) I have the time to think about it and say, ‘wow’ that was something. I am really proud of it.”
If not winning the elusive French Open was something that Martina regrets, her three back-to-back Australian Open titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999 are something she cherishes.
“The Australian Open has been my favorite hunting ground. The tournament began at the start of the year and I was always up for it.
“I have always enjoyed playing there and the surface is so similar to the one we built back home which helped in preparing for the event,” she said.
“In the final of 1999 when I played Steffi Graf, I thought I had a fair chance to win the title. There were some decisions that should have been in my favour. Back then there were no referral system and the match referee was a little sluggish. The replays showed the ball was in and so did the ball mark (referring to the third game of the second set when Graf went 30-0 up). I should have won that final,” Hingis recalled.
Asked if Rafael Nadal nine-time French Open men’s singles winner would have helped her with some of his expertise, she candidly said, “what Nadal does is something really unbelievable. He plays with such power and is blessed with a strong physique. I am more of a Roger Federer kind of a player. It’s more of class and elegance than power. I don’t have a physique that would have helped me play his style of tennis.”
A lesser-known fact about the Swiss star is that she was born in Czechoslovakia and she had to move to Switzerland after her parents had separated. It was difficult for her to adapt to a new country at age seven. “When we moved, it was difficult as a kid. Had to leave my friends behind, make new ones and adjust to the situation. It was not easy but I had to move on. In a way it helped me grow stronger,” she said.
Speaking about the 209 weeks she spent as the no.1 ranked women’s singles player, Hingis said: “When you are in it, you don’t have the time to look back and think if it was a dream or reality. You just have to look ahead and ask yourself what’s next. But now that I have retired (from international singles) I have the time to think about it and say, ‘wow’ that was something. I am really proud of it.”
If not winning the elusive French Open was something that Martina regrets, her three back-to-back Australian Open titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999 are something she cherishes.
“The Australian Open has been my favorite hunting ground. The tournament began at the start of the year and I was always up for it.
“I have always enjoyed playing there and the surface is so similar to the one we built back home which helped in preparing for the event,” she said.
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