Martina Hingis
Hingis asked about life as a has-been
MARTINA Hingis was asked the cruellest question at the US Open yesterday: “Is it mentally tough to go from being a favourite to a has-been?”
Hingis was asked the confronting question by a reporter looking for a reaction, despite the fact the former world No. 1 breezed into the second round with a 6-0 6-3 win over Frenchwoman Mathilde Johansson.
When others might have lost their nerve or temper, a smiling Hingis handled the question with ease.
“Well, it’s kind of funny,” she said. “They put up this poster - me holding a trophy.
“I’m like, ‘OK, I look really young, short haircut, all that. It’s been 10 years’. I mean, I know that.
“But really, I had time off. I had a good comeback last year.
“I tried to bring the best today, not think about what has happened.
“I know that nobody can take away from me (what I have achieved).”
Hingis has a point.
She was out of the game for more than three years until returning last year to reach the top 10 again - no mean feat.
This year, Hingis made the quarter-finals of the Australian Open before hip, thigh and back injuries restricted her to four tournaments in the past five months.
She also recently endured a break-up with her fiance, Czech player Radek Stepanek.
Times have been tough.
But while the majors might have dried up for the five-time grand slam champion, she’s still doing OK. She is still in there having a dig and she is still a drawcard.
“I get to play on centre court. That felt really good. My name’s still out there.
“Not all the people get to play on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I got to play out there today. I feel very proud of that.”
At 26, Hingis has no plans of giving up.
“I have nothing to lose.
“The last couple months were kind of rocky road with all the injuries and that.
“Every match is a good match. Every victory is a good one. I feel like I can only win at this tournament, only get better.”
If Hingis does have one regret from her career, it was throwing away the 1999 French Open final against Steffi Graf.
Then 18, she was three points away from completing the career grand slam, only to famously crumble and break down in tears.
“I wish I won that one,” Hingis said yesterday.
John McEnroe says every year when he goes back to Roland Garros to do commentary he loses at least one night of sleep about his loss from two sets up in the final against Ivan Lendl.
“There’s a few people like that, right, who have never won the French Open,” Hingis said.
Then Hingis was asked another question: “You’ve been through a lot of different things in your career?”
“No kidding,” she said.
