LONDON. July 6: Women's tennis has come a long way since the days of Charlotte 'Lot-Ue' Dod in 1887.

Charlotte, the youngest women's champion ever in the history of Wimbledon, will ever remain so and Hingis already Gungest this century will also ve no rivals as new rules for the women's age limit for turning professionals and playing in Grand Slam events are being framed by the WTA.

Charlotte was a champion of her time but Martina was the harbinger of the 21st century. Came Andrea Jaeger. Jennifer Capriati. Gabriela Sabatini. Tracy Austin. Monica Seles. Stem Graf. Chris Evert. Pam Shriver and many others since 1980 —a highly talented battery of bubbling teenagers courting the fringes of the coveted championships. But the final honour had to be earned by none other than Martina Hingis, the player of the future.

Hingis was naturally elated and she did not make any fuss about it. She was candid, straightforward in replying to questions by the press in the post-match press conference.

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9: Martina, 16. Wimbledon champion. How does that fed?

A: Great What can 1 say? It's like a dream come true, really, and. I mean, when I was. like, leading 5-2 in the third, or already when 1 made a break, so I felt like, come on. I've got to take it home, and I've got a great chance. So, 1 mean, that was a great match we both played. I didn't play very bad in the first set. but she just didn't give me any opportunities to pass her. She was like afi over the net, and that was a great match. c^fo^themat^ordidyDU ydually Just start to ftndymw

Ai Well. I don't think I played bad in the first set. 1 mean. I Just wasn't that — I Just didn't have the control as I started to have in the second and third set. But she Just was really all over the net. and she served very well. She Just didn't give me enough space for the returns, and 1 was like pretty in shock in the first set. because she returned well, and she was straight into the net. so that was pretty hard. , endtfrere? to be .

grabbing the trophy off you. what were you saying to each

A: On the court, yes. Do you want to give it to me?" 1 said, well, I mean she really should deserve to win one of the Grand Slam titles. I mean, on this surface, she's really hard. I mean, if she wouldn't lose that nerve against Steffi sometimes at this tournament. So she really deserves to win this title. And, I mean — but I was still lucky I won today.

Q: What did you do different at A tn the flat set? A I was like. wow. what can I do. Just — I'm going to lose the first set. but then I try to hold my serve, and try to break her once, and Just try to make her a little tired that she Just knows I can also play a little tennis and just pass her sometimes and do something, but that was really hard.

9: Can you talk about.....

A: Then 1 telt like a beginner out there in the first set. She just was the leader in this

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A Well, not really. I just couldn't really believe that she can play that great, especially on that surface, that she doesn t miss one ball. She Just went everywhere. and especially at the net. all these little drop shots she made. I was like surprised, wow. that is a great ball.

A I don't know. It might be that I'm maybe too young to win this title. I think when I stand - there, there was a great atmosphere out there, the crowd was Just unbelievable, and I felt this was one of my biggest chances to win this tournament, and I really did it and maybe tomorrow I will realise that I won this tournament. But it was great.

9: Whut was going through

A: I saw that a couple of times Steffi was doing it on TV when 1 watched her. so I was just trying to make the same thing, and all the people, they stand up and I almost felt to cry because it really happened to me.

9: When you saw Steffi do that, did you say to yourself ^ma^be some day I will do

A WeU. hopefully. yes. I was afraid it's so far away, but it's like this is my fifth time to be here, twice as a Junior and I still watched her on TV at the finals, because I wasn't here in the second week, and especially I can say I only lost to Steffi at this tournament and she was a champion later on. So I was looking forward to having lost to her, maybe when she's not here I can win it too.

9: Can you talk about the feeling you had when you broke her in the second set, and did that start to turn things around, do you think?

A Yes, that was very important for me. especially In the second set, I was always leading. I was always holding my serve and tried Just to break her once, and I didn't get that many chances to break her, not at all In the first set, and in the second I was tike, hopefully I can do it once, that she starts to serve a little easier to me. or Just not from one to the other comer. And then I've got the chances, and I made it to make the set. I think.

Then in the third set. she was right back there. She broke me to 2-0 and she had some chances to go up 3-0. So I worked so hard for the second set. and now I'm not going to lose it 6-0, or whatever. So that's it.

9: Martina, you just said that maybe you are too young to win thio titfe. left kind of scary wonWimbledon?^

A Well, I think this time it was a really good chance for me to win this tournament, because I was seeded number 1 in such a big tournament, and I made It also at the finals at the French Open, but there I just knew I wasn't in great shape and this time it's like I could do it. But Jana must think too the same thing about Steffi. She beat the better players than I did, but all of a sudden all the players which were In my half of the draw, they lost, so I didn't even beat one of the seeded players to get to the finals.

9: Why did you change your racquet in the third set after the second game?

A Because it was too loose, so I tried — because I was still in a good shape, and I didn't have the control any more over all the balls. I Just hit it pretty low and high. So I tried to go for it.

9: Ybu seemed to trfmek the racquet on the ground in temper just before that point. What was going through your mind there?

A Well, if I throw may racquet. I'm for sure not happy about what I'm doing.

9: What did the Duke and sssta to you ?^Anything

A No. That I'm the youngest champion and that everyone is proud about me. and that was great, a new champion.

9: Do you wish to play like Jana once on grass, I mean in the future?

A: I'm a different player. We re like both — she was the more aggressive player, and I was the defensive one. and it was like two different tennis came together at this finals, and. I mean, we. both of us. we could win it. I mean. Just I did it this time. She could be the winner next time. It's very hard to say. and I Just — today I had the better control over my balls than she did.

9: Were you nervous st any time during the match; at the beginning, or later on, and do you think that Novotna was nervous during the match?

A: I mean, you're always nervous before a final, especially, you know, I gave myself pretty big chances to win it this time, and I was leading like 4-2. and, like, now I've got a chance to really make it. because I was losing 2-0, .and theq she also had a point to go up 3-0. and then afi of a sudden I changed everything, and I start to control the ball much better, and 1 was winning 4-2 and 5-2 and then I was kind of loosened up a little bit and I gave her the shots, and then I was ready again.

9: Do you think she showed her nervousness durtag the match staff?

A I don't think so. 1 think Just at the most important points 1 served very well and I also played pretty good returns. I didn't give her the chance to play well or bad.