Hingis Gets Groove Back

CARLSBAD, Calif. — The interview room at this resort seemed like a stand-in for the set on “Oprah,” or maybe a session on the couch with the psychiatrist.

Second-seeded Martina Hingis was letting it all out after defeating fourth-seeded Venus Williams, 6-4, 6-0, in the 61-minute final of the TIG Tennis Classic at the La Costa Resort & Spa on Sunday. Having regained the No. 1 ranking from Lindsay Davenport, perhaps the 18-year-old from Switzerland felt it necessary to unburden herself.

She spoke of the often fractious coach-pupil relationship with her mother Melanie Molitor and other assorted matters. Following a harsh round of international criticism after her French Open meltdown and first-round loss at Wimbledon, Hingis did some serious thinking during her self-imposed exile.

“I was off and tried to work on myself and get myself together,” she said. “I didn’t want to be second and somewhere put aside. I always had that feeling because I’m used to being something special. I couldn’t deal with not being somebody. It would be hard for me.

“If the results always are going to be like this, I’m like, ‘Thank God.’ ”

But she had more to say. Twice, reporters started to get up to leave, but Hingis wasn’t through and everyone sat back down. It was like a lengthy Oscar acceptance speech from an actress who had been written off as a has-been.

“We talked about this yesterday, being almost 19, and the third time already No. 1, back and forth,” she said.

Hingis acknowledged the “great game” of Williams and spoke of their future rivalry, saying: “But I’m going to fight her about the No. 1 [ranking].”

Even a loss would not have prevented Hingis from surpassing Davenport when the WTA rankings are released today. But she didn’t want to slide in the back door, preferring to take a tournament title along with her when she left La Costa for this week’s event at Manhattan Beach.

Although Hingis worked hard with a new trainer at Saddlebrook, Fla., these past four weeks, she hardly knew what to expect in her first tournament after the Wimbledon debacle. Her usual confidence was replaced by self-doubt, as Hingis wasn’t even sure she would win her first match against Chanda Rubin.

So it was quite surprising when Williams was the one tiring after long rallies. Hingis pretended she was hitting against the ball machine, joking about running: “Right, left and right and left. That’s all I was doing against Venus.”

Williams, coming off a hard-fought victory against Davenport in the semifinals, lacked her usual sharpness. She had 32 unforced errors, including 16 on the forehand side.

The first set was well-played and tight, as neither player could hold serve until Williams held at love to go up 3-2. Unlike Davenport, Hingis was able to keep the ball deep against Williams and maintained her accuracy. Eventually the long rallies took a toll on the weary Williams, who lost the final nine games.

Her powerful serve was misfiring too. Williams double-faulted three times, including twice when the ball hit the court on her own side before it hit the net.

“I couldn’t see the ball,” she said. “It was tough. I was trying to move it around, and it didn’t seem to do what I wanted it to do.”

Williams said she “made some bad decisions,” and was simply worn down from three consecutive weeks of tennis.

“I was just too tired,” Williams said. “I guess I got tired on the last day. I wish I could have been tired tomorrow.”

Usually Hingis has been the exhausted one, for example, wearing down in the French Open final against Steffi Graf. Molitor was quietly pleased with the transformation from the slacker days, saying her daughter has been working harder than ever.

“It’s satisfying for her,” Molitor said. “Martina has finally understood she should play tennis for herself. At this age, nobody knows exactly what they want. You just need time. Everybody, at 18, they’re allowed to make mistakes.”

It’s obvious that Hingis received a substantial boost in confidence for the upcoming U.S. Open, not losing a set on her way to her fifth title in 1999.

“Some people felt, ‘Is she ever going to come back?’ ” Hingis said. “Today was a good opportunity for me to show, ‘Here I am again.’ ”

Tennis Notes

Lindsay Davenport left La Costa with one title, as she and partner Corina Morariu defeated Venus and Serena Williams, 6-4, 6-1, in the doubles final. . . . Correction: Martina Hingis is not the only player to reach two Grand Slam finals this year. Steffi Graf won the French Open and lost in the final at Wimbledon to Davenport.