post-surgery interview with martina!!

yeah, I know, I know, blick is a crap paper, but there's this interview I thought you might be interested in. go and have a look here:

http://www.blick.ch/PB2G/PB2GA/pb2ga.htm?snr=30196

it's in german, so I'll try to give you a short translation (by the way: the photo is from last october, I think)

martina, how are you?
martina hingis: «I'm fine. Heinz Bühlmann repaired the ligaments in my left foot. the surgery was on monday, and I could already go home on tuesday. a miracle of modern medicine. of course the foot is still swollen. and on tuesday i was still in pain. but last autumn i had a similar job done on my right foot, and the pain vanished pretty quickly. so I'm optimistic.»

and how are you mentally? four days before the french open you're bound to do nothing?
«at the moment I don't have any problems. When I had to take painkillers three weeks ago in hamburg, I knew something had to happen. it just couldn't continue like that. who wants to be a professional athlete has to be able to train without pain. otherwise there's no chance you're going to improve. certainly - I could have played the french open and wimbledon without surgery, but the chances of winning those titles would not have been realistic. it would just have gotten worse and worse.»

[....]

your therapy will take place in switzerland?
«surely for the first 2 or 3 weeks. after that - with the french open and wimbledon happening - I might go to my house in florida.»

and to your friend sergio garcia who's playing tournaments there?
«right. I'd like to accompany and support him at one of his tournaments .»

who's going to win the french open and wimbledon?
«difficult to say. the top has gotten broader. my favourites for paris are capriati, clijsters and serena. venus will win wimbledon, if she stays healthy - or Justine Henin?»

Thanks Beat for translating it. Btw Luis (Herodoto) did it already in Martinas Player forum ;))

And yes I'll do the part you left out ;)

Blick: During the last days there have been rumors about your end of the carreer as there is still that problem with your heel.

MF: We do step by step now. With the operation my left foot is stabilisiced again. Now there are a few week of rehab and therapie. During this time the feet will be releaved a bit too. Which should be good for my problems with the heel. Those problems with the heel for sure increased as well, as the instable joint caused more pressure on the heel.

oh no, doris, tell me it's not true! the whole effort was idle! ;)
i never check out the players' forums, so no wonder i didn't see that.
thanks for translating the rest.
btw have a nice weekend

thanks Beat. i too never check players forums so i would not have seen it. this is good news. thanks for translating. :)

Beat it is true..... ;) Never mind though

Have a nice weekend too!!

She doesn't consider Justine a favorite for Paris?

Hingis regarding upcoming Slams:
my favourites for Paris are Capriati, Clijsters and Serena. Venus will win Wimbledon, if she stays healthy - or Justine Henin?
She's definitely in a better position to know than most of us; she usually has a better seat. ;)

Regarding her health:
Those problems with the heel for sure increased as well
Oh no! Does that mean more surgery, time off, pain, even after the left foot has healed? Poor kid! I wish her full recovery from all this.

Please, Hingis, take the time to completely get back in shape. Don't return too soon. We can wait. But when you do return, endeavour to re-establish your stamp on the tour. That would be great for all women's tennis fans.

Best of luck to her. When you start getting those compensation injuries, it's time to get the problem corrected. She's wise in doing so. She needs to take her time and recover fully. She is 99% qualified for the Tour Championships. If she returns at all before then, she should make it.