Even like a year ago I was hitting harder serves than I am today she

“Even like a year ago I was hitting harder serves than I am today,” she says, “so I have got to think about what I have been doing there I had serves over 100 miles an hour in the past I’ve got to be more consistent there. I definitely have to work on my all-round game: the serve, speed – everything.”How much has sheer power taken away from the construction of points? “The first two, three shots, maybe that’s just like hitting hard, through the middle or just not too close to the lines,” Hingis says. “Once you manage that, then you can start playing more angles That’s always been part of the men’s game. That’s where the women’s game is moving towards, because now it’s more physical.”Hingis grew up admiring the pace and determination of Monica Seles, whose two-handed grip on the game was loosened not by an opponent but by a deranged spectator who stabbed her in the back in 1993. Seles, who is due to mark her 29th birthday on 2 December, continues to make an impression on younger rivals. She defeated Hingis in straight sets in the quarter-finals of the United States Open last month and ensured that the Williams family could not win all four majors by eliminating Venus in three sets in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.Seles, a strong link in the recent history of the women’s game, having overtaken Steffi Graf, who ended the era of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, is well placed to judge the evolution of the sport “The game has changed,” Seles says. “The game went through a very stagnant period from ‘93 to ‘96 I think In ‘97 the girls started to get bigger, stronger, faster You see the girls now are six feet tall.

Everyone has a 100mph serve.”In 1997 Hingis became the youngest player to hold a No 1 ranking (16 years, six months and one day). Richard Williams, who predicted that his daughters would rule the game, said Hingis’ legs were too short for her to stop them.Venus Williams was rather more analytical. “When Martina came on the scene people had a tough time figuring out her game, and that gave her a lot of success,” Venus said after becoming the first of the sisters to reach No 1 this year “I think Martina came in at a great time. Steffi was injured, and the top player at that point was maybe Arantxa [Sanchez-Vicario] Lindsay [Davenport] was still developing I was in high school.

But I think when Martina capitalised on her game that was a great time.”"Whoever is at the top has got to be the best player at that time,” Hingis says “So at this point it’s Serena, Venus and Jennifer. I always had great respect for Jennifer’s knowledge of the game, and the sisters have learned a lot.”I think Venus is the more handy player. She’s got more skills than Serena, but Serena is more consistent, more precise Her technique is more defined, I’d say, than Venus’. That’s probably because Venus has a better hand.”While Hingis considers ways to improve her strength and endurance, Seles concentrates on longevity and enjoying what remains of her professional career. “I’m always being asked when I’m going to retire,” she says.”It’s a constant question.