'Only a joke'
Hingis again defends remarks about Mauresmo
Posted: Thursday February 25, 1999 05:12 PM
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Martina Hingis (left) and Amelie Mauresmo could meet in the quarterfinals of the Gaz de Paris. AP, Jack Atley/Allsport |
PARIS (AP) -- World No. 1 Martina Hingis on Wednesday said her remarks last month about Amelie Mauresmo were "only a joke," and insisted that there are no bad feelings between the two players.
Before the two met in last month's Australian Open, Hingis allegedly described Mauresmo, who is gay, as "half a man."
Mauresmo responded by saying that Hingis had been stupid to make the remark.
The Swiss teenager said Wednesday that the media has overplayed her comments.
"I didn't mean them in that way. It was only a joke, then it became a big thing in the newspapers," she said after beating Yugoslavia's Sandra Nacuk, 6-1, 6-1, at the $520,000 Gaz de France competition.
Hingis, who went on to win the Melbourne final, will face Mauresmo in Friday's quarterfinals if the French player wins two easy-looking matches in the first two rounds.
"Mauresmo is a very talented player," Hingis said. "She can do what she wants in her private life."
Hingis, 18, denied that there is any off-court rivalry with Mauresmo.
"Of course on court everyone wants to win. But we have no reason to be enemies," she said. "What do you expect us to do, start a boxing match?"
But Hingis agreed that a possible re-match against Mauresmo would be a great contest.
"Everyone wants to see that match against Mauresmo," Hingis said. "It's going to be wild."
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