Phenomenal Training
by Andrea Leand

Martina Hingis's New Year's resolution was to stop banging her racquet on the court. Within 10 minutes of a practice session before the Australian Open, Hingis, like most well-meaning mortals had slipped back into her old habits. She bounced the frame this time after firing a forehand just wide. Hingis immediately lightened up after her mother, Melanie Molitor, joked about the shot and refocused her daughter on another one.

Practice lasted just under an hour, as it usually does with a male hitting partner, this time Mark Hrwaty, who was hired for the month of Australian events. The rising star began the session with some mini-tennis before perfecting her timing with crosscourt and down-the-line rallies. Some overheads warmed up her arm for serves.

Then, Hingis had her most fun, playing points against her 6-foot-2 sparring partner with the fluorescent Mohawk-styled hair. "She is very competitive and doesn't like to miss anything," says Hrwaty.

During tournaments, Hingis hits only on nonmatch days, for no more than an hour. Then again, she rarely has days when she's not playing a match, whether singles or doubles. "Playing doubles is a lot more fun than practicing," says Hingis. "I still have to think and work out there, but it is fun. It helps my net game and keeps me playing aggressively. And I also don't have to practice as much." Every day she participates in some type of non-tennis aerobic activity such as hiking, biking, horseback riding or in-line skating. She also regularly joins in ice hockey and soccer games scheduled by a tennis club in the Czech Republic, where she has been training more often. "I like to be outside, not in a gym doing exercises by myself," she says. "Even when I don't have any practice or training, I still horseback ride for fun, which helps too. My results the last six months have shown it is working."

To improve her strength, six months ago she began lifting light weights three times per week between tournaments. The very light weights and high repetitions helped strengthen her upper arms and serve.

Just ask her practice partners, who dodge her shots. "Martina loves blasting balls at me when I come up to net," says Hrwaty. "She gets her biggest kick when she hits me with a ball."