Mountains and magnets put Hingis back together

Mountain air and magnetic treatments have revived Martina Hingis's spirits after the shock of losing in the first round at Wimbledon.

Now Hingis is back on the tour and determined to win again.

The Swiss world number one retreated to the Austrian Alps after the ignominy of losing her opening match at the All England club to Spanish claycourt specialist Virginia Ruano Pascual in June.

"I was looking through a magazine, saw the pictures of the place and decided to go there," she said of her week-long stay at a five-star hotel near Innsbruck.

"I was in a rehab/wellness centre to get mentally, spiritually and physically back together," Hingis said at this week's San Diego tournament.

"I just went in the mountains. That's where I come from and I love it there.

"It gives me peace because I grew up in the mountains, forest and hills," said Hingis, who moved to Switzerland from the former Czechoslovakia at the age of eight.

"Nature for me is something that will give me back the most. Going there is beautiful. Being at the peak of the Alps looking...it's everything. I love them."

MAGNETIC MAT

Hingis had a variety of treatments, including work done on her aching lower back with magnetic force.

"They have this special magnetic mat which goes through your body," she said. "I travel with it now. It's good, it cleans your system. You just lie down -- depending on how many minutes you have -- eight, 16 or 24 minutes.

"It's like ultrasound just in a different form. It's not a magical thing. You rest, you relax. It's somewhat like the yoga breathing.

"The older you get on the tour the more time you have to have to rest and relax," added Hingis, who is still only 20. "We're like a high-maintenance vehicle."

Hingis, who lost in the French Open semifinals in June to eventual winner Jennifer Capriati, said she had been wrong to attempt to play Wimbledon after pain in her lower back had prevented her practising.

"Now when I look back, I shouldn't have gone at all, not under those circumstances," said Hingis who has not won a Grand Slam since the 1999 Australian Open. "You learn from mistakes and I won't do them again."

After five weeks without playing a tournament, Hingis declared herself fit again.

"Physically, I'm okay," she said. "I'm a little achy here and there but that is pretty normal for an athlete. There's almost no day you go where nothing hurts."

TIME OFF

Hingis said she had not missed the rigours of the weekly tour grind.

"I was practising for the last three weeks but it was nice to have a little time off and not always having to stress out about matches. It's nice to have this break and get into shape for the last part of the season."

Despite her absence, Hingis kept the world number one ranking which has been hers for 199 consecutive weeks.

Only three women have been number one for longer stretches -- Steffi Graf holds the record with 377 weeks -- and Hingis said she was always worried about slipping off her perch.

"It gets tougher and tougher," she said. "The higher the climb, the further you can fall. It's very important. I don't want to fall. I just want to stay up there."

Though some of her peers would be delighted about getting to six finals and winning half of them, Hingis is not satisfied with her 2001 record.

"It's okay but as a number one you always expect more even though other players would be happy," the Swiss said. "Me, I'm never satisfied. I would love to win another tournament, maybe the Grand Slam too."

Hingis has now played 10 Grand Slams without a victory. Does the fact worry her?

"It's reality," she said. "I can only change the future."