TENNIS - MARTINEZ GETS AGGRESSIVE AT U.S. OPEN .
Larry Fine
NEW YORK 1996-08-28
Conchita Martinez decided that when in New York , do as the New Yorkers do -- and the Spaniard 's new-found aggressiveness seems to have put her in the right frame of mind for the U.S. Open .
The fourth-seeded Spaniard , who is tackling the world class traffic of New York City as a warm-up by driving to the tennis centre for her matches , ran over France 's Nathalie Tauziat 6-1 6-3 on Wednesday to take her place in the third round .
" I 've been trying my whole career to be aggressive , " said the 24-year-old Martinez after crushing Tauziat in just over an hour .
" What I 'm trying to do is be aggressive all the time , maybe go up to the net a few times like I did tonight .
That would really help . "
Martinez , the 1994 Wimbledon champion , used to struggle at the Open , but has come to terms with the noise , crowds and chaos .
" There is a lot of things that can happen , " Martinez said about her early difficulties adjusting to tennis on the cement at Flushing Meadows .
" Like traffic .
We stay in Manhattan and it 's a long way to come .
The crowds , they speak louder or they move .
That does n't happen in other Grand Slams .
That 's where the real champion wins .
You have to concentrate for these two weeks . "
It took Martinez four Opens to get as far as the quarters , and another four to match that .
Last year , Martinez , who finished 1995 ranked second in the world , reached the semifinals before bowing out to Monica Seles .
Now she feels she is in the swing of things .
" I have my own car now and that helps , " said Martinez .
" Sometimes the transportation they ( the tournament ) provide gets a little messed up .
This time it did n't happen .
I do the driving and I love it .
It gets my adrenalin going , those taxi drivers .
" We change lanes all the time in Barcelona .
I 'm used to it and I like to drive fast . "