Martina Hingis

[SAFINNO1]

Hingis set for return to WTA Tour

Former world number one Martina Hingis will return to professional tennis next year more than three years since retiring from the sport.
The 25-year-old Swiss star quit at the end of 2002 after a series of recurring injury problems.

But she said in a statement on Tuesday: "I was never happy my injuries cut my career short and ultimately forced my decision to step away from tennis.

"I've enjoyed my time away - it's let me experience a new side of life."

She added: "I miss the game and the challenge of competing at the highest level of tennis, and I want to gauge whether I can stay healthy and compete against today's top players."

Hingis, who won a total of five Grand Slam titles during her career, made an earlier unsuccessful attempt to return to the circuit last February.

She was eliminated 1-6 6-2 6-2 from the first round of the low level WTA Pattaya tournament by German Marlene Weingartner.

Hingis has won 76 career singles and doubles titles and became the youngest world number one at 16½.

She captured her first of 40 WTA singles titles at Filderstadt in 1996 and claimed her first major crown a few months later at the 1997 Australian Open.

More Grand Slam titles followed that year with success at Wimbledon and the US Open

She defended her Australian Open crown in 1998 and won her third in a row at Melbourne in 1999.

"Martina Hingis is one of the game's great champions and unique personalities," said WTA Tour chief executive Larry Scott.

"Martina is looking forward to the challenge of playing a competitive schedule of events.

"Martina's return will add another level of excitement to the sport and enhance the incredible rivalries and roster of big-name stars."

[SAFINNO1]

Hingis offered Melbourne wildcard

Three-time Australian Open champion Martina Hingis will be offered a wildcard for next year's tournament - if she decides she wants to compete.
Hingis, who retired due to injury in 2002, announced on Tuesday she planned to return to professional tennis.

Tournament boss Paul McNamee said: "She'll be very popular and very welcome, but she has not finalised her plans as to when she's returning.

"We're hoping it's in Australia, but it's not a fait accompli."

McNamee said he had already made informal contact with the 25-year-old Swiss star's representatives.

"It's great for the sport that she's coming back," he said. "We just don't know whether it will be in Australia."

The 25-year-old Hingis, who won five Grand Slam titles during her career, made an earlier unsuccessful attempt to return to the circuit last February.
But on Tuesday she said: "I was never happy my injuries cut my career short and ultimately forced my decision to step away from tennis.

"I miss the game and the challenge of competing at the highest level of tennis, and I want to gauge whether I can stay healthy and compete against today's top players."

According to her manager Mario Widmer, Hingis plans to play a "pretty full" schedule next year.

"Martina has been thinking about a return throughout this year and made the decision gradually after seeing how much stronger her tennis was becoming," said Widmer.

"We haven't yet decided how many tournaments she will play.

"She is certainly not setting any targets in terms of titles or world ranking places because she first has to see how her feet react."

[SAFINNO1]

This would be awesome i adored her when she was at her peak, hopefully she can reach that again and join the tough WTA tour. It is really going to be hard for players to win GS this year with so many talented players

[Annie]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO Oh yessssssssss ;D Great news..thanks Ily!!!!!!

[marats]

Absolutely great news, Martina Hingis Come back !
Always glad to see her play !
Go for it Martina !!!

[dawaymarat]

Jelena Dokic want to play again, but for Australia....

[marats]

Again a come back ?

[annie]

I wish her all the luck with this..she's gonna need it specially with the way the women's circuit is now...it's tought in there....!!

[love15]

it will be intresting to see her back in the game!

oh yeah, dokic is now going to be playing for australia. shes ranked 395 and has just fired her father..... lol


love15

[SAFINNO1]

Press conference with Martina on Saturday

: Martina, could you talk about your realistic goals. I mean, are you shooting for the top five or will you
are content to be in the top 25?

MH: I don’t think I would be happy to just be running behind everybody with being 25. But of course
the first test would be more if my body holds together when I practice in the first few tournaments. And
that question can be answered with the tournaments I play and my conditions and I can only train as
hard as I can and put myself in the best position possible to compete with the best. And come back to
the highest level I can and with the top players.

Q: Martina, your game is always about angles in tennis rather than power. Are you worrying about
being overpowered by other players, like today’s players, is that worrying you?

MH: Well, I mean, I probably wouldn’t make this decision today to play again if that would really worry
me. Of course you have to only be the best possible and the best possible preparation to hold against it
and that’s the goal. And if I can do so I'll be very happy with that. And also like you said, the tennis is a
smart game and a lot of things have to do with the physical condition and the feet. And those were
always my strengths.

Q: You mentioned the preparation and that being the key to having a successful comeback. Is there anything that you’ll do differently this time around in terms of your preparation to cope with the power and the sort of huge hitting of some of the girls out there?

MH: Well no, I should still stick to my plan and I have to work on my strength which I had in the past
which brought me to number one. But the game has changed and it’s gotten more physical. And, you
know, I can’t allow myself to have any weaknesses, which I'm working on. And hopefully I can right
away step into the game with winning of these games and matches.

Q: Are there any particular players that you’re particularly looking forward to playing again when you
come back?

MH: Yes, Maria Sharapova. I've never played her so that’s my, probably one opponent I'm looking
forward to playing if I get that far.

Q: Martina, even the last year when you were on tour you were still winning pretty regularly and coming
back next year you might not be able to win as regularly as you used to. How are you going to
emotionally cope with the losing if you are taking losses on a regular basis?

MH: Well, I don’t know. I hope it won’t happen but on occasion. In the last three years I think I've
gained some confidence in my life outside tennis and I think or I hope I can handle that. I've been able
to handle it in the past and it’s not only tennis in life anymore. That’s what I realized. But I still so much
love the game and enjoy it, that’s why I want to come back and have the challenge. But really there’s
worse things out there in the world than losing a tennis match.

Q: When you were watching two years ago, Justine Henin-Hardenne pretty much dominated when the
Williams were off. And she’s about the same height as you are and she improved her serve and her
forehand a lot and she was able to play the power game pretty well. Did that give you any inspiration to
think, well my goodness if she can be doing this now I can do it again too?

MH: Well there is a lot of inspirations all around. She’s definitely one of them. And I also practiced with
her before. She had her comeback in Key Biscayne and Charleston and she won the French Open
again and I was hitting with her. So I'm not really that far off. You have to be hungry, you have to want it
and that’s why I take the responsibility and make this decision. And also, Lindsay Davenport, Mary
Pierce having such a great year that’s another inspiration, that the same girls I used to play against are
still at the top.

Q: And have you been practicing in Zurich, is your mother coaching you again. Are you practicing at
her academy? And are you bringing players home to you the way you used to?

MH: Right now I'm practicing with her in her academy / tennis school. She has good coaches and we
have some good juniors. So that’s who I'm practicing with. And in the future there probably will be
somebody hopefully coming, you know, to my house I can train with. Right now it’s her, her kids and
people in her academy.

Q: Since your announcement you must have had loads of wild card offers from the tournament. Unless
I have missed something, you haven’t actually announced which tournament will be your first. Have you
planned that yet?

MH: Well, it’s still in the procedure. It will be probably within the next ten days to two weeks it will be all
official. But right now there’s still no plans set. Definitely the goal would be to play in Australia. But not
a specific tournament yet.

Q: That’s probably one of the warm-ups to the Aussie Open, I would think.

MH: Yeah. Probably have to think so. I don’t want to go right away to the Aussie Open.

Q: If you were to play another three, four years, five years, whatever and not win another Grand Slam,
would that be a major disappointment or is it more about competing again and the love of the sport, that
will keep you happy?

MH: Well you’re thinking very far ahead. Yeah, I'll be probably very happy if I can stay healthy for the
first thing. I will play my first tournament like I said in Australia, and if I come out as a winner with no pain
or at least that it’s acceptable and win a few matches I'll be very happy. And then in the future, I'll be
there, play with the best, winning a Grand Slam would be great , but I guess that can only be answered
at the tournament.

[marats]

Thanks for the nice interview !!!

[Annie]

Thanks Ily...interesting read

[SAFINNO1]

Surely Kournikova is not making another comeback

Kournikova may yet revive career


Kournikova (R) and Martina Hingis were playing an exhibition in Brazil

Anna Kournikova says she may yet make a WTA Tour return, despite not having played since 2003 because of injury.
The Russian 24-year-old raised the possibility as she prepared to face former doubles partner Martina Hingis in an exhibition match in Brazil.

Kournikova said: "The possibility is not completely out of the question."

Hingis, 25, is to make her own comeback to the professional circuit in January. "I'm just waiting for a wild card to play in the Australian Open," she said.

Kournikova and Hingis teamed up to win the Australian Open doubles title in 1999 and 2002.

Hingis won five Grand Slam singles titles in her career and was only 16 when she took over the top ranking in March 1997.

[blue]

It´s so great Martina wants to return. I missed her, and absolutely believe that she still could keep up with the other girls, as the level on the womens tour was very shaky the last two, three years. I think Martina knows that
Just wish her best of luck for her return and hopefully she´ll reach a good level again

[marats]

It's absolutely great to have Martina back on court again !!!