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Post by alsl on Jan 1, 2007 8:03:46 GMT 3
thats so sweet.there arent many wta-atp tour marriages besides steffi and andre....
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Post by davis on Aug 13, 2007 9:42:42 GMT 3
Stepanek, Hingis break off engagement
MONTREAL (AP) - The Radek Stepanek-Martina Hingis wedding is off.
Stepanek had an ATP spokesman inform the media at the Rogers Cup on Saturday that he has broken off with the five-time Grand Slam champion from Switzerland. He gave no reasons for the split.
The announcement came after Stepanek talked to the media about his semifinal loss to top-seeded Roger Federer, so the Czech player could not be questioned about Hingis.
"He and Martina Hingis have split up but will remain good friends - and that's all he has to say," spokesman Stephen Duckitt said.
Stepanek, formerly ranked in the top 10 by the ATP, proposed to the Slovak-born Hingis in Prague in November. Hingis, the former world No. 1 on the WTA Tour, announced the engagement to the media in Australia in December, where she showed up for a tournament wearing a diamond engagement ring.
The announcement was a surprise even to the ATP, which mentioned they were engaged in their daily media notes on Saturday.
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Post by Annie on Aug 13, 2007 9:57:58 GMT 3
Ah well.... nothing in Martina's personal life suprises us any more I think  |
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Post by annie on Aug 13, 2007 16:16:44 GMT 3
HUH? What happened?
this is so reminding me of Lleyton and Kim...
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Post by Mrs. Fabregas on Aug 13, 2007 21:29:31 GMT 3
 They broke off the engagement?? Wow, getting curious about the reason for it!!!
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Post by annie on Aug 14, 2007 13:20:35 GMT 3
I know! "That's all he has to say.." leaves us curious cats sniffing for more info....
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Post by susie123 on Nov 1, 2007 23:50:28 GMT 3
Today Martina has announced her retirement from professional tennis with immediate effect.
The reason - she has been told that she tested positive for cocaine this year - which she categorically denies.
To say I am stunned is an understatement.
I am sure there is more to come from this story.
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Post by luxsword on Nov 1, 2007 23:53:48 GMT 3
November 01, 2007
Statement from Martina Hingis
Throughout my career, I have always been open and honest with you.
I have been accused by an outsource testing company of taking cocaine during the Championships at Wimbledon. I find this accusation so horrendous, so monstrous, that I have decided to confront it head-on by talking to the press.
My weapon on the tennis court is and always was one single thing: the game, the ingenuity on court. And for this style of tennis, there is only one performance enhancer – the love of the game.
They say that cocaine increases self-confidence and creates a type of euphoria. I don’t know. I only know that if I were to try to hit the ball while in any state of euphoria, it simply wouldn’t work. I would think that it would be impossible for anyone to maintain the coordination required to play top class tennis while under the influence of drugs. And I know one other thing – I would personally be terrified of taking drugs.
When I was informed that the A Test I took following my defeat at Wimbledon apparently came back positive for a cocaine metabolite, I was shocked and appalled.
Acting upon the advice of my family and my management, I immediately took the hair test which can prove whether or not someone has taken cocaine. This test of course produced a negative result, the same negative result as all the countless doping tests that I have taken over the last twelve years.
However, the B Test from Wimbledon once again produced the opposite result – positive for a metabolite that apparently stays in the system for some time following cocaine use.
I immediately retained an attorney. Anybody who even attempts to take on this doping machinery alone has no chance.
The attorney and his experts discovered various inconsistencies with the urine sample that was taken during Wimbledon. He is also convinced that the doping officials mishandled the process and would not be able to prove that the urine that was tested for cocaine actually came from me.
However, this attorney and others have also pointed out to me that a case like this one can sometimes take years to resolve, especially if both sides repeatedly appeal the case and take it to the next level.
And this is the reason for my announcement. I have no desire to spend the next several years of my life reduced to fighting against the doping officials.
I am frustrated and angry. I believe that I am absolutely, one hundred percent innocent. The fact is that it is more and more difficult for me, physically, to keep playing at the top of the game. And frankly, accusations such as these don’t exactly provide me with motivation to even make another attempt to do so. I attempted a comeback after a three-year break and succeeded in winning three tournaments, bringing my ranking to 6 in the world. But in the meantime, I’m now 27 years old, and realistically too old to play top class tennis.
So now I’m standing before you, confronting the situation. Today I also informed my sponsors.
And so, considering this situation, my age, and the problems I have been having with my hip, I have decided to no longer play tennis on the Tour.
Upon advice from my attorneys, I’m afraid I am unable to answer any questions. My answers could insult someone and create even more problems for me. Therefore, there is only one more thing for me to do - to thank all of you for many years of goodwill, and also to assure you:
I have never taken drugs.
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Post by susie123 on Nov 2, 2007 0:03:38 GMT 3
It would be a huge shame if Martina's career is to become tarnished with this episode.
Personally, she is one of the most talented and intelligent players in recent history.
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Post by Mrs. Fabregas on Nov 2, 2007 1:36:54 GMT 3
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Post by jenhatter06 on Nov 2, 2007 2:36:50 GMT 3
crazy stuff .... can't believe that at all .... |
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Post by justsafin on Nov 4, 2007 21:47:09 GMT 3
Sad to hear this
Though she is not my fav, she is no doubt one of the most talented female players in history. Her game has always been so fun to watch.
Best of luck, Martina!
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WTA OS
Hingis Announces Retirement
ZÜRICH, Switzerland - In sensational circumstances, former world No.1 Martina Hingis announced her retirement from tennis for the second time on Thursday, bringing the curtain down on one of the most successful careers in the history of the sport. After retiring once in 2003 due to a persistent left-ankle injury, she made a successful return to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour at the start of the 2006 season, but a succession of injuries and a recent doping case have forced her to call it a day for the second time.
"I attempted a comeback after a three-year break and succeeded in winning three tournaments and bringing my ranking to No.6 in the world," Hingis said. "But in the meantime, I'm now 27-years-old and after the problems I have been having with my hip, realistically I'm too old to play top class tennis and have decided to no longer compete on the Tour."
Hingis first announced herself to the tennis world in 1996 when she became the youngest-ever Wimbledon champion by capturing the doubles title with Helena Sukova. The following season the 'Swiss Miss', as she was affectionately known, swept all before her, capturing 12 titles - including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open crowns - on her way to the summit of the women's game. Hingis's success continued for the next five years with 28 more titles coming her way, including two more Australian Open singles triumphs and doubles victories at all four majors.
In 2003 Hingis announced she would be taking an indefinite break from the game due to a long-standing left-ankle injury. However, less than three years later she announced her plans for a comeback and in 2006 she embarked on a fairytale return, capturing two Tour titles and firmly re-establishing herself amongst the world's Top 10. Season 2007 has been a more problematic one, with the Swiss star suffering more injury heartache and a loss of form in the second half of the season, although she still managed to win the prestigious Tokyo [Pan Pacific] title in February.
When announcing her retirement at a press conference on Thursday, Hingis also revealed she had tested positive for cocaine during a routine drugs test at Wimbledon. The 27-year-old adamantly denies taking the drug and has vowed to clear her name.
"I have been accused by an outsource testing company of taking cocaine during the Championships at Wimbledon," Hingis said. "I find this accusation so horrendous, so monstrous, that I have decided to confront it head-on by talking to the press. I'm frustrated and angry and I believe that I'm absolutely, 100% innocent, but accusations such as these don't provide me with motivation to even make another comeback."
On the heels of Martina's announcement, Sony Ericsson WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott stated that while the Tour was not in a position to comment on an ongoing anti-doping case, “it is important to remember that in the area of anti-doping, all players are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to doping in sport, and fully supports the Tennis Anti-Doping Program. The Tennis Anti-Doping program is both rigorous and comprehensive, and is designed to keep our sport clean."
Focusing on her incredible career, Scott added “With respect to her retirement announcement, Martina Hingis is a tremendous champion and a fan favorite the world over. In her most recent comeback, she proved again that she can perform at the very highest levels of the game. Martina will always be respected for not only having achieved the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour World Number #1 ranking, her five Grand Slam singles titles, nine Grand Slam women's doubles titles and two Sony Ericsson Championships titles, but just as much for her incredible touch, on-court intelligence and off-court professionalism."
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