Mind over matter

Davenport questions extent of Hingis' injury

TOKYO, Feb 1 (Reuters) -- Lindsay Davenport has given Martina Hingis a no-nonsense piece of advice, telling her injured Swiss rival: "Stop feeling sorry for yourself."

Hingis, who underwent ankle surgery last May, delayed her latest comeback by pulling out of last month's Australian Open, fueling speculation that the 22-year-old could retire from tennis.

But Davenport said the problem was more mental for fellow former world No. 1 Hingis, who has gone four years without a Grand Slam title.

"I think, mentally, she just doesn't want to be out there losing to players she had never lost to before," the American told Reuters.

"I think you have to get over that fear before you are able to go back again. Coming back from injury is tough, but you have got to take your losses. You just have to deal with it."

Davenport, in Tokyo playing at the Pan Pacific Open, expressed hope that Hingis, who made her debut on the WTA Tour as a 14-year-old in 1994, had not become the latest in a long line of women players to "burn out" prematurely.

"It makes me sad more than anything. Obviously, no one knows the state of her ankles, but she was such a great player and she gave so much to the sport," said Davenport.

"Maybe it was too all-encompassing, maybe she [played] too much tennis, but it seems like an awfully early age to get burnt out."

But Davenport, who missed much of 2002 after having knee surgery, said Hingis needed to be more positive if she wanted to avoid becoming another high-profile victim of burnout, such as Tracy Austin and Andrea Jaeger in the 1980s.

"I saw her last summer, and she asked me how it was coming back after injury. I said it was okay ... but she kept saying it was so hard for her," said Davenport.

"You don't know how bad her ankle is, but I think she is selling herself short. I would just love her to come back and play tournaments."

 

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