'Inconceivable'

Former World No. 1 Hingis to quit tennis circuit at 22

Martina Hingis: "There's no question of envisioning a return to the circuit." Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

PARIS (AP) -- Citing ongoing foot problems, former No. 1 tennis player Martina Hingis on Friday gave her clearest indication to date that she is planning to retire from the sport she once dominated and instead devote herself to studying. "A return to competition is inconceivable, in the short term at least. That is certain," the 22-year-old Swiss said in an interview with the French sports newspaper L'Equipe.

Hingis, who won five Grand Slam tournament titles, had surgery on her right ankle in October 2001 and on her left ankle in May. After the second operation, Hingis pulled out of the French Open and Wimbledon -- the first majors she missed since turning pro in 1994. She returned to the tour in August but went back to rehab in October.

Since then she has been living quietly in her home in the village of Schindellegi, near Zurich. She told the newspaper that she spends her time attending college to perfect her English and pick up other qualifications for a future career off-court. For relaxation she indulges in her long-standing passion of horse riding, having recently bought an 8-year-old horse as "my after-career present."

"There's no question of envisioning a return to the circuit," she told the newspaper.

"Stop talking about a comeback," she retorted upon being further pressed. "You have to understand I really appreciate my new way of life ... I am 22 years old and I have my whole life ahead of me. The only thing I can no longer do is to train in a way as to remain competitive," she said.

Hingis was just 16 years and three months old when she won the first of her three Australian Open titles in 1997, making her the youngest Grand Slam singles champion of the 20th century.

She made six straight finals at the Australian Open, winning the first three and losing the last three. She also won the 1997 Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles, and lost the French Open final that year to Iva Majoli. She spent a total of 209 weeks at No. 1 in the WTA Tour rankings. She won 40 singles titles and 36 doubles titles, including nine at Grand Slam tournaments, and earned more than US$18 million.

In 2001, Hingis filed a $40 million lawsuit against Italian sportswear manufacturer Sergio Tacchini, with whom she had a five-year sponsorship deal, saying her shoes were defective and had caused her foot problems. Sergio Tacchini said the claims were made only so Hingis could avoid paying damages for breaching her contract with the company.

The New York State Supreme Court dismissed the suit in September because there is similar litigation pending in Milan, Italy.

 

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