Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis (born September 30, 1980) is a Swiss former professional tennis player. She was ranked world No. 1 in both singles and doubles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) at various points during her career. Hingis won five Grand Slam singles titles, 13 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and seven Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She also won a gold medal in women's doubles at the 1996 Summer Olympics and a silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Hingis is considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players of all time. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013.

Early life and junior career

Martina Hingis was born in Košice, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), to Melanie Molitorová and Karol Hingis. Her mother was a professional tennis player and her father was a sports teacher. Hingis began playing tennis at the age of two and quickly showed a natural talent for the game. She won her first tournament at the age of seven and was ranked No. 1 in the world in the junior rankings at the age of 14.

Professional career

Hingis turned professional in 1994 at the age of 16. She quickly rose to prominence on the WTA Tour, winning her first Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in 1997. She went on to win three more Grand Slam singles titles that year, becoming the first teenager to win three Grand Slam singles titles in a single season since Steffi Graf in 1988.

Hingis was also a dominant force in women's doubles. She won her first Grand Slam women's doubles title at the French Open in 1996 with Helena Suková. She went on to win 12 more Grand Slam women's doubles titles with a variety of partners, including Mirjana Lučić-Baroni, Jana Novotná, Anna Kournikova, Mary Pierce, and Sania Mirza.

Hingis also won seven Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, with partnes including Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Jamie Murray.

Retirement and comeback

Hingis retired from professional tennis in 2003 due to a foot injury. She made a comeback in 2006, but was forced to retire again in 2007 due to a hip injury.

Hingis made a second comeback in 2013, focusing on doubles. She won her first Grand Slam women's doubles title since her retirement at the Australian Open in 2015 with Chan Yung-jan. She also won a silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2016 Summer Olympics with Roger Federer.

Hingis retired from professional tennis for a second time in 2017.

Legacy

Martina Hingis is considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players of all time. She was a dominant force in both singles and doubles, and her aggressive style of play and quick reflexes made her a fan favorite. Hingis was also a pioneer for women's tennis, helping to raise the profile of the sport and inspire a new generation of players.

Hingis is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and has been honored with numerous awards, including the WTA Player of the Year award in 1997 and 1998 and the ITF World Champion award in 1997, 1998, and 2000.