Hingis Would Like To Play Mixed Doubles At The US Open

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 2nd August 2013

Southern California Open tennis tournament

Hingis Would Like To Play Mixed Doubles At The US Open

epa03809351 Martina Hingis from Switzerland hits a backhand with doubles partner Daniela Hantuchova (not pictured) of Slovakia during their doubles match against Darija Jurak from Croatia and Julia Georges from Germany at the Southern California Open tennis tournament in Carlsbad, California, USA, 31 July 2013. Hingis won her first comeback match after retiring from tennis six years ago. EPA/MICHAEL NELSON |

Martina Hingis won’t push her luck by trying to extend her new tennis comeback which began in Carlsbad with a 6-1, 6-1 win alongside Daniela Hantuchova. But the five-time Swiss grand slam winner does admit that she is still seeking an ATP partner for mixed doubles which she hopes to play at the US Open.

The 32-year-old, who retired for the second time in her career in 2007 after testing positive for traces of cocaine and emphatically denying the charge, is hoping to make a success of her reprise.

“I don’t have any expectations,” said Hingis, who sharpened the game with which she dominated a decade and a half ago on the WTA by playing summer Team Tennis. “But I would not have put myself in this position if I didn’t think I could compete. My form is good enough for Team Tennis (which concluded last weekend), we’ll see if it’s still good enough for WTA doubles.”

Hingis, who lost her last WTA match in September, 2007 against China’s Peng Shuai, said that her desire to play remains strong. She has kept herself in the game as a coach, spending a few months this spring with Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, with the pair splitting amicably at the French Open over philosophical differences.

Only a month ago, Hingis and the now-pregnant Lindsay Davenport won the Wimbledon legends doubles title. “In the back of my mind I was always thinking of playing doubles again. But not singles, that’s a different world. I’d have to put so much more effort into it.

“Playing is the easy part, it’s all the grind behind the scenes that’s so tough. And the older you get, the harder it is. I don’t want to come back and play one or two matches in singles and lose in the third round, that’s not me. For three years (after her second retirement) I didn’t pick up a racquet. But coaching brought me back into my world.

This is where I feel most comfortable, this is what I know best. I enjoy playing tennis.”