After a summer return to doubles six years after her second retirement, Martina Hingis is out of the US Open in women’s and mixed but is still looking forward to more matches – once she takes a rest.
“Maybe hard court is not the easiest one to come back to as well, playing eight weeks in a row. I haven’t stopped since Wimbledon and playing TeamTennis, playing the tournaments,” said the Swiss who dominated with five grand slam titles in the late 1990s before the rise of the Williams sisters. “I enjoy it. I feel like I’m playing well. My body is screaming, What are you doing to me?”
Hingis, 32, has teamed with Daniela Hantuchova for women’s events, with the pair expecting to test the partnership through the end of the WTA autumn season. Hingis has twice retired from tennis, the last in 2007. “There were definitely the nerves, not playing at a Grand Slam for six, years doesn’t really help either.”
The 1997 Open singles champion, still drew a crowd years after her teenaged heyday. “I always enjoyed the big stage. The people that came, they enjoyed it. They really cheered us on, I couldn’t ask for more. I think it was a real enjoyable match to watch. You don’t see such a crowd in women’s doubles normally.
Hingis said she and Hantuchova will carry onto to Tokyo next month and then see about their schedule, “I’ll be happy not having to play some tennis for the next few days,” Hingis confessed.
Topics: 10sballs, Daniela Hantuchova, Martina Hingis, Serena Williams, Teamtennis, Tennis, US Open, Venus Williams, Wimbledon, Wta