Category: Arts & Culture
- Born:
- September 30, 1980, Košice, Czechoslovakia [now in Slovakia] (age 43)
Martina Hingis (born September 30, 1980, Košice, Czechoslovakia [now in Slovakia]) Swiss professional tennis player who became the youngest person in the “open” era to win a Grand Slam singles title and the youngest to be ranked world number one. In her relatively short, injury-plagued career, she won five Grand Slam singles titles—the Australian Open (1997, 1998, 1999), Wimbledon (1997), and the United States Open (1997).
Hingis, who was named for the legendary tennis player Martina Navratilova, was introduced to sports by her mother, Melanie Molitor, a former top tennis player in Czechoslovakia, and her father, Karol Hingis, a tennis coach. The younger Hingis could ski and play tennis at three, and she began entering tennis tournaments at five. Following her parents’ divorce, she moved with her mother to Trübbach, Switzerland, at seven. Molitor then began coaching her daughter in tennis intensively, and Hingis improved rapidly. At 12 she became the youngest-ever Grand Slam junior titlist when she won the 1993 junior French Open. In 1994 Hingis won in France again and then became the youngest junior Wimbledon champion weeks later.
In October 1994, shortly after her 14th birthday, Hingis turned professional. Three months later she became the youngest player to win a match at a Grand Slam event when she advanced to the second round of the 1995 Australian Open. Partnered with Helena Sukova, Hingis became the youngest player ever to win at Wimbledon when the pair took the doubles title in 1996. Hingis’s decision to turn pro at such a young age, however, was controversial. Soon after her pro debut, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) instituted new rules that prohibited 14-year-olds from regular tour events and limited the number of tournaments in which 15–17-year-olds could compete.
Hingis opened 1997 ranked fourth in the world and won six straight tournaments, including the Australian Open. With that victory she became, at age 16, the second youngest player ever to win a Grand Slam; Lottie Dod had won Wimbledon at age 15 in 1887. During the year Hingis also gained the top ranking. Not known for her power, Hingis instead dominated opponents with smart play and a diverse range of shots. Her winning streak was halted when she was upset by Iva Majoli in the French Open final, but she rebounded to win at Wimbledon and at the United States Open. Over the next several years, she often advanced to the finals at the Grand Slam tournaments and won the Australian Open in 1998 and 1999. In 2001 she underwent ankle surgery but reached the finals at the 2002 Australian Open, where she was defeated by Jennifer Capriati.
Plagued by further injuries, Hingis retired in 2003. Two years later, however, she returned to the WTA. Injuries and the rise of powerful players, notably the sisters Venus and Serena Williams, limited her wins. In 2007 Hingis retired from professional tennis after announcing that she had tested positive for cocaine at that year’s Wimbledon. Although she denied having taken the drug, she received a two-year ban. Her career totals included 43 singles titles and 10 Grand Slam doubles titles (women’s and mixed doubles). In addition, she had been ranked number one for 209 nonconsecutive weeks. Hingis subsequently competed in seniors events.
In 2013 Hingis was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Later that year she returned to the WTA, playing doubles events. She won an additional 10 Grand Slam doubles titles before retiring for a third time in 2017.
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I am a seasoned tennis enthusiast with a deep understanding of the sport's history and players, particularly Martina Hingis. My knowledge extends beyond mere statistics, encompassing the intricacies of her playing style, career trajectory, and the broader landscape of women's tennis during her era.
Martina Hingis, born on September 30, 1980, in Košice, Czechoslovakia (now in Slovakia), is a Swiss professional tennis player renowned for her remarkable achievements. In her illustrious career, she garnered numerous awards, including induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013.
Hingis made headlines by becoming the youngest Grand Slam singles title winner in the "open" era, achieving this feat at a tender age. She secured five Grand Slam singles titles, including triumphs at the Australian Open (1997, 1998, 1999), Wimbledon (1997), and the United States Open (1997). Her playing style was marked by strategic brilliance and a diverse range of shots rather than relying on power.
Her early exposure to tennis, guided by her mother Melanie Molitor, a former top tennis player in Czechoslovakia, and her father Karol Hingis, a tennis coach, shaped her into a prodigious talent. Hingis's journey to the top began at an early age, winning the junior French Open at just 12 years old and the junior Wimbledon title shortly after.
Martina Hingis turned professional in October 1994, making headlines as the youngest player to win a match at a Grand Slam event at the 1995 Australian Open. Despite her early success, controversy surrounded her decision to turn pro at such a young age, prompting the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to impose new rules restricting the participation of 14-year-olds in regular tour events.
The peak of her career came in 1997 when, at the age of 16, she secured the top ranking and won six straight tournaments, including the Australian Open. Hingis's dominance on the court was characterized by intelligence and a strategic approach rather than sheer power. Although her career was marred by injuries, including ankle surgery in 2001, she continued to compete at the highest level, reaching the finals of the 2002 Australian Open.
Hingis faced challenges from powerful players like Venus and Serena Williams, and she retired in 2003. However, she made a comeback in 2005, competing until 2007 when she retired again, citing a positive cocaine test at Wimbledon. Despite the controversy, her career includes 43 singles titles, 10 Grand Slam doubles titles, and a remarkable 209 nonconsecutive weeks at the number one ranking.
In 2013, Martina Hingis was rightfully inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a testament to her enduring impact on the sport. Later in the same year, she returned to the WTA, focusing on doubles events, and added 10 more Grand Slam doubles titles to her impressive resume before retiring for the third and final time in 2017. Martina Hingis's legacy as a tennis icon and her contributions to the sport remain indelible in the history of tennis.