WTA Doubles No.1 Martina Hingis revealed that she will play her final tournament at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global, where she reached the semifinals with Chan Yung-Jan on Thursday.
SINGAPORE -25-time Grand Slam champion Martina Hingis announced she will end her career after playing the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
The current WTA doubles No.1 alongside Chan Yung-Jan advanced into the semifinals of Singapore on Thursday, defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke, 6-3, 6-2, on Thursday evening.
Photo gallery: Martina Hingis: A glorious career in photos
"People probably think, 'After a year like this, after a season like this...' but I think it's also perfect timing," Hingis said in a press conference following the match. "You know, you want to stop on top and not when you're already going backwards.
"I couldn't ask for a better finish like that."
Hingis, 37, regained the No.1 ranking in doubles during the Asian Swing after winning the US Open in doubles with Chan and mixed with Jamie Murray.
"My partners already knew it and the rumor was out there. I'm actually really surprised that they kept it secret that long, but the players have been really good and supportive.
"I think the decision has been done already. Like I told Latisha from the start, 'Hey, this will probably be my last year.' So some people knew it; some didn't."
With Chan, the Swiss Miss has won a whopping nine titles in 2017, including three of the four Premier Mandatory titles at the BNP Paribas Open, the Mutua Madrid Open, and China Open, and is currently on a 19-match winning streak with just two wins standing between her and a fourth WTA Finals doubles crown.
"I think we are the ones to beat right now. We had good practices, so there was nothing to be worried about. I felt really good in my hit earlier just before the match.
"I'm happy with the performance tonight, but definitely there was some tingling sensations in the start!"
Hingis left the game in 2002 citing persistent foot injuries and returned to tennis four years later in a successful singles comeback, peaking at World No.6.
In 2013, she made a tentative return in doubles with Daniela Hantuchova, later pairing with Flavia Pennetta to reach the 2014 US Open final before beginning a star-studded collaboration with Sania Mirza, winning 14 titles in 18 months and winning 41 straight matches between August 2015 and February 2016.
"In the past, I always had things in back of my head, where I might be able to return. First it was with singles, then it was the doubles. When you see other players who are my age and they are still playing and performing at that level, I was hoping I could do the same.
"I will be grateful also to my coaching period, because that showed me with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, with Sabine Lisicki, that I still had the capability. I mean, singles is a different story. But the doubles, I always considered myself as a pretty decent doubles player, even in my first career. I had been winning slams, and I was hoping that I could do it."
The current WTA doubles No.1 alongside Chan Yung-Jan advanced into the semifinals of Singapore on Thursday, defeating Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke, 6-3, 6-2, on Thursday evening.
Photo gallery: Martina Hingis: A glorious career in photos
"People probably think, 'After a year like this, after a season like this...' but I think it's also perfect timing," Hingis said in a press conference following the match. "You know, you want to stop on top and not when you're already going backwards.
"I couldn't ask for a better finish like that."
Hingis, 37, regained the No.1 ranking in doubles during the Asian Swing after winning the US Open in doubles with Chan and mixed with Jamie Murray.
"My partners already knew it and the rumor was out there. I'm actually really surprised that they kept it secret that long, but the players have been really good and supportive.
"I think the decision has been done already. Like I told Latisha from the start, 'Hey, this will probably be my last year.' So some people knew it; some didn't."
With Chan, the Swiss Miss has won a whopping nine titles in 2017, including three of the four Premier Mandatory titles at the BNP Paribas Open, the Mutua Madrid Open, and China Open, and is currently on a 19-match winning streak with just two wins standing between her and a fourth WTA Finals doubles crown.
"I think we are the ones to beat right now. We had good practices, so there was nothing to be worried about. I felt really good in my hit earlier just before the match.
"I'm happy with the performance tonight, but definitely there was some tingling sensations in the start!"
Hingis left the game in 2002 citing persistent foot injuries and returned to tennis four years later in a successful singles comeback, peaking at World No.6.
In 2013, she made a tentative return in doubles with Daniela Hantuchova, later pairing with Flavia Pennetta to reach the 2014 US Open final before beginning a star-studded collaboration with Sania Mirza, winning 14 titles in 18 months and winning 41 straight matches between August 2015 and February 2016.
"In the past, I always had things in back of my head, where I might be able to return. First it was with singles, then it was the doubles. When you see other players who are my age and they are still playing and performing at that level, I was hoping I could do the same.
"I will be grateful also to my coaching period, because that showed me with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, with Sabine Lisicki, that I still had the capability. I mean, singles is a different story. But the doubles, I always considered myself as a pretty decent doubles player, even in my first career. I had been winning slams, and I was hoping that I could do it."
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