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Post by Brinyi on Nov 29, 2005 15:58:29 GMT -5
Hingis set for return to WTA Tour Former world number one Martina Hingis will return to professional tennis next year more than three years since retiring from the sport. The 25-year-old Swiss star quit at the end of 2002 after a series of recurring injury problems. But she said in a statement on Tuesday: "I was never happy my injuries cut my career short and ultimately forced my decision to step away from tennis. "I've enjoyed my time away - it's let me experience a new side of life." She added: "I miss the game and the challenge of competing at the highest level of tennis, and I want to gauge whether I can stay healthy and compete against today's top players." Hingis won a total of five Grand Slam titles during her career. (from BBC site)
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Post by janie on Nov 29, 2005 17:47:12 GMT -5
That's incredible. I would have given this a 0% chance of happening! Makes 2006 suddenly seem like a lot more fun, doesn't it?
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Post by leena on Nov 29, 2005 21:16:43 GMT -5
I still give a real comeback a 0% chance of happening.
Plus, even if Marti does return, it's not more fun. Once she loses to Niki, or one of the Maria-clone-bombing-twits, caring ceases.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Nov 29, 2005 22:21:03 GMT -5
Cheering thread. Implies thread for cheering, not anger. Marti I'm sure Marti has been training really hard for this, and I can't wait to see her in Australia.
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Post by leena on Nov 29, 2005 23:11:54 GMT -5
You're such a douche.
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Post by Brinyi on Nov 30, 2005 8:28:16 GMT -5
I suppose it all depends on what we consider a successful comeback. I'd be happy if she plays the entire season and finishes in the top 14, given how long she's been away.
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Post by freudo on Nov 30, 2005 10:01:21 GMT -5
way to go Briny! I'll be glad to see her play and cheer any olde time. I caught her WTT matches, and well, she's going to give some people some problems. The more the better I say the serve is still the weakest part of her game, but like before, somethimes her placement covers the lack of pop. I'll just add a heary woohoo!
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Post by freudo on Nov 30, 2005 10:01:57 GMT -5
toss a "T" in the heary
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Post by janie on Nov 30, 2005 10:48:15 GMT -5
Oh, I thought your typo word was meant to be "hoary".
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Post by Brinyi on Nov 30, 2005 12:18:01 GMT -5
Hingis plays "pretty full" 2006 schedule, footsies permitting Wed Nov 30, 2005 11:18 AM GMT By Mark Ledsom BERN, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Martina Hingis will play a "pretty full" schedule next year, feet permitting, according to her manager Mario Widmer. Speaking to Reuters the day after the former world number one from Switzerland announced her surprise comeback, Widmer said a lot still depended on how well Hingis coped physically. "Martina has been thinking about a return throughout this year and made the decision gradually after seeing how much stronger her tennis was becoming," Widmer said on Wednesday. "We haven't yet decided how many tournaments she will play, and she is certainly not setting any targets in terms of titles or world ranking places because she first has to see how her feet react." Still only 25, the five times Grand Slam winner announced her retirement at the end of 2002 after undergoing two ligament operations. Plagued by a string of foot, heel and ankle injuries, Hingis sued her former shoe suppliers Tacchini before the two sides reached an out-of-court settlement. Widmer gave no details about where Hingis would make her tournament comeback. She plans to hold a news conference on Saturday in Zurich. The Swiss is expected to be back on the professional circuit in time for January's Australian Open. A three times winner of the Melbourne grand slam, Hingis was told by organisers on Wednesday that a wild card would be available if required. ;D CAREER RELAUNCH Hingis made a one-off comeback to the WTA Tour in February 2005, losing to Germany's Marlene Weingartner in the first round of Thailand's Pattaya tournament. Many in the game saw that tournament as an attempt by Hingis to see if she could relaunch her professional career. However, the Swiss said a return to the sport was "inconceivable". During her time away from the court, Hingis has perfected her English, worked as a tennis commentator and indulged her love of riding. Her change of heart follows strong performances at exhibition tournaments as well as in World Team Tennis, an American team competition in which Hingis steered a New York side to victory in September. "I have enjoyed my time away from the court, a period that has allowed me to experience a different side of life," Hingis said in a statement on Tuesday. "However, I miss the game and the challenge of competing at the highest level of tennis, and I want to gauge whether I can stay healthy and compete against today's top players." Her return will give a further fillip to a women's circuit which has rarely been so open. Four different players won the four grand slams in 2005, Lindsay Davenport ended the year as number one and Amelie Mauresmo won the year-ending Masters Cup. "For fans of women's tennis, Martina's return will add another level of excitement to the sport and enhance the incredible rivalries and roster of big-name stars," said Larry Scott, chief executive officer of the WTA Tour. "Her passion for the game has never wavered and we look forward to her return."
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Post by DBBN on Nov 30, 2005 12:28:05 GMT -5
Well, I severely doubt she'll finish out the year. If she is fit enough to do so, I hope she at least ranks around the top dozen; neither she nor I want to see her any lower, and we both prefer retirement to mediocrity. I don't know, I just don't see this working out exactly as it should. I'd love to see her gak Penis or Vagina one last time, though
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Post by Brinyi on Nov 30, 2005 12:43:54 GMT -5
Well, I severely doubt she'll finish out the year. If she is fit enough to do so, I hope she at least ranks around the top dozen; neither she nor I want to see her any lower, and we both prefer retirement to mediocrity. I don't know, I just don't see this working out exactly as it should. I'd love to see her gak Penis or Vagina one last time, though I'd settle for a beatdown of Weingartner. ;D
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Post by DBBN on Nov 30, 2005 13:24:39 GMT -5
Marlene is, what, 3-22 on the year? So I'd have to say that I would expect one if Tina is actually gonna contend
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Nov 30, 2005 15:22:43 GMT -5
Hingis was Marlene's last win. Marti was completely unprepared for Pattaya. You don't go out, kill the girl, and flat out die the rest of the match, holding serve once. She was completely unfit. If she plays like she did in WTT, then she'll probably be top 20. But apparently she's been training hard over the summer, so hopefully her form is better.
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Post by leena on Nov 30, 2005 16:15:42 GMT -5
To be fair, Martina did look very good playing in WTT.
I just highly doubt the motivation is there to play for long on tour. I don't think she likes tennis much... and we know she hates not being the best.
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Post by DBBN on Nov 30, 2005 16:28:34 GMT -5
I have to agree with Leena here. I cannot envision her caring about playing if she won't be considered a threat to win big titles. Being ranked #17 won't please her at all.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Nov 30, 2005 18:19:53 GMT -5
I don't think she'd be at #17. Even when Hingis sucked in the end, she still found herself at the lower end of the top ten.
If she didn't like tennis, she wouldn't be coming back.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Nov 30, 2005 18:29:33 GMT -5
Tracy Austin on Hingis return
By Tracy Austin BBC Sport tennis pundit and former world number one
It's wonderful news for women's tennis that Martina Hingis wants to make a full return to the circuit next year.
A star with as much charisma and style as her can only be good for the sport.
The biggest question is will her game stand up to the power play that dominates the women's game
Martina wants to come back and play and, of course, there will be critics who will try and knock her down. But I would urge people to be supportive.
She was a wonderful champion and has nothing to prove. She is not coming back for money or to make her place in tennis history - she's already done that.
Martina is coming back because she still wants to compete - that urge to get out and compete on the court is not out of her system yet.
Physically, and in terms of her ankle injury, I think she will be fine.
And technically, she will have no problems at all. She can volley extremely well, has great anticipation and there is so much flair to her game.
She is also a great strategist, who moves the ball around and out-manoeuvres her opponents.
But the big question is whether her game can stand up to the power play that dominates the women's tour.
When Martina dominated, it was a very different game. Now, the top players are either hitting aces every game or big, unreturnable serves.
She just doesn't have that in her repertoire, so it will be interesting to see how her style of play matches up to that of Justine Henin-Hardenne, Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova.
Yet I still think this is a very good time for her to come out of retirement.
No-one is dominating the women's game right now. Henin-Hardenne, Clijsters and the Williams sisters have had injuries and Lindsay Davenport has not made any tournament commitments beyond March.
Because there are no strong figures at the top Martina might just see an opportunity.
Austin was just 19 when she won her second US Open in 1981
Like Martina, I was successful as a teenager, but at the age of 21 got injured and was unable to play again until I was 25.
Then I was involved in a car accident that took me out for another couple of years before I officially retired in 1994.
I can understand an athlete wanting to hang up their sport and stop when they just don't feel like playing any more.
Bjorn Bjorg retired when he was just 25 and Gabriela Sabatini when she was 26. But Martina still feels she has the competitive juices flowing and wants to take on that challenge. As an athlete I think she's doing the right thing. Before you retire for good you have to feel you've really finished.
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Post by leena on Nov 30, 2005 20:03:31 GMT -5
I wouldn't doubt she'd be one of the ten best players.
I doubt she plays enough to keep up that ranking, however.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Nov 30, 2005 20:35:26 GMT -5
I wouldn't doubt she'd be one of the ten best players. I doubt she plays enough to keep up that ranking, however. Probably. To get to the lower end of the top ten, you need to either a) play like 10 events, suck half the time, but have a few huge tournaments - i.e. Venus, or b) play thirty tournaments a year, winning at least a few matches in each - i.e. Petrova. I don't see Marti busting out and winning a slam in 06, and I don't think she can play that many tournaments. So, she'll kind of be in limbo. But, she played something like ten tournaments in 2002 - and was still in the top ten. So, I guess it's possible.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Nov 30, 2005 20:38:32 GMT -5
As I speak, Marti comes to kick me in the jaw.
She's apparently going to play a "pretty full" schedule in 2006. She's going to announce the schedule on Saturday.
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Post by DBBN on Nov 30, 2005 20:44:23 GMT -5
I don't think she'd be at #17. Even when Hingis sucked in the end, she still found herself at the lower end of the top ten. If she didn't like tennis, she wouldn't be coming back. And that was even after months and months of inactivity. If she had played all of 2002 she'd have been no lower than #4. Having said that. It is a harder, faster game now...a more stupid game, yes, and not necessarily even a better field...but it's different. Just...don't expect much. Greatness will be gravy.
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Post by leena on Nov 30, 2005 22:01:04 GMT -5
It's not a better game. But, it's a game Martina will have a tough time adjusting to. Her one weakness is power. Her serve still really sucks. She faces one of the million 15-year-olds who have one of their lucky days bashing the ball, she's in trouble.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Nov 30, 2005 22:49:18 GMT -5
WTA just announced that Martina has applied for Gold Exempt Emeritus status.
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Post by janie on Dec 1, 2005 15:31:06 GMT -5
Hingis comeback eagerly anticipated Down Under
By Greg Stutchbury Thu Dec 1, 3:35 AM ET
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Martina Hingis will not lack invitations to warm-up tournaments in Australasia if the former world number one chooses to return to action at the Australian Open in January.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hingis, 25, set the tennis world alight on Tuesday when she said was going to return in 2006, more than three years after she retired due to foot and ankle injuries.
The five-times grand slam winner is expected to announce exactly when she will return to action at a news conference in Zurich on Saturday.
Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee said on Wednesday that he had been in touch with Hingis about the possibility of her making her comeback at Melbourne Park.
"I've had contact with Martina's management, but she has not made a decision yet," McNamee said. "She is a possibility to play the Open. It might be 50-50.
"The door is open. It would be really exciting if she was to play the Open again. We would make her very welcome."
Hingis, who won the Australian Open from 1997 to 1999, could use one of the tournaments in Australia and New Zealand prior to the year's first grand slam as preparation for the January 16-29 event.
"We have not heard yet if she's fair dinkum about the Aussie Open but you would think she would want some warm up," Canberra Classic tournament director Gerard Corradini said by telephone.
"Hopefully she chooses to (play in Australia). I think she was a six-time finalist, multiple winner at the Australian Open and was very popular with Australians.
"If she made a comeback here it would be terrific."
Auckland Classic tournament director Richard Palmer said he had been in touch about with the player's management about Hingis playing in his event in New Zealand from January 2-7.
"They haven't come back to me at this point," Palmer said on Thursday. "Having said that I have e-mailed them and said that if she is interested in coming to Auckland then we are interested in her joining us.
"It would be great for us if she did decide to come here. ... having Hingis back is good."
LOTS OF OPTIONS
Australian hardcourt championships tournament director Liz Smylie said she had also inquired about a possible appearance at the Gold Coast tournament.
"She hasn't decided yet what she is doing," said Smylie, who has enticed former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova to her January 2-7 event. "I have been in touch with them, but I would say she has got lots of options."
A spokesman for the Sydney International tournament, which runs the week before the Australian Open, said they were also interested in enticing Hingis to their event.
Representatives of Hingis management in Australia said they had been fielding requests from tournament directors about her availability but could not confirm anything yet.
"As soon as people heard she was wanting to come back there has definitely been interest, not just here in Australia," said Lisa Chaffey of Octagon.
"Everybody is excited to see that she's coming back and to see where she is at when she does come back and would obviously love to have her playing."
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Post by Maeby Fünke on Dec 1, 2005 18:43:16 GMT -5
I think she likes tennis.
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Post by Maeby Fünke on Dec 1, 2005 18:43:46 GMT -5
Just not as much as she likes horses.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Dec 1, 2005 23:22:14 GMT -5
If Martina is given GEE status, wouldn't she have to play the Australian Open?
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Post by Grarliner on Dec 5, 2005 20:53:20 GMT -5
I think Tracy Austin is stoopid.
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Post by Pamela Shriver on Dec 11, 2005 11:17:48 GMT -5
Marti beat Anna Kournikova in an exhibition 6-1 1-0 ret. last night.
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