Born on September 30, 1980, Martina Hingis was a professional tennis player hailing from Switzerland. Originally from Kosice, Czechoslovakia (currently Slovakia), she resided in Florida for some time but has now returned to her home country, Switzerland. Her name was inspired by the renowned tennis player Martina Navratilova, who also has Czechoslovakian origins.
Once the world’s top-ranked player in women’s singles, Hingis has not competed since October 2002 due to chronic foot issues. In February 2003, she expressed doubt about a return to the sport, citing that her injuries prevented her from performing competitively. She revealed that she was unwilling to endure the pain required to compete at a lower level.
Similar to many in the world of professional tennis, Hingis began her journey at an early age, entering tournaments by the age of five. In 1996, she made headlines partnering with Helena Sukova in the Ladies Doubles event, becoming the youngest player to win a Wimbledon championship.
In singles, Martina Hingis clinched victories in both the Wimbledon championships and the US Open in 1997, alongside the Australian Open in 1997, 1998, and 1999.
Additionally, in 1998, she achieved the remarkable feat of winning all four Grand Slam titles in tennis doubles.
Often called the “Swiss Miss,” Martina was celebrated not only for her remarkable results but also for her charming playing style. While lacking the sheer power of contemporaries like Monica Seles or modern heavy-hitters such as Serena Williams, Hingis compensated with her smooth and precise groundstrokes, proficiency at the net (which contributed to her exceptional doubles play), and excellent shot selection.
Her bright, lively personality appealed to tennis fans and combined with her appealing appearance, made her a marketer’s ultimate dream. Her doubles matches with Anna Kournikova garnered significant attention for this reason.
Martina Hingis is proficient in four languages: Czech, German (particularly Swiss German), English, and some French.
As reported in a May 2003 article, Hingis spent her time focusing on English studies, engaging in public appearances for various sponsors, playing recreational tennis, and pursuing her passion for horse riding.
She has been romantically linked with Spanish golfer Sergio García and British footballer Sol Campbell. Hingis had a brief engagement with Czech tennis player Radek Štěpánek, but they parted ways in August 2007. Moreover, she has dated former tennis players Magnus Norman, Ivo Heuberger, and Julian Alonso. In March 2010, Hingis announced her engagement to Andreas Bieri, a Swiss lawyer, although they later broke off the engagement.
On December 10, 2010, Martina Hingis married fellow showjumper Thibault Hutin, 24, in a private ceremony held in Paris.
In November 2007, Hingis disclosed that she was under investigation for a positive cocaine test and subsequently chose to retire from tennis. The ITF imposed a two-year ban on her, effective from the beginning of October 2008 after testing positive at Wimbledon.
However, Hingis steadfastly maintained her innocence, stating, “I have tested positive but I have never taken drugs and I feel 100 percent innocent.” She added, “I would personally be terrified of taking drugs. When I was informed [about the test] I was shocked and appalled.” SheThe positive drug test will not be contested by Hingis, as doing so could take years. “Due to my age and health issues, I have also made the decision to retire from professional tennis.” Following her defeat against Laura Granville in the third round at Wimbledon, the results of the drug test were disclosed to Hingis, revealing that both the “A” and “B” urine samples had failed.
On June 13, 2008, Hingis participated in an exhibition match at the Liverpool International tournament. Even though this event was intended as a warm-up for Wimbledon, it did not belong to the WTA Tour, enabling Hingis to compete without violating the terms of her ban. In a rematch of their 1997 Wimbledon final, Hingis emerged victorious against Jana Novotná.
In 2009, Hingis took part in the BBC’s dance competition, Strictly Come Dancing, where she was the bookmakers’ favorite. However, she was eliminated in the first week after performing a Waltz and a Rumba. Despite her initial pledge to win the competition, she expressed, “Everything I do, I do to win. I am very competitive,” promising to bring the same determination to the dance show that had led her to five grand slam victories on the tennis court.