Dubai: Tennis legend Martina Hingis has turned the clock back to compete once more in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, eight years after her last appearance in the UAE.
The 34-year-old, who spent an incredible 209 weeks as the world number one and won five Grand Slam singles titles, was the very first winner of the WTA event in Dubai, beating Nathalie Tauziat in the 2001 final. She went on to reach a further two quarter-finals before eventually retiring from the game.
Always the keenest of competitors, she decided to return to compete in doubles and has carried on as before, adding more trophies to her already crowded shelves and returning once more to the world’s top 10.
It is no surprise that she is enjoying so much success again, as she was also a world number one doubles player, earning no less than nine Grand Slam titles as well as two mixed doubles crowns. This year she has already partnered Sabine Lisicki to the Brisbane title, going through the entire week without the loss of a set and following up their success in lifting the Miami title in 2014 when Martina claimed her first title in seven years.
But it is with her other favoured partner, Flavia Pennetta, that she will compete in Dubai. The pair won two titles together last season, in Wuhan and then in Moscow. Incredibly, the pair also reached the final of the US Open before losing in three tight sets to Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, who are seeded number two in Dubai this week.
Martina is arguably enjoying life on the WTA Tour even more now than before. She retired twice from singles, and when she came back for her second singles career she found she was under far less pressure. The same applies now to her doubles career. Every win is a bonus and something to savour.
“Before, I always played for somebody - my mum, she was my coach and I always wanted to do well for her and success came and it was a great combination,” she said.
“The second time around I felt okay, I’m doing it for myself and see how far it’s going to get me. It was different.”
Seeded number one is the pairing of Su-Wei Hsieh and the ever popular Sania Mirza, with Shuai Peng and another WTA Tour veteran, 39-year old Kveta Peschke, seeded four. All four teams have received a first round bye.
“It is a measure of her longevity and passion for the game that Martina Hingis is able to return to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships a remarkable 15 years since she first played here and won the inaugural WTA Tour event,” said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman, Dubai Duty Free.
“A champion never forgets how to compete and how to win, and Martina continues to thrill her countless fans around the world.”
