Martina Hingis’ chance to become the tenth woman in tennis history to capture the career Grand Slam will have to wait for yet another year.
Roland Garros officials have confirmed, according to wire reports, that the former world number one has pulled out of the second Grand Slam of the 2007 season because of a hip injury.
Unlike last year when Hingis shot through the rankings into the top 10, the first part of 2007 has been a let-down for the Swiss Miss.
Kim Clijsters knocked her out once again in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, and although she won the Tier I Toray Pan Pacific Open, her season has for the most part been a disappointment.
All tennis players hate to lose, but failure holds a much greater sting for Hingis than most because she still has the highlight reel in her mind, constantly replaying her greatest moments a decade ago when Hingis was the top player in the world. Now, her weaknesses are clearly obvious to all, the younger players on Tour hardly consider her a threat, and her ailing body is starting to catch up with her.
She has not yet mentioned the word “retirement”, but I would not be surprised if we start to hear it bandied around once again.
Her words after losing at Berlin in the third round last week were hardly optimistic.
“It was a learning experience here – I shouldn’t play unless I am 100 percent,” admitted Hingis. “I’d like to make a decision soon what to do about my future.”
Russia’s Evgenia Linetskaya has also withdrawn from the French Open, but due to personal issues. Hingis and Linetskaya will be replaced in the draw by Caroline Wozniacki and Emmanuelle Gagliardi.
