Martina Hingis announced withdraw till 2003

By Etienne Stekelenburg
October 15 2002

Hingis was defeated by Elena Dementieva in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt Germany on Thursday. She left for Switzerland after the match and decided that she had to quit playing for the rest of the season.

Injuries and surgery has kept Martina Hingis away from being 100% of her form. During the press conference she said she was only on about 80% of her form, she didn’t play well. The early comeback after her second operation on her left ankle was devastating according to Mario Widmer, Hingis’ manager.

After being treated on her right ankle, due to the injury in Filderstadt last year, Hingis’ comeback was very successful with two tournament victories in Sydney and Tokyo the following season. The comeback after the operation of the left ankle was less successful.

Martina Hingis didn’t want to set a timeline of her return and said that she is not sure of her playing the Australian Open in 2003. She also said that she was very disappointed and apologized to her sponsors and fans for not being able to play the rest of the season. She has special memories playing on her home ground tournament in Zurich and did not feel she could show herself in this form to her home crowd.