Former world number one Martina Hingis retires from professional tennis for the second time in her career due to a string of injuries and health-related problems. However, the shocking fact that she is accused for testing positive for cocaine will most certainly make her miss the sport less.
“The fact is that it is more and more difficult for me, physically, to keep playing at the top of the game. And frankly, accusations such as these don’t exactly provide me with motivation to even make another attempt to do so,” said the 27-year-old Hingis.
The Czechoslovakian-born Swiss called an early end to her season last month following difficulties with her hip, saying she would take “as much time as it needs to get fully fit again”.
Hingis first retired in 2003, but made a comeback in December 2005 and surprised all the doubters by winning three more titles. What is more, the five-time Grand Slam champion ended the 2006 season ranked seventh in the world and notice that now, on the day of her retirement, she is ranked 19th. That deserves respect.
However, Hingis apparently can’t hang up her racket peacefully. She has been accused by an outsource testing company of taking cocaine during Wimbledon.
“When I was informed that the A Test I took following my defeat at Wimbledon apparently came back positive for a cocaine metabolite, I was shocked and appalled,” said the Swiss star about the problem.
“I believe that I am absolutely, one hundred percent innocent.”
If you want to read everything Martina Hingis had to say about the drug controversy, visit Tennis Magazine.
