Hingis’ controversial statements about other players

Now that Hingis has retired, let’s take a look back at one of the things that the Swiss player was famous for – her sharp tongue. Here are some entertaining Martina’s quotes. Enjoy!

When asked in the late 1990s how she felt about the budding rivalry between herself and the then-up-and-coming Anna Kournikova, Hingis responded, “What rivalry? I win all the matches.”

Here’s what Hingis said to the German magazine Matchball on facing Serena Williams: “Playing (Serena) it always felt like playing a steamroller. No subtlety, no finesse, just raw, loud power. To respect this style of play was always a bit tough for me, but of course I had to, because the rules of tennis don’t state that having a beautiful game is required to become No. 1.”

Hingis’ view of Maria Sharapova: “She’s as mean as a snake. She reminds me of me.”

And when she lost only four games at the French Open against Zuzana Ondraskov, Hingis said: “It was a very solid performance, I almost felt sorry for her.”

Responding in a 1999 press conference on why she ended her doubles partnership with former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, Hingis remarked, “She’s old and slow.”

Another controversial Hingis’ statement was in 2001 for Time Magazine and it was related to the Williams sisters, who had complained of discrimination against them: “Being black only helps them. Many times they get sponsors because they are black. And they have had a lot of advantages because they can always say, ‘It’s racism.’ They can always come back and say, ‘Because we are this color, things happen.'”

Do you have some favorite Hingis’ statement? Feel free to share it in the comments section. (sources: Wikipedia, TennisX)