She was the first Swiss world star
Martina Hingis, who was born in 1980 in what is now Slovakia, was born tennis. Both father Karol and mother Melanie Molitor played tennis. And she owes her first name to the 18-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova.
Little Martina already had a racket in her hand when she was two years old. After her parents divorced, she moved to Switzerland, to Trübbach SG, in 1988 with her mother, who boosted her career as a trainer. At the tender age of 13, the tennis prodigy made his debut on the professional tour in Zurich – the birth of the first Swiss sports world star.
The eastern Swiss woman recorded her first success in doubles. Alongside Czech Helena Sukova, 16 years her senior, she became the second youngest title winner on Church Road at Wimbledon at the age of 15 years and nine months. Only Charlotte Dod was a little younger when she won her individual victory in 1887.
In 1997, Hingis landed the first of her five Grand Slam triumphs in singles in Melbourne. It was a magical year for the right-hander, who posed problems for her opponents with game intelligence and wit as well as a feeling for the ball: In addition to the Australian, she also won the US Open and Wimbledon. And in Paris she only had to admit defeat in the final.
She stormed to the top of the world rankings, which she led for 209 weeks. 25 years later, she occasionally shows that she can still play tennis – like a month ago when she won the legends doubles tournament with Kim Clijsters at Wimbledon.
Hingis 1997 as the winner on Church Road.
KEYSTONE/AP/DAVE CAULKIN
Martina Hingis, who was born in 1980 in what is now Slovakia, was born tennis. Both father Karol and mother Melanie Molitor played tennis. And she owes her first name to the 18-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova.
Little Martina already had a racket in her hand when she was two years old. After her parents divorced, she moved to Switzerland, to Trübbach SG, in 1988 with her mother, who boosted her career as a trainer. At the tender age of 13, the tennis prodigy made his debut on the professional tour in Zurich – the birth of the first Swiss sports world star.
The eastern Swiss woman recorded her first success in doubles. Alongside Czech Helena Sukova, 16 years her senior, she became the second youngest title winner on Church Road at Wimbledon at the age of 15 years and nine months. Only Charlotte Dod was a little younger when she won her individual victory in 1887.
In 1997, Hingis landed the first of her five Grand Slam triumphs in singles in Melbourne. It was a magical year for the right-hander, who posed problems for her opponents with game intelligence and wit as well as a feeling for the ball: In addition to the Australian, she also won the US Open and Wimbledon. And in Paris she only had to admit defeat in the final.
She stormed to the top of the world rankings, which she led for 209 weeks. 25 years later, she occasionally shows that she can still play tennis – like a month ago when she won the legends doubles tournament with Kim Clijsters at Wimbledon.