hingis on cocaine?

An earlier-than-usual post today from me today - must be a Friday thing.

Anyway, I know this is starting to turn into a commentary of what's on the news, but on the drive up this morning I heard that Martina Hingis (who happens to be my favourite female tennis player) has announced her retirement from tennis after coming up tested positive for cocaine at Wimbledon this year, though she has stated that she is "100% innocent". This bit of news has come as a bit of a blow to me, as I was hoping to see her at both the Mondial Women's Hardcourts and the Australian Open early next year. I missed out on seeing her at both events this year for whatever reasons, and I had decided that I wasn't going to let it happen again this time around, but unfortunately it was out of my control.

She may only be 27 years old, but boy has she had quite the career. The "Swiss Miss" won five grand slams in 1997-1999, was runner up in seven grand slams in 1997-2002 (including three painful successive final losses in the Australian Open...) and retired in 2003 (or was it 2002...?) after ankle problems. Came back in 2006 and somehow won three titles and worked her way up to No. 6 world ranking (considering the way the women's game has become more, er, "physical strength" based over the years, this was quite an achievement) before her final retirement. Also successful in the doubles, with nine women's grand slam titles (including a 1998 clean sweep) and one mixed doubles grand slam. There was no better sight that watching the doubles pairing of Hingis and Anna Kournikova... :)

Anyway I shall still be going to the Mondial Women's Hardcourts (I think I'm going to all the quarter final matches... yay) and hopefully will head down to Melbourne for the Australian Open too. No Martina, but should still be a great experience.