Martina Hingis on Thursday said that the WTA Finals would be her final tournament after the Swiss star and Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan advanced to the semi-finals at the season-ending tournament in Singapore.
The top seeds defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke 6-3, 6-2 in one hour, 16 minutes.
Chan and Hingis, joint top in the WTA Tour world doubles ranking, saved two of the four break points they faced and converted five of 12, winning 69 of the 123 points contested to improve their record over the German-Czech duo to 5-2.
Photo: Facebook screen grab
“Our teamwork has paid off over the season for me and Latisha, and we definitely knew our opponents really well since we played like a million times this year,” Hingis told the WTA Web site, using Chan’s English name. “We’ve had a couple of losses to them, too, so we knew we had to be ready. The thing is today we kind of switched it up — I played OK from the baseline and she was a warrior at the net. Usually, we do it the opposite.”
Chan and Hingis have won nine titles so far this year and they came into the tournament on a 19-match winning streak that included the titles in Wuhan and Beijing.
“It’s been an amazing run even to get into Singapore, and to be the No. 1 team and player along with Martina,” Chan said. “To win our first round here is a bonus. Being in Asia and becoming world No. 1 is amazing, I hope I can keep inspiring the young generation and keep doing well.”
In the semi-finals, the top seeds face third seeds Timea Babos of Hungary and Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic, who defeated Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain 6-3, 6-4 in the earlier quarter-final.
Hingis, 37, announced her retirement at a post-match news conference.
“My partners already knew it and the rumor was out there. I’m actually really surprised that they kept it secret that long, but the players have been really good and supportive,” Hingis told the WTA Web site. “I think the decision has been done already. Like I told Latisha from the start: ‘Hey, this will probably be my last year.’ So some people knew it, some didn’t.”
Hingis first retired in 2002 citing persistent foot injuries, before returning four years later in a successful singles comeback.
Then in 2013 she made a tentative return to the doubles with Daniela Hantuchova.
She won the 2014 US Open doubles final with Flavia Pennetta, then won 14 titles in 18 months with Sania Mirza, winning 41 consecutive matches between August 2015 and February last year.
“People probably think: ‘After a year like this, after a season like this... but I think it’s also perfect timing,” Hingis said. “You know, you want to stop on top and not when you’re already going backwards. I couldn’t ask for a better finish like that.”
Meanwhile, Chan said she is in talks to find a new doubles partner, having held talks with several players, but no decision has been made.
“I am taking the world rankings of the candidates into consideration. I will also consider whether the future partner and I can develop a good personal rapport for cooperation,” Chan said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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