Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis attained the world number one ranking in women's singles for 209 weeks, marking her as one of the most consistent players in tennis history. Born in 1980 in Košice, she utilized a career defined by early professional dominance, multiple returns from retirement, and a versatile tactical approach that spanned three distinct eras of modern competition.

Early Development and Breakthroughs

Born Martina Hingisová to tennis-playing parents, she began playing at age two and entered tournaments by age four. Following her parents' divorce, she moved from Czechoslovakia to Switzerland at age seven, eventually gaining Swiss citizenship. Her junior career featured unprecedented success; in 1993, at 12, she became the youngest player to win a Grand Slam junior title at the French Open. She debuted on the professional WTA Tour in October 1994, just weeks after her fourteenth birthday.

THE FREE TEST

How high is yours?

Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.

Take the IQ test →

Dominance in the 1990s

Hingis redefined youthful success in the sport. In 1996, at 15 years and 9 months, she became the youngest Grand Slam champion by winning the Wimbledon doubles title. By 1997, she held the world number one ranking, the youngest in history to do so. That year, she won the Australian Open singles title and Wimbledon, finishing the season with high-profile victories. In 1998, she completed a rare feat by winning all four Grand Slam women's doubles titles within a single calendar year.

Injuries and Comebacks

Ligament injuries in both ankles forced a hiatus in 2003, interrupting a career that had seen her become the highest-paid female athlete for five years. She returned to the tour in 2006, rising to world number six and earning the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year. Despite a suspension in 2008 following a positive drug test, she returned again in 2013 to focus exclusively on doubles, adding numerous major titles and a 2016 Olympic silver medal to her record.

Professional Legacy

Over her career, Hingis secured 25 major titles: five in singles, 13 in women's doubles, and seven in mixed doubles. Her contribution to the sport was recognized with her induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013. Beyond competition, she has worked as a tennis coach and served as the Hall of Fame's first Global Ambassador, solidifying her influence on the sport's professional development.