Former world number one Martina Hingis lost her opening round doubles match at the BNP Paribas Open 2014 Indian Wells but the Swiss Miss said that still wants to compete.
Hingis and partner Sabine Lisicki of Germany saved four match points in the second set but it was not the case in the super tiebreaker as the duo lost to seventh-seeds Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh barty 6-4, 6-7, 10-6 on Thursday at the newly-launched Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The 33-year old was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame a year ago but the Swiss star decided to make a comeback on tour via doubles.
“I was thinking that for the last seven years I would want to play some doubles, not singles,” Hingis said. “It’s always the time after Team Tennis, I feel like I’ve played some matches, some doubles, and that’s when I’m the fittest I am.”
Hingis has been coaching Lisicki since January. Lisicki, the Wimbledon 2013 finalist, said she wanted to play doubles at Indian Wells and Hingis was up to the task/
“I haven’t played in seven years until last year, and then I hadn’t played for six months,” Hingis said. “With Sabine,
it was fun.”
Hingis played five tournaments last season with Daniela Hantuchova but they did not get past the second round in those events.
The Swiss star said that she’s not planning to make a return to singles competition.
“Oh my god. I played my last match in 2007 and I won this tournament in 98,” Hingis said.
