Hingis voices doubts over 2012 Olympics

Former world number one Martina Hingis expressed doubts this week on any surprise participation in the 2012 London Olympics, the five-time Grand Slam winner content with her life after tennis.

On Monday, the 30-year-old played a pro-am at the San Diego Open, then all but ruled out a return, even if the invitation to play mixed doubles at the Games came from the camp of countryman Roger Federer.

“I’m not really thinking about it at all,” Hingis said.

“The invitation has been blown a bit out of proportion. I may be retired but the competitive instinct is still there. My life is pretty comfortable now and I’m enjoying it.”

The former teen star dominated from 1997-1999 but quit the game in 2007 without contesting a positive test for cocaine after proclaiming her innocence.

Were she to somehow reconsider the offer, Hingis would then have to make a return to the WTA (if only in doubles), make herself available for the Swiss Fed Cup team and also become available for doping tests.

That means relentless anti-doping monitoring that requires current players to report their intended whereabouts to international autho-rities down to the hour on a daily basis.

Such a requirement could well be the deal-breaker for Hingis, who has been a month in the US between playing TeamTennis, organising a new sponsorship and making promotional appearances.

In addition, Hingis played Wimbledon women’s veteran doubles at Wimbledon with Lindsay Davenport, her former rival who just announced she is pregnant again.

Hingis is married to Frenchman Thibault Hutin, who like herself is immersed in the equine world of show jumping.