In perhaps the most compelling match of her comeback to elite tennis, Martina Hingis won the doubles title at the Sony Open Sunday, playing alongside Sabine Lisicki. The pair entered the tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., on a wild card granted by organizers.
"I definitely did not think I would be standing here," Hingis said of the win, according to the Sony Open website. "Hopefully, I'll be back."
Hingis and Lisicki defeated No. 2 seed Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, finishing off a stirring tournament for the pair — they saved seven match points to advance in the quarterfinals.
As Tennis.com reports, Hingis is also coaching Lisicki, 24, who reached the finals in women's singles at Wimbledon last summer.
Hingis, 33, has officially retired from tennis twice – once in 2003 due to nagging hip and ankle injuries, and again in 2007.
From CBS Sports:
"Hingis attempted a comeback last year in doubles, but only won three matches in five tournaments. She lost in the first round of the US Open in August, partnering with Daniela Hantuchova.
"Hingis then took six months off before hitting the court again at the Indian Wells Tournament in March this year with Lisicki, but also lost in the first round."
In Hingis' career, she has held the No. 1 ranking for 209 weeks, placing her behind Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, and Steffi Graf, who holds the record with 377 weeks.
The Swiss captured her first Grand Slam title in 1996, when she won in women's doubles at Wimbledon at age 15.
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