PATTAYA, Thailand -- Five-time Grand Slam champion Martina Hingis returns to competitive tennis after more than two years on the sidelines when she takes to the court in this week's $170,000 WTA Volvo Women's Open.
Kept away from tennis with a severe ankle injury since 2002, Hingis launches her comeback campaign Tuesday against Marlene Weingartner in the first round of the tournament.
Hingis last appeared on the circuit Oct. 2002 at Filderstadt, Germany, where she lost to Elena Dementieva 3-6, 1-6.
The Swiss national said despite her long lay off, she would be playing to win.
"As a competitor and athlete, I always want to win. But I hope my body will last and hold up and help me to come through," Hingis said Sunday.
"I still stayed in the game. I was a commentator for some matches. I did not totally get lost from tennis," she added.
Hingis admitted missing the game as she watched rising Russian stars dominating women's tennis.
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| Martina Hingis holds the key to Pattaya, Thailand, host city for the WTA Volvo Women's Open. (AP) |
Hingis almost hung up her racket for good, insisting last year that a comeback was unlikely.
"You say things sometimes," she said. "I said that because I didn't know what would happen with my body."
On of Hingis' motivations in playing in Thailand was to donate her prize money to charity.
She visited deprived children here Saturday and plans to travel to the tsunami-battered island of Phuket to support survivors Monday.
"I saw news in Switzerland every day about the natural disaster. It was very unfortunate. I came here to play tennis and hopefully to make people feel better," Hingis said.
