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Martina Hingis: So what does 2003 hold ? Part 2
My First Article dealt with How Martina got to where she was at Filderstadt, Lets move on from there and hopefully answer some questions along the way. After the ending of her season at Filderstadt, Martina turned her back on anything but physical therapy. No Training at all. Over the ensuing weeks she fulfilled her contractual duties for her management company and the WTA, appearing at the season ending championships to participate in the fashion show and general obligations of a player who qualified for the tournament. Other frivolous obligations followed. During this Martina gravitated back to the courts and felt that accepting entrances into Sydney and the Australian Open was appropriate for participating in both events was not out of the question. Heavy training and hit outs with the like of Elena Bovina proved she was not where she hoped she would be and she quickly withdrew from all Australian Tournaments. This is good. The old Martina and camp would have ploughed on, regardless. The 2003 version of Martina Hingis has learnt the lessons. She will not come back until her body can take it all, at the moment it can’t. Her peers are rallying around her, stating what we all want to hear, “She will be back, but not before time”. If only this approach was taken 18 months ago. Needless to say we have a Martina that is rearing to go and is close to full fitness, so close that she refuses to rule out Tokyo, starting the day after the completion of the Australian Open. Rule out she will most likely do, but it is comforting to know that mentally she is ready and physically is a matter of a few weeks, not a few months. As far as 2003? Martina will kick off the season ranked somewhere between 16 and 32. Depending when she decides she is ready. This is great for her and bad for the higher ranked players. No player is quicker to find form in a tournament then Hingis. She may struggle in the first few tournaments, but she will slay a few big names with it. A February or March start will see Martina in the top 8 come the French. If health stays on her side she will be in the Top 5 after Wimbledon and with nothing of importance to defend for the rest of the year, it would be a brave person to state she would not be in the Top 4, if not higher come the season ending championships. Does she have another grand slam in her? Yes, without a doubt, you cannot have that much raw talent and be dismissed as no threat. Ask Jana Novotna that. The Talent promises the moon, but even talent can be hampered by physical breakdown. If Martina holds up physically, then a Grand Slam trophy will be held above her head once again. |
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By
Brandon Carr