‘Partnership with Sania Mirza will depend upon the kind of results we get as a pair’
Bengaluru: Former world number one Martina Hingis says the future of her partnership with India's top player Sania Mirza would depend on the results they get on the WTA circuit.
Sania split with Chinese Taipei's Hsieh after playing only four tournaments together this season. Hingis said since the two of them play different styles of game, it should suit them.
"Sania and I can be competitive as a pair because our style of tennis is completely different. Sania is good from the forehand side and I am known to have a really good backhand. I am looking forward to playing with Sania for the next couple of months but the decision to continue with her will depend upon the kind of results we get as a pair," Martina told PTI.
Hingis had recently won the Australian Open mixed doubles title with India's doubles veteran Leander Paes. Talking about Paes, Hingis said, "Two of us compliment each other very well and that is why we were able to win the Grand Slam together."
Leander Paes and Martina Hingis with the Australian Open mixed doubles title. (Photo: AFP)
"I played with Leander for a couple of seasons in the US which gave me a lot of comfort. The best quality of Leander is that he makes the woman partner safe and protected. He covers for the void created when I am not serving well. Women's nature is as such she always wants to be felt protected, either in a relationship or while playing a match," Hingis added.
Talking about the Champion Tennis League, Hingis said, "It is a great way to promote tennis in India. The awesome part of CTL is helping young players. I was very happy to play here."
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Hingis also said that CTL helped her establish a great bond and rapport with the Indian players. "Of course, I had a great bonding with the Indian players. We trained together. Like every time we played a match at the end of the week, we almost go like, 'Oh miss you,'" she said.
Hingis said playing in CTL feels "almost like playing in the Davis Cup where people also are charged up to support their players." Talking about her recent meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hingis said its centred around sport. "He is a very busy man. We considered ourselves to be lucky that the Prime Minister had time for us. The Prime Minister asked us - me and Leander - to keep up the good work. Leander is a great ambassador for India. He wished all the best for the future," she said.
The Grand Slam champions also presented the Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally signed racquets with which they won the 2015 Australian Open mixed doubles title. Modi described the meeting with the Indo-Swiss pair as wonderful before posting a picture of the autographed racquets he received from the players.
Hingis ruled out playing singles again. "It is nice to know people are wishing me to play singles. I think it is too demanding for my body to play at that level," she said. She is in India not only for tennis but also for spending some good time in the country by visiting different cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru.
