Former world number one Martina Hingis hinted she could return to the women's tour if she comes through a comeback tournament in Thailand this month unscathed.
The Swiss prodigy was forced to quit tennis in 2002 aged just 22 with a foot injury.
She said on Friday she would use
the Volvo Women's Open in Pattaya, starting January 31, as a test of her fitness.
"The tournament is a test. I don't know how my body will react," she told Switzerland's Le Matin newspaper.
"I was a bit rusty, in the beginning, with some small pains in my calf at times. But that is part of the game.
"The state of my preparation is a question of mental preparation above all."
Master tactician Hingis, who aged 16 became the youngest player to be crowned world number one, was given a wildcard into the Pattaya tournament as part of her charity work in the region and its low-key status suits her fine.
"I support several charities in Thailand. I'm also playing to see where I am," the winner of five grand slam titles said.
"At Pattaya there will not be as many people and the players are ranked between 30th and 95th in the world."
Current world number one Lindsay Davenport says she is enjoying the view from the top so much she is shelving plans to retire any time soon.
The 28-year-old American, who plays at the Sydney International next week, believes she is in form to chase a fourth grand slam title to add to the 2000 Australian Open, 1999 Wimbledon and 1998 US Open.
"Finally I felt I put myself in a position to try and win Grand Slams again," she said this week, having hinted at retirement in 2004.
"It didn't pan out last year but I feel like my game is there, so it would be tough to walk away when I felt like I could really contend for those titles.
"I really feel that way right now, so there's no point in hanging it up quite yet."
- REUTERS
