ZURICH - Martina Hingis appears to be on the brink of retiring.
"It is possible that I will never play top-level tennis again because my feet will not allow it," the 22-year-old Swiss said in Zurich yesterday.
She has had surgery on both ankles since October 2001 and has beenout of action for 10 of the past 16 months. Her latest operation was on her left ankle last May, when two ligaments were removed.
Hingis has not played competitively since losing to Monica Seles in the second round of the US Open last September, where she was dispirited by her display.
"I was lucky to be in the tournament after the first round," she said at the time.
Hingis won the last of her five Grand Slam singles titles at the 1999 Australian Open and has since been overpowered by such big-hitters as Venus and Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport.
"Tennis was, and remains, my passion," she said yesterday. "But I've also grasped that, after eight years on the tour, I will only return if I can practise without pain.
"As soon as I try to train competitively, the pain starts ... I'm not even thinking about a comeback."
Hingis contested the last six Australian Open singles finals, winning the first three.
She has watched this year's championships on television. "I'm having fun being able to watch the others, how they are running around in the heat on court.
"I'm not bored. I've spent the last two months doing lots of sports - skiing, riding - and taking long walks in the wood with my dog.
"I'm now going to school, trying to perfect my English. I have more time for my private life."
