Swiss tennis star Martina Hingis' illustrious career came to a sudden halt as she slumped to a shocking doubles defeat alongside Taiwanese partner Chan Yung-Jan in the WTA Finals-her last tournament before retiring-here on Saturday.
Hingis and Yung-Jan, who are currently the world's top pair and reigning US Open champions, suffered a 4-6, 6-7 defeat at the hands of third-ranked team of Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova in a thrilling semi-final clash.
With the defeat, Hingis and Yung-Jan's 19-match winning streak also came to an end.
Reflecting on her match, Hingis said that it was quite a "disappointing" way to crash out of the tournament, but added that she has no regrets about her stellar career.
"I'm sure we both wish for a better ending and, you know, winning the trophy.They were just too good today.I don't think I have any regrets. I think it's been an amazing journey and amazing career that I can be proud of.I'll definitely miss it at some point in my life," Sport24 quoted Hingis, as saying.
Yesterday, Hingis had announced that she would bid adieu to the game after this week's WTA Finals in Singapore and put an end to her 23-year long illustrious career.
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Prior to this, the 37-year-old had retired twice -- once as a 22-year-old in 2003 and again in November 2007 -- after a hip injury and testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine.
The Swiss tennis player took the tennis world by storm when she lifted her first three major titles--the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 1997--at the age of just 16.
Having enjoyed a considerable success since her reincarnation as a doubles specialist, Hingis is putting an end to her career at the top of the rankings and with 20 major titles in doubles and mixed doubles.
Recently, Hingis has also bagged this year's Wimbledon and US Open mixed doubles titles.