“It was never as described, I was always under pressure”

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Martina Hingis once revealed the reality of her childhood to dispel misconceptions conveyed in the media. The Swiss also shed light on the dynamic she shared with her mother growing up.

Hingis started playing tennis when he was just two years old, under the guidance of his mother Mélanie Molitor. The Swiss then joined the professional circuit when she was just 14 and won five Grand Slam singles titles while still a teenager. Even though her adolescence was dominated by tennis, the former world number 1 does not feel like she missed out on anything.

In an interview with Tennis Magazine After her mixed doubles triumph at the 2016 French Open, Hingis was asked if she ever regretted not having a normal childhood. However, the Swiss opposed this notion.

Instead, Hingis described her youth as “wonderful,” recalling that she spent most of her time on the field with 14 other young players. She also dispelled the notion that she was under constant pressure to work out, insisting that even though her mother was in controlshe had the freedom to make her own decisions.

“Who said I didn't have one? We grew up on the tennis courts with a lot of children, first in the Czech Republic, then in Switzerland. There were up to 14 of us on the courts and we all spent our childhood there,” said Martina Hingis.

“It was a wonderful time that I remember fondly. It was never like it is often described, that I was always under pressure on the field and having to train. My mother was always there, always in charge. But I was always free and I could make my own decisions. I had a normal childhood,” she added.

However, Martina Hingis once shared a traumatic experience from her childhood. The Swiss revealed she was very upset to have to leave her “a happy life” in Czechoslovakia to settle in Switzerland at the age of seven.

Martina Hingis: “I think players should transition to the women's team no later than 16”

Martina Hingis – Source: GettyMartina Hingis – Source: Getty
Martina Hingis – Source: Getty

During the same interview, Martina Hingis admitted that if she could turn back time, she would still choose to make her WTA Tour debut at the age of 14. expressed his belief that it was better for a player to compete against professional opponents earlier in his life.

Hingis stressed that players should not wait beyond 16 to join the professional circuit because they had vital experience earn.

“Absolutely! I think it's a shame that girls these days don't get the chance to compete with the pros until so late. When you're young, you learn faster and better. You're exposed to professional tennis earlier, which helps you later,” Hingis said.

“I think players should make the transition to the women's team no later than 16 years old. Of course, you lose matches faster and you realize that the level is higher than at the junior level. But the earlier you gain these experiences, the better,” she added.

Martina Hingis finally hung up her racket for good at the WTA Finals in 2017, the same year she won the women's doubles and mixed doubles titles at the US Open. The Swiss had 25 major titles to her credit when she retired.