Martina Hingis dismissed comparisons to American golf sensation Tiger Woods, asserting “I’m constantly being compared to him and hearing people say ‘Tiger Woods, Tiger Woods,’ but I believe that I am superior.”
Expressing her irritation, Martina Hingis disapproved of being likened to Tiger Woods and asserted that she outperformed the iconic American golfer.
Hingis is considered an exceptional talent in tennis, with the ability to have achieved the highest accolades if she had devoted more attention on her singles career. She accomplished a remarkable feat as the initial Swiss player, regardless of gender, to secure five Grand Slam titles and maintained pole position for 209 weeks in WTA Rankings.
Hingis, an early achiever in her field, was frequently likened to Woods who also made a name for himself at a young age. At the tender age of 15, Hingis set the record as the youngest Grand Slam champion during Open Era and attained World No.1 status by just turning 16 years old while Woods started his professional career when he turned 20 and established new standards in golf that revolutionized it entirely.
In a 1997 interview with Sports Illustrated, Martina Hingis expressed her displeasure at being likened to Tiger Woods.
“Tiger Woods is always in the spotlight. It’s always about him. However, I am superior to him in every aspect as I have been at the top of my game for a longer period and also happen to be younger than he is.”
Exploring the Career of Martina Hingis
Getty captured an image of Martina Hingis during the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.
At the tender age of 15 in 1996, Martina Hingis made a sensational debut on the tennis court by winning both women’s doubles title at Wimbledon and becoming the youngest Grand Slam champion to do so during Open Era.
She became the youngest Grand Slam singles champion since 1887, winning the Australian Open singles title at age 16 in the following year. She achieved another milestone by becoming No.1 player in world rankings at a very young age of just 17 years old back in 1997.
During her professional tenure, Hingis secured five Grand Slam singles championships which consisted of one Wimbledon victory and three Australian Open titles as well as a US Open win. Additionally, she earned 13 doubles Grand Slam titles due to renowned court acumen and accurate shot execution alongside other qualities.
In 2003, the Swiss retired from tennis as a result of injuries, but in 2006 she staged a comeback. Unfortunately during Wimbledon next year, her second retirement occurred after testing positive for cocaine; she was subsequently banned for two years. However, in 2013 she returned to the game specializing exclusively on doubles and continued playing until announcing her official retirement four years later in 2017.
