Martina Hingis, a five-time Grand Slam champion, will be making a return to the pro tour at the Australian Open for her first time since 2007 when she competed at the U.S. Open. She will be entering the mixed doubles competition with partner Roger Federer. Hingis is aiming to earn a mixed-doubles entry into the Summer Olympics held in London to take place next summer.
She won five majors while in her teens and was number one in the world at one point; she retired from play at the young age of 22 after having chronic ankle problems. In 2006, Hingis played two more seasons where she was able to make it to the quarters of three Grand Slams where she once again retired after testing positive for Cocaine.
Hingis has since played for the New York's WorldTeam Tennis team for the past two years and this will be her first major Grand Slam re-emergence in over four years.
On Federer's side of play, this will be the first time he enters into a doubles competition at a Grand Slam since 2004. In order for Hingis to enter the Olympics, she has to gain ranking points to enter contention. The exact guidelines for entry into play are not clear, but a mixed doubles entrance at the Australian Open would be a good beginning to getting into the next Summer Olympics.
