Martina Hingis's Kevo

Tennis prodigy Martina Hingis has taken the professional courts by storm since her debut in 1994 at the tender age of 14. With her headstrong confidence and analytical approach to the game, Hingis has garnered an impressive list of accomplishments. She won a Wimbledon crown at age 16, the youngest player ever to do so. In 1997, she became the youngest player to win a Grand Slam title in the twentieth century, then became the youngest player ever to be ranked #1 in the world. The “Swiss Miss” of tennis can seemingly do no wrong.

Hingis was born on September 30, 1980, in Kosice, Slovakia. Her mother, Melanie Molitor, was one of Czechoslovakia's top 25 players and named her daughter after tennis legend Martina Navratilova. Martina’s father, Karol, was a tennis coach. They divorced when she was young. Hingis moved with her mother to Trubbach, Switzerland, to refine her tennis game. Hingis devoted herself to the sport. By age ten, she was winning national and international tournaments. At age 12, Hingis won the Junior French Open, which features competitors up to age 18, making her the youngest player to win a Junior Grand Slam event.

By age 13, Hingis had signed a contract with the American agency International Management Group and landed a $10 million contract with Sergio Taccchini apparel. In 1994, under the guidance of her mother, she turned professional. She left public school and enrolled in a private one catering to young athletes. Hingis kept in shape by riding horses and playing a variety of sports.

At 15, following her first Wimbledon triumph, she became the youngest tennis player ever to reap $1 million in prize winnings. In 1997, she soundly defeated Mary Pierce at the Australian Open to become the youngest winner of a singles event. At year’s end, she was the undisputed #1 women’s tennis player in the world.

After turning 17, Hingis experimented with a new “look,” streaking her hair and then dying it a sleek black. In June of 1998, she became the first female athlete to grace the cover of GQ magazine.

Hingis currently resides at home in Trubbach, Switzerland. In her off-time, she loves to run with her German shepherd, Zorro. She cross-trains by pursuing a long list of activities, including hiking, playing ice hockey and soccer, and taking dance classes. She also has a tutor that accompanies her on the road so she can keep up on her studies.
Work History
professional tennis player (1994-present)