Hingis’ parting words: it’s hard to make it young

Martina Hingis says players are less likely to have lots of success at a very early age these days than when she captured multiple grand slams as a teenager.

Hingis was the youngest top-ranked World No.1 in history when she took the top spot in 1997 aged just 16.

That year, she was also the youngest grand slam winner in history when she won the Australian Open.

Now she is an elder stateswoman of tennis announcing her retirement this week at the age of 37.

Her last tournament didn’t go quite according to plan however, with she and doubles partner Yung-Jan Chan knocked out of the WTA Finals in Singapore.

They were beaten 6-4 7-6 (7-5) by Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova in Saturday’s doubles semifinals.

But Hingis, who has won 43 singles titles and 64 doubles championships and amassed more than $US24 million ($A31 million) in prize money, says it is much harder for young players to succeed these days.

“I think it depends overall and the education that you have … I think is very important,” she said.

“The education was to not only tennis but everything else was also very important, whether you have manners at the table, you have manners when you go places. I think that sometimes has been taken away.

“I think that’s why we were very mature with what we did (with) consistency and discipline, and that’s why we were that good at young age, because we had all of this.

“You also have to be smart and good enough to handle these situations.”

This is the third time Hingis has retired – she first left the game in 2003 aged just 22 after suffering persistent ankle injuries.

And she famously quit again in 2007 after testing positive to cocaine at Wimbledon, for which she was subsequently handed a two-year ban.

Hingis said now is “not the time” to go over those low points again, but she did say she had learned from them.

“They are part of me. That’s what makes you stronger and better sometimes,” she said.

“I think I picked up on the things I did, the mistakes I did, and I got back stronger.”