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Roger Federer – 16 Grand Slam (singles) titles and also an Olympic Gold Medal, winning the Men’s doubles along with Stanislas Wawrinka. Martina Hingis – 5 Grand Slam Singles titles, 9 in doubles. Retired from the WTA. Well, maybe not for long. Someone from Federer’s camp has approached the 30 year old, offering her to team up with Federer in the new mixed doubles event next summer in London for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Well, first of all Hingis, even if she wants to, has a few hurdles en route to teaming up with the greatest tennis player of all time – First of all, she will need to return to the WTA for at least three months before the Olympic selection. A doping issue. Hingis was banned from Tennis due to testing positive for Cocaine in 2007. She’s been playing in exhibitions and the WorldTeamTennis tour since.
The bigger issue will be the FED cup requirements. She will have to play in the 2012 FED Cup to make the cut. However, she also must have played in two of the four year prior to the Olympics in order to be able and join Roger in 2012. Switzerland would have to petition to the Olympic committee so an entry might be secured for Hingis.
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Hingis has been busy in 2011 mostly with the Legends things, winning the Roland Garros and Wimbledon alongside Lindsey Davenport, beating Martina Navratilova and Jana Novotna for the legends title. Maybe not the best shape you could ask for, but she’s got plenty of tennis left in her. Another uplifting fact is that Hingis teamed up with Federer to win the 2001 Hopman Cup, a tournament dominated by the United States in recent years.
Federer is probably more concentrated with the US Open business, trying to win back his place in a world dominated by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Still, it’s never too late to plan for the future. I’m wouldn’t be surprised if Federer is thinking of a team up with Hingis as some sort of farewell party from Tennis. A long shot? Maybe not so much. I don’t know how much longer the man can carry on, especially if that 17th title keeps eluding him.
One response to “Roger Federer and Martina Hingis to Team up in London 2012?”
Will Roger Federer rebound for the US summer hard court swing?……..