my girl is set to retire today :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

it was nice to have her back. i don't know what to say at this point. i guess i let it sink in over today and get back to you tomorrow...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7073033.stm

:hug:

I never liked her during her prime, but im glad she came back and gave the tour something to think about. I was hoping she would give it another go next season :(

WTF! Im truly gutted by this now. :(

I'm with you, vivahate. I loved having her back but knew it couldn't last. Almost would rather have had her stay away than watch her leave again :(

but the game is too 'physical' now for her playing style. She should stick with doubles only, like her namesake did. Love to see her romp through the doubles circuit.

:hug: I feel your anguish.... but like Timmadigan..I would have loved for her not to have returned at all...at least into singles ..she could have been doubles like Navratilova...I hope she does decide to play some doubles.....

But it was nice to see her around...if only for a short period of time...she did well for the game of tennis.... a wonderful talent..

Noooo noo noooooooooooooo!!!

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Truly gutted if this is true...
Worst tennis news all season. She can still compete with the girls and she is only 27. :(
She is just going to announce she has a new coach.. :pray:

Fully disagree...

I can't understand it.. she has more talent than a lot of the top 10 put together, more court savvy and aware and the best shotmaker in the game.
If she would just get rid of her mom as a coach and get some new blood in. Just someone who can give her a different take.. if Henin can generate the power she does with her tiny frame then there is no reason Martina can't.. just needs re-working a little..

Maybe she feels too long in the tooth in tennis years to do this though.. :( :(

Gutting news. Still, look at what she did for the game when she was in her prime. Genius play and lots of raw talent. Best to remember her for those days than the last couple of years. As Trisco says, reworking things may work, but has she got the hunger, the time and would her body let her do it?

Either way, she will be remembered as a true great of the game for what she did for tennis and what she accomplished as a youngster.

:bow: :bow: Martina, we applaud you. :clap: :clap:

I never felt she was willing to find the power/speed for her serve - he biggest problem. Her first serve is slower than some of the girl's second serve - they have few problems returning it at will. When she got past that, she can still beat anyone on the court - her placements and skill shots are better than anyone playing today.

But that first serve is what's done her in. I agree - mom needed to go a long time ago. Maybe a new coach would have gotten through to her more but in any case I just ever saw her willing to find that power.

Too bad - I've followed her faithfully from her start in the '90's and hate to see her go like this :cry:

:hug: :hug: :hug:

It's very sad - I loved Martina's game :(

Martina's a phenomonal talent, and a true champion in every respect. What she did so young was just :bow:

However i feel the game has found her wanting a bit now. She's not a real force in the game anymore, due to her lack of serving power etc. She has plenty of talent, but power overrides talent and finesses generally in this geberation now. It's no shame on her part, but eventually all champions lose their edge, eg Sanchez-Vicario, Navratilova, Seles and even Seles late in her career.

She'll be missed, possibly the most charasmatic tennis player of this era :(

Yup, it's unbelievable, but Hingis today revealed that at Wimbledon she tested positive for cocaine. :yikes:

I wonder if there is any link with the split with Stepanek which was in August 2007.

No wonder she is retiring.

Personally I think it's damn silly to take cocaine, whether you are a sports star or not, but I can't build up a great moral head of steam about it.

Yes I just saw this on BBC sport, she says she is 100% innocent and to be honest I believe her, how they found cocaine i dont know, maybe she did take it but im seriously doubting she did!

Confirmed at EuroSport too http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/tennis/

Well lol didn't expect this but some predicted her retirement anyway. Her results aren't what she wants and her older legacy is much better to remember.

But Cocaine lol...she is gonna be remembered thats for sure.

She has retired again! This is sad to be honest :( She says she has health problems and because of her age she has announced her retirement, I didnt realise 27 was old for a tennis player? Well it's not really but if she feels it is then so be it, such a shame though.

She's tested positive for cocaine!!!!!

oh, and she has also retired..

:o I just saw that what she announced was that she had tested positive for cocaine at this year's Wimbledon!!!

:yikes:


Edit: Scratch that, somewhat. She did announce retirement, but also said she was being investigated for a positive test for cocaine, but denied using it.

merged Barrystars threda with Viva's to keep one place..

well it didnt do her serve any good :rolleyes:

Perhaps she should have taken speed, instead.

:blush: (OK, drug use jokes might be in poor taste. Sorry. :coat:)

I doubt she took cocaine, she said herself she is 100% innocent. Maybe I am just too naive but I can't see her taking that.

Loving the Mr Bean pic in your avatar Nick roflmao roflmao hes a legend!

:lol:

my original post was on the same lines but i erased it before you did B)

Well cover me in treacle and call me Susan! :yikes: Hingis!!!!...on cocaine?!? I thought Trisco was having a laugh in Heyupp when he mentioned it!

Not really a performance enhancer is it? If she did do it, and it's innoncent until proven guilty, it was more likely a social thing.

Can't believe we have seen the last of Martina... :( :unsure: :bye:

gutted I know..
I hope we get to hear more about her injuries as I hope she hasn't just given up as she has way too much talent.
Although on the other hand I'm not hoping she has a serious injury that will cause her too much pain..

I'm very sad we've seen the last of her in a top-flight tennis match.

She denies it, so we have to respect that she is innocent until proven guilty.

I would regard taking a performance-enhancing drug as more serious so even if she did take cocaine I can't get bothered about it.

I don't think her reported statement is very wise. She has built it up big time with her rather inconsistent comments that she's innocent and how awful the accusation is etc. but that she does not want to fight the authorities which is why she's confronting it in the media :wacko: . I reckon she ought to fight it hard with a legal team through the normal channels or protest her innocence just once, make it clear that she does not think cocaine is a good idea, retire quietly and get on with her life. It'll soon blow over given that she is not blighted with the suggestion of being a cheat.

I would imagine that her sponsors will all piss off pdq in the short term - but look at Kate Moss, and it does not do her slightly 'naughty' reputation any harm at all.

"but look at Kate Moss, and it does not do her slightly 'naughty' reputation any harm at all."

But Kate Moss has NO talent....................

I dont know, im sure Kate has knocked around as many balls as Martina to get where she is B)

*says nowt at all*

Btw Liam that piccy of Serena, crikey she has huge arms,,,,,,,,,, :blink:

I guess we can all modify our opinions a little as the facts emerge - but I have now read the full statement and it's not too bad. She took a hair test that indicated that she did not have cocaine in her system, but the B test was also positive.

Being fair to her, it rather reads like the sort of statement I was getting at - she has a go at the test and gives her reasons, says cocaine is a bad idea (denies she is a cheat), and says 'I'm off'.

Good luck to her and I agree that of the two choices, challenging this test in tribunals etc. or just saying I'm innocent I'm off, the latter is the best in this case.

It's a shame we'll lose Hingis, but she's well past her use by date in tennis terms anyway. Her golden years were well behind her and i've been predicting she would retire this year-why on earth should she keep playing and not doing anything in the slams? it never made any sense to me, she's finally come to her senses.
The drugs are a red herring-it doesn't change my opinion of her, and of course she's bound to say she's innocent, whether she is or not is academic, it's probably the excuse she's been looking for to get out of a game she is no longer the best in.

This is a shame, Hingis was always one of the more likeable women players. Sad she had to go out with the drugs cloud over her head but totally understandable that she doesn't want to fight it. Although having said that she must have been on something to date Stepanek :whistle:

I couldn't stand Martina back in the day, but have really enjoyed seeing her back these past 2 years. I had the unfortunate pleasure of witnessing Hingis' defeat to Granville at Wimbledon this year. She didn't look drug addled, she just looked lack lustre. I think it is the right time for her to leave the game as it had become upsetting to see her lose early post Australia/Tokyo. It's double-y upsetting to have this cocaine story over-shadow her exit, I hope she is innocent as she claims :(

Such a shame. :( I used to hate her co sshe seemd such a b*tch but then she was dealign with a lot of pressure at a young age. Anyway she has had a rathe runlucky career IMO. All those years ot have cost her, i'm sure she'd have won more slams. It does sicken me to see players with her talent unable to win these days because fo power players. And the cocaine? Well if she did do it so bloody what? Who hasn't had it these days :shrug: if she didn't and that is her real reason for retiring then sad, and shame on the suthorites.

Martina is innocent!

Also, those of you saying she should retire, and/or should never have come back, I ask you this:

Should Sybille Bammer retire? Should Eleni Daniilidou retire? Neither of them can keep up with the top players, which IMO, Martina, injury free, can. Neither of them are ever going to win a Slam. There's a lot of players who play tennis because they love it.

Pity Martina ever came out of retirement,then she would've been remembered as the great player she was rather than a possible cheat..

Is Martina 100% innocent?Only she knows for sure,but the Swiss press is pretty sceptical this morning and reminds us that Marion Jones was proclaiming her innocence not so long ago as was Wilander..

Makes you wonder how wide-spread drug taking is in tennis... :(

One Swiss paper saw the humorous side saying Hingis was ending her career 'on a positive note'.As Martina advertises washing machines here,a TV journalist remarked that :'Elle a du se tromper de poudre!'

Swiss radio claims cocaine is rumoured to be used by tennis players to combat fatigue..

Not on is the fact that she is retiring hurting me but the fact that she is a doper now is even more upsetting.Watched it on Sky News this morning and she said that she doesnt want to spend the rest of her career fighting the doping agents and lawyers.

Its a rather sad way to end an illustious career.I truly hope that she isnt guilty tho. But maybe she can take up horseriding now! :rolleyes: