Hingis plays down Major success hopes

General / Editor / 09 March 2007 / Leave a Comment

Martina Hingis admits her game is not yet up to stratch to be able to consider winning a Grand Slam this season.

The Swiss star is starting the second year of her comeback to the circuit following a string of injury problems, which forced her onto the sidelines for three years.

Although the 26-year-old has worked her way back into the top ten of the world rankings, Hingis is the first to admit that she needs to make improvements in her game.

Despite no dominant force in the women's game, Hingis feels she is still some way off adding to her five Grand Slam titles.

She admitted: "First I have to beat the top players. I lost to Amelie Mauresmo, I haven't beaten her yet. Or Kim Clijsters or Maria Sharapova or Justine Henin.

"If I can beat constantly the top girls at the top level, then I have the right to say I can win a Slam. But first I have to beat them."

In the five Grand Slams she's played in since her comeback at the 2006 Australian Open, Hingis has got no further than the quarter-finals.

Hingis is currently trading at 4.1 in Betfair's 2007 Specials - 'To Win A Grand Slam' market. Meanwhile, the 'Swiss Miss' can be backed at 12.5 to win the Pacific Life Open title in Indian Wells.