Top > Sport > 2007 > January > 2007-01-08

Martina Hingis Announces her Engagement to Fellow Player, Stepanek

Martina Hingis, who was once ranked as the world?s number one tennis star, has confirmed that she is engaged to a fellow tennis player ? the Czech, Radek Stepanek. 26 year old Hingis, who was born in Slovakia, moved as a child to Switzerland and has played for this country in all her tennis competitions. She is presently ranked number seven in the world.

The surprise announcement came after Hingis was spotted wearing a diamond ring in Australia. She is presently in Sydney practicing for the Australian Open championship. Hingis is no stranger to this particular competition ? she won the title for three consecutive years during between 1997 and 1999. Hingis remarked that the has been wearing the ring since Stepanek proposed to her in Prague in November, although nobody in Switzerland noticed her diamond. When asked how she was feeling about her upcoming wedding, Hingis replied modestly, ?I?m happy.?

This is Hingis? first attempt at a grand slam title since being off the circuit for three years. Her first tournament event will be at the Australian Hardcourt Championships on the Gold Coast. Her fianc?e, Radek Stepanek, is ranked 19th in the world, although he has not played since reaching the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, due to a neck injury.