Martina Hingis makes honest admission about why she turned down offer to become coach for rising WTA teenager

Martina Hingis has been associated with tennis both as a player and a coach, but she is currently busy with parent duty. The Swiss in a recent interview shared that she was forced to turn down a coaching position to focus on her family.

During her latest appearance on The Sit-Down podcast (via The Tennis Gazette), the former World No. 1 revealed that teen sensation Mirra Andreeva had recently asked her to join her coaching team. She was, however, forced to turn down the offer as her daughter had just begun schooling.

Hingis said focussing on her daughter’s school would not allow her to travel with any player were she to take on a coaching role.

“It was also funny, because this year she asked me if I would want to coach her. And I’m a big fan of hers, the way she plays,” Martina Hingis said.

“Unfortunately I couldn’t take that job because of my daughter going to kindergarten and I’m not able to travel as much,” she added.

Notably, Mirra Andreeva enjoyed a career-best season in 2024. She not only lifted her first Tour-level title at Iasi, but also made the French Open semifinals. Andreeva, just 17, also rose up the rankings to peak at No. 16. She is currently coached by another former World No. 1 in the form of Conchita Martinez.

Praising the partnership, Hingis said Martinez has been doing good work with Andreeva. She went on to express interest in seeing how Andreeva flourishes under her current coach.

“But Conchita Martinez is doing a great job with helping her on the way and defining her game and making her a better player. So we’ll see how far she’s going to take it,” the Swiss said.

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Martina Hingis heaps praise on teen sensation Mirra Andreeva

Martina Hingis with the 1997 Australian Open trophy. (Source: Getty)

Martina Hingis heaped praise on Mirra Andreeva, saying while the likes of World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka dominated the conversation through most of 2024, the teenager also had a great year.

The Swiss said she enjoyed watching Andreeva make deep runs at a lot of big events, including the French Open, and took note of the parallels being drawn between her and the 17-year-old.

“You talk about Sabalenka,” Martina Hingis said in the same podcast. “I mean, she definitely deserves to be No. 1 now this year, the way she played with winning Grand Slams.”

“But also I enjoy watching Mirra Andreeva – she was one of those that she made like quarter-finals, semi-finals at various events, like at the French and she did well in Australia, and all of a sudden my name came up,” she added.

Notably, much like Andreeva, Hingis is no stranger to success at a young age. Aged 16, she lifted her first Grand Slam trophy at the 1997 Australian Open and became the World No. 1 in the same year.