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A Day After Her 43rd Birthday, Yesteryear Tennis Legend Martina Hingis Springs Up a Stunning Surprise as She Lands in Tokyo to Crown New Champion

Published 10/01/2023, 5:47 AM EDT

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The Japan Open was all set to host the final between two of the upcoming tennis sensations. Jessica Pegula, who is in the form of her life came against the formidable Russian player Veronika Kudermetova. Despite being second-seeded, Pegula could not stand the wrath of the 8th-seeded Kudermetova. In an intriguing final, it was the Russian who laid her hands on the prestigious title. However, it was not the match that stole the show. Joining the awards ceremony was none other than Martina Hingis, a former 5-time grand slam winner.

Hingis, who celebrated her birthday just yesterday stole the buzz as all the cameras turned to her after she graced everyone with her presence at the court. The Swiss player, who once caused havoc on the courts retired back in 2017.

Despite birthday celebrations, Martina Hingis attends Japan Open Final

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Martina Hingis, a five-time Grand Slam champion, graced the awards ceremony in Tokyo with her presence. The tennis legend, who celebrated her birthday just yesterday, added a touch of glamour to the recently concluded Japan Open.

In a thrilling final match, Veronika Kudermetova defeated Jessica Pegula, while stunning everyone in the stands. As the spotlight shifted to Kudermetova’s well-deserved triumph, Martina Hingis stood alongside during the award ceremony while giving the award to the deserved winner.

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Hingis who is known for her exceptional tennis career remains a respected figure in the sport, and her presence at the ceremony was nothing short of sensational.

In the final that saw the Russian player win the match despite being lower in the ranks, it was Hingis who eventually stole the show.

Thus, this incident reveals Martina Hingis’ efforts to appreciate upcoming talent in whichever way she can. Her presence in the stands was helpful for the players to get the much-needed motivation. Not long before, she was also seen supporting Mirra Andreeva, who has a superb run of form at Wimbledon.

Hingis supports Mirra Andreeva ahead of her upcoming career

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If only anyone knows what it is like to win a grand slam at 16, it is Martina Hingis. Interestingly, throughout her career as a professional player, she won 5 grand slams and all of those came during her teenage years. Thus, she has always been upfront in supporting the younger talents so that they get the chance that they deserve to showcase their talent.

A similar incident was seen at Wimbledon after Hingis was no short of words for the 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva. Mirra managed to secure a fourth-round appearance after bowing out from the tournament. Responding to her triumphant run, Hingis said that the young gun has a lot of talent, and it is nice to see her playing her game at a young age.

“It’s great to see a 16-year-old doing so well. I like her game, she’s a pretty girl and it’s nice to see, also for the people, to see someone like this, to see that it’s still possible being young and doing well,” said Hingis.

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Thus, when it comes to supporting upcoming talents, Hingis has always been upfront. With the kind of success that she achieved during her years as a player, she has always tried to support the best in the game.

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Written by:

Akshat Gaur

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Akshat Gaur is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in 2021 and has been writing since then. With over two years of experience in the world of sports journalism, specifically tennis journalism, Akshat is someone who is immensely passionate about covering the ATP and the WTA Tour.
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Edited by:

Aayush Kapoor