Former world number one Martina Hingis has been ruled out of Wimbledon after it was revealed she will be sidelined for at least six weeks following ankle surgery. The 1997 Wimbledon champion underwent the operation on a torn ligament in Switzerland yesterday, and with Wimbledon just five weeks away, will miss her second grand slam following next week's French Open.
Dr Heinz Buehlmann, who carried out the surgery, will wait for swelling on the joint to go down before making a more definitive assessment. However, he confirmed: "She will need at least six to eight weeks of rest to help the healing process. The operation went well and I am very pleased. But if the inflammation persists, the prognosis will not be good."
There had been fears that the injury could end the 21-year-old's career, but Buehlmann was confident that would not be the case.
Filed by Shane Murray
