| | Associated Press
ZURICH, Switzerland -- Martina Hingis, the top-ranked female
tennis player in the world, said she will not participate in the
Sydney Olympics.
"I would like to represent Switzerland in the Olympics, but the
workload is too great," the 19-year-old told Swiss television late
Tuesday.
In contrast to the men's Olympic event, there are no world
ranking points to be gained for women at the Sydney Games, and
Hingis is concerned about playing in too many hard-court
tournaments.
"Martina's health is the most important thing," said her
manager, Mario Widmer.
"She has a little problem with her heels ... and she's playing
in San Diego, Los Angeles, Montreal, and at the U.S. Open. That
makes about five weeks on hard courts. To play on the hard courts
at Sydney as well would be risky."
Hingis was eliminated in the second round of the 1996 Atlanta
Olympics at age 15.
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