Today, September 30, Martina Hingis is celebrating the final day of her two-year drug suspension, as well as her 29th birthday.

The former world No.1 discusses the ban for Sports Illustrated, how she dealt with the accusation, and once again claims she has never taken cocaine.

SI.com: From an emotional standpoint, how do feel you've handled the past two years?

Hingis: OK. There were hard times and it was frustrating knowing I did nothing wrong but couldn't really fight this. It was my reputation and I knew the truth. But the process didn't really let me fight.

SI.com: Given your outspoken personality, I think it surprised a lot of people that maybe you weren't as forceful, deciding, for instance, not to appeal. Do you regret that?

Hingis: Like you say, I always spoke [honestly] even if I wasn't always politically correct. I spoke the truth even when the truth may have hurt me. But the system was set up in such a way that there was nothing I could do.

SI.com: Bottom line: have you ever …

Hingis: No. Taken cocaine? Never. No [recreational] drugs. I don't know even the effects. I've maybe been in a position where I could have. But never, no. If I had ever taken cocaine, I would have said so.

SI.com: Before this happened, did you ever worry about a situation like this?

Hingis: No, because I probably had between 80-100 tests and no problems. The only thing I would ever take was aspirin and I was very particular about these things. Even if I had a flu I'd call my doctor and say, "What can I take?" I was always very cautious. I never took anything that was not approved first. (via Down the Line, photo: Life.com)

The many rehabs for drug addiction welcome patients from all walks of life, and give them similar treatment while inside.

Martina Hingis is the latest tennis star to appear in a reality TV show.

The Swiss five-time Grand Slam champion has been in London filming her appearance on ITV’s Beat the Star, a show that pits a star against a member of the public in physical and mental challenges.

Laura Beardsmore, a 22-year-old dentistry student from Leeds, will use her multiple skills to try to take out the former world No.1 WTA player. Laura will be competing for the £50,000 prize, and if she loses, the money will roll over to the final show of the series.

The show is on ITV1 on Sunday April 26. (source: Tennis Head, photo: momovieman)

This is supposed to be Martina Hingis' new boyfriend. Judging by appearance only, the former world No.1 made a major upgrade considering she was engaged to Radek Stepanek.

When will Vaidisova move forward? (via fandhingis)

Former world number one Martina Hingis is expected to headline this weekend’s Esurance Tennis Classic. It takes place at Harbor Point Tennis Club located in Mill Valley, California.

The five-time Grand Slam winner will join a line-up of men and women Grand Slam legends who will compete during the weekend Celebrity Pro-Am and World Team tennis Shoot-Out benefiting To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer Support Network & the Youth Tennis Advantage.

Hingis is still serving a two-year suspension for cocaine use, but is allowed to play exhibition events.

You can find more information about the Esurance Tennis Classic at www.tennisclassic.org. (via On the Baseline)

Hahaha, this is brilliant, I don't know who came up with the idea to mock women's fascination with generally-considered-ugly Radek Stepanek, but this picture is fantastic! Haha, Maria Sharapova fights with Nicole Vaidisova over Radek, while other tennis stars crave for his attention. Hihihi.

People are so confused by Stepanek’s success with women, and are still searching for the mystery thing that makes him attractive and irresistible to beautiful female tennis players. Read more »

After retiring from tennis in November and receiving a two-year ban for being found guilty of doping in January, former world number one Martina Hingis will play at the Liverpool International tennis tournament. The 27-year-old Swiss star is allowed to play Liverpool as the tournament is invitational and not part of the WTA Tour.

"I have heard a lot about Liverpool over the years and all the fine work they have done up there to develop tennis in a region that is mostly famous for football," said Hingis.

"I am very much looking forward to playing the event and to visit all the things that have made Liverpool the European Capital of Culture."

The tournament director Anders Borg will be glad to welcome the five-time Grand Slam champion: "It is a great boost for us to have Martina playing in Liverpool.

"She still has a lot to offer the world of tennis and we are just very pleased we can take advantage of that."

The tournament takes place at Calderstones Park from 10-15 June. (source: BBC, photo via All Posters)

The series of photos of tennis players when they were kids continues, this time we have Martina Hingis.

Hingis recently ended her career, most certainly not in a way she wanted, but that can't overshadow all the heights she has achieved during the time she played tennis as a professional.

I would like to accompany these childhood photos of Martina Hingis with a short story about the beginnings of her impressive tennis career.

Both Hingis’ parents were tennis players, and they named their daughter Martina, after tennis star Martina Navratilova. Hingis started playing tennis when she was only two years old, and entered her first tournament at the age of four. Read more »

Retired tennis star Martina Hingis was banned for two years on Friday after an independent tribunal confirmed the doping offence.

Hingis retired in November following her positive test for cocaine at Wimbledon 2007. The five-time Grand Slam champion denied taking cocaine but said she had "no desire to spend the next several years of my life reduced to fighting against the doping officials." Read more »

Sorry Martina, I know you're not pleased with the way you ended your career, but I can't help laughing at this cartoon. I came across it at WTA World forum yesterday, and was thinking for some time whether or not to include it in my blog. I read comments on the forum, and some people found it extremely funny, some people didn't understand it, some thought it was mean, and some it was "soooooooo four weeks ago". I think the cartoon is really funny (hm, if I were in Martina's shoes, maybe I would have thought differently).

In an interview for Reuters, tennis great Billie Jean King revealed her opinion about Martina Hingis’ failed drug test.

"It just doesn't make sense… it's just not her," said King, a player who has been involved with tennis for almost half a century.

"She was going to retire anyway. I do believe Martina Hingis. If she says she hasn't taken it, I believe it.

"Maybe she went out to a party… and others had dope around and leave it on tables and if you get it on your hands and maybe you ingest it and you don't even know. There are so many possibilities now. It's just not in Hingis's character. I'd stand by her.”

Additional info: In the same interview Billie Jean King paid tribute to Justine Henin’s fantastic year saying that Henin is “the best for her size ever to have lived”.

Read the full interview here. (photo via My Hero)