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)

Earlier this month, former world number one and holder of five grand slam titles Martina Hingis announced her second retirement from tennis under a cloud of suspicion that she had used cocaine during Wimbledon. The 27-year-old Swiss believes she’s “one hundred percent innocent”, and world’s top-ranked male tennis player Roger Federer is on her side.

"I can't ever imagine in any way that she took drugs," Federer said in an interview with a Swiss newspaper. "I hope that she can prove her innocence. I support her."

Federer, who was once a ballboy for Hingis, has been friends with his compatriot for many years. They played — and won — the Hopman Cup together back in 2000, which he still remembers with pride.

"I know she has said she was proud to have helped me at the beginning of my career," he said. "At the time, playing in doubles with her, was a privilege for me."

Martina Hingis will fight to clear her name and the latest news is that she has asked the WTA Tour to help her do that. They will, however, get involved only after doping authorities hand over a report on the case.

"We let that process happen independently and then, depending on the findings of the tennis anti-doping committee, we'll be there to support Martina," WTA Tour president Stacy Allaster told The Associated Press at the Sony Ericsson Championships.

Now that Hingis has retired, let’s take a look back at one of the things that the Swiss player was famous for – her sharp tongue. Here are some entertaining Martina’s quotes. Enjoy!

When asked in the late 1990s how she felt about the budding rivalry between herself and the then-up-and-coming Anna Kournikova, Hingis responded, "What rivalry? I win all the matches." Read more »

Five-time Grand Slam champion Martina Hingis, who retired from professional tennis a few days ago because she did "not want to have a fight with anti-doping authorities" following her positive test for cocaine at this year's Wimbledon, eventually decided to hire an experienced London-based lawyer to help her in a battle to clear her name.

Anti-doping officials are surprised by Hingis’ decision to disclose the cocaine charge because any athlete charged with a drugs offence is guaranteed anonymity until he or she is found guilty. Therefore, if Hingis hadn’t said it herself, she would have avoided all this fuss.

"The attorney and his experts discovered various inconsistencies with the urine sample that was taken during Wimbledon," said former world No.1 Hingis.

"He is also convinced that the doping officials mishandled the process and would not be able to prove that the urine that was tested for cocaine actually came from me." (source: Telegraph, photo via BBC)

Former world number one Martina Hingis retired from tennis on Thursday after her announcement that she tested positive for cocaine at this year's Wimbledon. The WTA Tour, however, focuses on Hingis’ great results as long as they are not certain that she is guilty.

"The WTA Tour has not received any official information… and as a result we are not in a position to comment on the matter," said CEO Larry Scott after Hingis' media conference.

Scott said the Tour had a "zero tolerance policy when it comes to doping in sport" before praising Hingis’ successful tennis career.

"With respect to her retirement announcement, Martina Hingis is a tremendous champion and a fan favourite the world over. In her most recent comeback, she proved again that she can perform at the very highest levels of the game."

"Martina will always be respected for not only having achieved the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour world number one ranking, her five Grand Slam singles titles, nine Grand Slam women's doubles titles and two Sony Ericsson Championships titles, but just as much for her incredible touch, on-court intelligence and off-court professionalism."