Martina Hingis could miss Wimbledon, as well as the French Open, as the former world number one will need at least two months to recuperate from an operation scheduled for Monday.
Hingis faces a one-hour operation in a Zurich clinic on Monday to fix injuries causing pain and inflammation in her left foot, ankle and leg.
Swiss Blicknewspaper, quoting Hingis's doctor Heinz Buehlmann, said Hingis would be able to play tennis again in two to three months.
"I believe the chances for recovery are good," Buehlmann said.
But the time needed to recover would likely extend past June 24th when Wimbledon starts.
Hingis said yesterday she would miss the French Open after alleging shoe manufacturers Sergio Tacchini’s shoes damaged her feet. The 21-year-old Hingis wore the shoes from when she was 11 until around three years ago.
But Hingis's Swiss manager Mario Widmer was quoted in Saturday's Tages-Anzeigernewspaper as saying that it was too soon to talk of an end to her career.
Widmer called such speculation "not only premature at the present moment but also completely exaggerated".