Martina Hingis announces pregnancy, congratulations pour in

Swiss tennis star Martina Hingis has announced her pregnancy on the occasion of her 38th birthday.

Taking to Twitter, Hingis, who is married to a former sports physician Harald Leemann, wrote that by her next birthday the couple would become a family of three.

"Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Happy to share that this will be the last time we?ll celebrate as a couple...excited to announce that we will become a family of three!" she wrote.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Happy to share that this will be the last time we’ll celebrate as a couple...excited to announce that we will become a family of three! pic.twitter.com/FRrpndFxxH

— Martina Hingis (@mhingis) September 30, 2018

The five-time Grand Slam champion, who spent around 209 weeks at the top of the women?s tennis ranking, had retired from the game in 2017 putting an end to her 23-year long illustrious career.

Prior to this, she had retired twice - once as a 22-year-old in 2003 and again in November 2007 - after a hip injury and testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine.

Hingis had taken the tennis world by storm when she lifted her first three major titles--the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 1997--at the age of just 16.

Fans and friends went reacted to the announcement with messages of congratulations flooding in. 

So pumped for you both!!!! Congratulations.

— judy murray (@JudyMurray) September 30, 2018

Congratulations, Martina! https://t.co/UET1TLT1Tt

— Rogers Cup (@rogerscup) September 30, 2018

Wonderful news, congrats Martina.

— David Schwab (@david_schwab) September 30, 2018

Wohooooo Glüwunsch

— Sabine Lisicki (@sabinelisicki) September 30, 2018

Congratulations another Swiss number 1!!!!

— Trudi (@SwissTrudi) September 30, 2018

Congratulations!! We are so happy for you!!

— The Greenbrier (@The_Greenbrier) September 30, 2018