Ana Ivanovic set to make rare return to tennis facing another former World No.1

Amid the tenth anniversary of the Geneva Open, they have pulled out all the stops with two legendary WTA stars set to make their return to the court in a rare outing in particular for Ana Ivanovic on Sunday May 18.

Ivanovic will face off against Martina Hingis in a battle of two former World No.1's. The former French Open champion marked her retirement in 2016 citing the fact that she could no longer compete at the top level anymore.

She got married to former footballer Bastien Schweinsteiger soon after and has given birth to three children since leaving the sport. But unlike many top names who play the exhibition circuits or legends doubles, Ivanovic is only really a rare sight.

Hingis of course will be playing on home soil. Regarded as an all-time great, she played Ivanovic twice and their Head to Head stands at 1-1 with Ivanovic defeating her at the age of 18 at the 2006 Rogers Cup 6-2, 6-3 in the final.

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But Hingis repaid the favour in 2007 at the Toray Pan Pacific Open. She has often been in the news as of late as a comparison piece with 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva being heavily compared albeit the Russian is yet to win a Grand Slam.

Something that Hingis was doing at that age but while she is still seen on the court a tiny bit more, it will still be a spectacle. They are joined by Henri Leconte who previously won the Geneva Open as well as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga with a captivating mixed doubles match on the program.

At the moment, the field that had Novak Djokovic shockingly be involved last year last minute has Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz currently confirmed as top stars. With withdrawals aplenty as of late for Fritz due to injury, he has taken a similar route to what Djokovic did and will return one last time before Roland Garros in an attempt to build form.

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