Martina Hingis reaches Wimbledon final 17 years after her last... as former world No 1 and Sania Mirza make ladies doubles final

Martina Hingis is back in a final at Wimbledon for the first time since 1998 - in the ladies' doubles.

Hingis, a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and doubles partner Sania Mirza are seeded No. 1 and won their semi-final against the fifth-seeded American pair of Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears 6-1, 6-2 on Friday.

The 34-year-old Hingis and Mirza, the first woman from India to be ranked No. 1 in singles or doubles, will face the second-seeded Russian duo of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the final.

Martina Hingis (right) and Sania Mirza (left) raise their hands after reaching the Wimbledon doubles final

Martina Hingis (right) and Sania Mirza (left) raise their hands after reaching the Wimbledon doubles final

The top seeded pair defeated Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears 6-1, 6-2 on Friday

The top seeded pair defeated Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears 6-1, 6-2 on Friday

Hingis last reached a Wimbledon final in 1998 and has quit the game twice in her career

Hingis last reached a Wimbledon final in 1998 and has quit the game twice in her career

The Swiss star is back playing perhaps because she wants to appear in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio

The Swiss star is back playing perhaps because she wants to appear in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio

Makarova and Vesnina, who won last year's U.S. Open, beat Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the other semifinal.

Seventeen years ago, Hingis won the Wimbledon doubles trophy with Jana Novotna. Hingis won all four majors in doubles that season, teaming with Mirjana Lucic-Baroni at the Australian Open, and Novotna at the others.

Hingis and Mirza will play Russian second seeds Ekaterina Makarova of Russia and Elena Vesnina

Hingis and Mirza will play Russian second seeds Ekaterina Makarova of Russia and Elena Vesnina

Hingis holds the trophy with partner Jana Novotna after winning the doubles title 17 years ago

Hingis holds the trophy with partner Jana Novotna after winning the doubles title 17 years ago

Hingis, who won five Grand Slam singles titles in the 1990s, initially quit tennis in 2002 because of foot and leg injuries, then rejoined the circuit full time in 2006. 

She announced her retirement again in 2007, when she was given a two-year suspension for testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon. At the time, she denied taking the drug but did not appeal the ruling.

The Swiss star returned to tennis in recent years as a coach and now is back playing, perhaps with an eye to competing at next year's Rio Olympics. 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now