Future in doubt
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ByEurosport
Published 27/10/2005 at 16:55 GMT
Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez retired hurt at the Linz Open on Thursday after straining her right wrist in what was almost certainly the final singles match of her distinguished career. The 33-year-old Spaniard was trailing sixth seed Daniel
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Martinez, however, is still keen to clinch a doubles place with Virginia Ruano-Pascual at next month's WTA Championships. The season-ending event in Los Angeles starts on 8 November.
Competing will be the top eight singles players and leading four doubles teams.
Martinez and fellow Spaniard Ruano-Pascual are ranked fourth in doubles, with Linz and next week's Philadelphia tournament yet to count in the points race.
"I always said I would finish the year and the year is not finished yet," former world number two Martinez told reporters.
"My main goal is to make the [WTA] Championships in doubles and obviously I'm going to take care of my injuries and that takes some time.
"During that time I'm going to think of what I want to do, if I want to continue or not," added the 1994 Wimbledon champion.
GOOD TENNIS
"I still have some good tennis in me. It's just a matter of being fit and being 100 percent all the time.
"It's tougher to recover now and when you carry injuries it's tough to play."
If she does stop playing, Martinez wants to remain in the game.
"I love tennis and I love coaching and I'm definitely going to miss it," she said. "If a good opportunity comes my way, I think with all the experience and knowledge I have in this sport, I wouldn't like it to get lost out there.
"If I can tell it to somebody and they can learn from it, that's a good thing."
After double-faulting to lose the second set, Martinez had her wrist taped and received further treatment during the first change of ends in the decider.
When Hantuchova broke to lead 3-1, Martinez decided she could no longer continue.
"My wrist was getting worse in the second set and in the third my Achilles heel that has been bugging me since the summer was really bad, so there was no point," said Martinez.
Hantuchova will play fourth-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder in the last eight, a 6-2 6-2 winner over Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic.
Third seed Nadia Petrova of Russia also advanced to the quarter-finals, beating Swedish qualifier Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 6-3, while Japan's Ai Sugiyama overcame Gisela Dulko of Argentina 6-4 3-6 6-2.
Austrian Sybille Bammer beat Vera Douchevina of Russia 7-5 6-4.
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