Martina Hingis ended her career on a losing note when the retiring Swiss great and her partner Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan were beaten 6-4, 7-6 by Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova in the WTA Finals doubles semi-final on Saturday.
Hingis, 37, announced on Thursday that she was hanging up her racket for a third and final time following this week's event, bringing an end to an illustrious career that has garnered 25 grand slam wins - five in singles, 20 in doubles.
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The top seeds had hoped to send Hingis off with a fourth WTA Finals doubles crown after two triumphs with Anna Kournikova and one with Sania Mirza, but Hungary's Babos and Czech Hlavackova proved too strong at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The Hungarian-Czech duo edged a high-quality opening set but were given an almighty scare when Babos tumbled to the ground at 5-5 in the second set while trailing 30-0, twisting her left ankle and requiring a lengthy medical break for treatment.
Both pairs remained strong on serve to send the contest into a tiebreak and the top seeds were beaten when Hingis sent a backhand long on the first match point to end both her and Chan's interest in the competition and her own career.
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Few people knew Martina Hingis when she played at the US Open in 1996. Shaun Botterill / Getty Images -
But the way she played at the Australian Open in 1997 was a revelation. Mark Sandten / Getty Images -
In fact she became the youngest ever major singles winner at the Australian Open. She was only 16. Clive Brunskill / Getty Images -
By 1999 she had become the best player in tennis, collecting trophies along the way, including the German Open. Elisenda Roig / Getty Images -
In June 1999, she lost her second French Open final. This time it was to Germany's Steffi Graf, who made a dramatic comeback to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. Getty Images -
The 'Swiss Miss' was still a force to be reckoned with in 2000, but she could not win the Australian Open. Frank Peters / Getty Images -
Hingis also played in the UAE. Here she is seen in action against Maria Sharapova of Russia at the Dubai Women's Championships in February, 2006. Cancan Chu / Getty Images -
Comebacks proved to be a feature in Hingis's career. Not many fancied watching her play at the Australian Open in 2007. Clive Brunskill / Getty Images -
She continued to win titles during her returns, such as the Toray Pan Pacific Tournament at Tokyo in 2007. Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images -
Six years later, she reinvented herself as a doubles player. Here she is involved in a legends game with Martina Navratilova at the Australian Open. Michael Dodge / Getty Images -
She won one of her mixed doubles titles - the Australian Open in 2015 - in partnership with India's Leander Paes. Robert Prezioso / Getty Images -
She struck up a bond with another Indian player - Sania Mirza - in the doubles. Here they are plotting a point at Wuhan, China. Zhong Zhi / Getty Images -
Hingis won the Australian Open women's doubles title with Mirza. Scott Barbour / Getty Images -
She also represented Switzerland at the Olympics. She and Timea Bacsinszky, left, were beaten by Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Laurent Gillieron / EPA -
She teamed up with British player Jamie Murray at Wimbledon this year - and won. Peter Klaunzer / EPA -
Hingis celebrates with partner Chan Yung-jan, of Taiwan, after winning the US Open. Julie Jacobson / AP Photo
"For me to play on a court like this and against an opponent like this makes me emotional ... for me and her," Babos said in a courtside interview.
"It's an incredible moment for her after all she has achieved and to play against her is just amazing to be part of her history. Hopefully, just once in my life, I can achieve the kind of things she did."
Despite the defeat, Hingis will go out on at least one high after the WTA confirmed on Friday that the Swiss had secured the year-end No 1 ranking in women's doubles alongside Chan after the pair won nine titles in 2017, including the US Open.
