Martina Hingis set for Fed Cup return following 17 years of absence

Johannesburg: Following a 17-year absence, Swiss tennis great Martina Hingis is set to return to Fed Cup duty after being called up on Tuesday by captain Heinz Guenthardt.

Hingis, who has not played Fed Cup since the 1998 final that Switzerland lost to Spain in Geneva, would compete in the World Group play-offs against Poland at Zielona Gora on April 18-19.

The former world number one must play the women's team competition if she wants to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games mixed doubles, perhaps alongside Roger Federer, Sport24 reported.

Hingis won five Grand Slam singles titles between 1997 and 1999, 43 WTA Tour singles crowns and was once world number one during her prime.

Following six years in retirement, she gradually felt her way back on to the doubles circuit, but stopped a second time in November 2007 after testing positive for cocaine.

Since her second come-back in 2013, Hingis only competes in doubles and this season won the Australian Open mixed doubles with Leander Paes and the Indian Wells and Miami doubles titles with Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza , the report added.