Tennis-Retiring Hingis secures year-end top ranking in doubles

By John O'Brien

SINGAPORE, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Martina Hingis is guaranteed to finish her career on a high after the WTA confirmed that the retiring 37-year-old Swiss had secured the year-end number one ranking in women's doubles alongside Taiwanese partner Chan Yung-jan on Friday.

A day earlier, Hingis announced she was hanging up her racket for a third and final time following this week's WTA Finals, bringing an end to an illustrious career that has garnered 25 grand slam wins -- five in singles, 20 in doubles.

Hingis and Chan have won nine titles together since joining forces this year, including at last month's U.S. Open, and the WTA announced they had become the fifth team in the history of the women's tour to finish the year as joint world number ones.

Lisa Raymond/Samantha Stosur (2006), Cara Black/Liezel Huber (2007-09), Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci (2013-14) and Hingis/Sania Mirza (2015) were the previous four pairs to share the year-end top ranking.

"Latisha (Chan) and I are excited to end the year as the World No.1 doubles team," Hingis said in Singapore on Friday. "To finish the season on top is a testament to all of the hard work we put in this year."

Chan added: "It was always my goal to reach world number one but to be the year-end number one doubles team with Martina is a true honour and I'm proud of all that we have accomplished together." (Editing by Pritha Sarkar)