Martina Hingis, Anna Kournikova are back at Wimbledon but just for the day

Reporting from Wimbledon, England — Court 2 was packed for what is called the “Ladies Invitation Doubles,” which is another way of saying retired women’s exhibition.

But this was no ordinary “Ladies Invitation.”

This was five-time Grand Slam tournament winner Martina Hingis, who was banned from tennis for two years after testing positive for cocaine, and Anna Kournikova, who will be forever known as tennis’ most renowned non-champion, appreciated for her cover-girl looks at least as much as for her sporting accomplishments.

Kournikova used 177 words to answer the first question asked of her Tuesday at Wimbledon after she and Hingis beat Anne Hobbs and Samantha Smith. The question was about why Kournikova was playing at Wimbledon. The answer? Mostly just because.

Hingis, who regularly played doubles with Kournikova when the two were on the women’s tour, was much more the silent partner in the post-match talk fest. Kournikova recounted her numerous back injuries — “Two herniated disks to four cracks that I have. . . . The right side is smaller than the left. . . .”

Hingis, thankfully, interrupted to say, “I don’t want to hear it,” so Kournikova shrugged and continued, “All kinds of weird stuff.”

Hingis, 29, who won three of the four Grand Slam singles titles in 1997, including Wimbledon, is about three months younger than second-seeded Venus Williams and about a year older than defending champion Serena Williams. Kournikova, also 29 but about eight months younger than Hingis, made it clear, in the listing of all her back problems, that she had no serious comeback in mind.

Hingis pointed out she made one comeback already — she retired in 2002 and returned in 2006. “I did it,” she said. “I was very happy with it. Now it’s different. I think I’ve played enough tennis in my life.” Her second retirement came after she failed the doping test in 2007 at Wimbledon. Hingis denied using cocaine at the time but served a two-year suspension from tennis.

History still possible

Second-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan, the doubles team from Camarillo, remain on track for a chance to break the all-time doubles record of 61 titles held by Australians Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde.

The Bryans beat Australians Carsten Ball and Chris Guccione, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5). Next up for the twin brothers in the quarterfinals are seventh-seeded Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman.

Bob Bryan said he and Mike don’t feel any pressure because of the record. “We’ll get it,” he said. “We’re not going anywhere for a while.”

Ratings rising

ESPN2’s television ratings for the first week of Wimbledon were up 14% over last year, helped in part by American John Isner’s record-setting 11-hour 5-minute, three-day marathon.

diane.pucin@latimes.com

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