In a statement, the Milan-based Sergio Tacchini referred to a case it brought against Hingis two years ago for alleged contractual violations.
"Sergio Tacchini cited Martina Hingis before the Tribunal of Milan to obtain damages caused to the company by grave and repeated breaches of contract," the company said.
Italian-based Sergio Tacchini calls Martina Hingis' lawsuit "baseless."(AP Photo)
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"Martina Hingis defended herself complaining that she suffered foot sores caused by sneakers made by her sponsor. The baseless claims of Hingis, formulated only to avoid paying the contractual damages, were highlighted and restated by that judiciary."
"In any case, the company can do no more than note that with Sergio Tacchini sneakers, Martina Hingis became the undisputed leader of women's tennis worldwide, winning her last Grand Slam dressed in Sergio Tacchini," the company said.
In the suit filed Friday, the world's top-ranked female tennis player says that in tournaments from 1996 into 1999, she wore clothing and shoes made by Sergio Tacchini as part of a five-year endorsement deal that was to pay her $5.6 million US.
But because Tacchini had outfitted her with "defective" shoes "unsuitable for competition," she was forced to withdraw from several tournaments, court papers say.
While competing in the U.S. Open in New York City in September 1998, Hingis sustained a debilitating foot injury, say papers filed in Manhattan's state Supreme Court.
Hingis had her feet examined by a Manhattan doctor, "who confirmed that the injury was a chronic one and was being caused by the tennis shoes manufactured by the defendant Sergio Tacchini," court papers say.
"The shoes were defectively designed and manufactured and therefore were not providing Hingis with the support necessary to play competitive tennis," according to Hingis' court papers, filed Friday.
In October 1998, Hingis withdrew from tennis tournaments in Filderstadt, Germany, and Zurich, Switzerland.
That same month, she had her feet examined by an orthopedic specialist -- recommended by Tacchini -- in Milan, Italy.
The doctor recommended that Tacchini modify Hingis' shoes, but the company, headquartered in Novara, Italy, failed to do so, court papers say.
Meanwhile, from October 1998 to June 1999, court papers say, Hingis' feet kept hurting.
"She was forced to receive treatments for her foot injuries at nine separate tournaments in Manhattan, Philadelphia, California and South Carolina," according to Hingis' lawsuit. "Hingis also withdrew from the Wimbledon doubles tournament in June 1999 because of her injured feet."
