The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Hingis makes a successful return

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 03, 2006

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Sport - Tennis

Hingis makes a successful return

GOLD COAST (Australia): Martina Hingis made a successful return to competitive tennis on Monday after a three-year absence, beating Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela 6-2, 6-1 at the Australian women's hardcourt championships.

The 25-year-old Hingis, winner of five Grand Slam singles titles, made a nervous start when both players exchanged service breaks. But the former world No. 1 from Switzerland, showing no signs of an extended layoff due to chronic foot injuries, outplayed her opponent for the rest of the match.

Hingis also plans to play in next week's Sydney International on a wild card and the Australian Open at Melbourne beginning on January 16, a tournament she has won three times.

Hingis will take on seventh-seeded Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic in the second round.

"I was a little nervous," Hingis told the sold-out Royal Pines stadium after the match. "I'd like to thank my family and friends for supporting me."

Hingis, however, said she played well.

"Just wait until the next matches, I'll be even better," said Hingis, who had one ace on Monday.

Hingis said the win had given her a confidence boost.

In other first-round matches, second-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy and third-seeded Dinara Safina of Russia advanced. Schiavone beat Yuan Meng of China 6-2, 6-3 while Safina defeated countrywoman Evgenia Linetskaya 7-6 (0), 6-0.

Wessels posts win

Peter Wessels beat former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio of Argentina 6-2, 7-6 (5) on Monday to give the Netherlands a 2-0 lead in its Hopman Cup mixed teams tennis match at Perth.

Earlier, Michaella Krajicek gave the Netherlands, which had to qualify for the tournament by beating China last Friday, a 1-0 lead with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Gisela Dulko.

In mixed doubles, Dulko and Gaudio beat Krajicek and Wessels 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 — the last set in a match tiebreaker — to make the final score 2-1 for the Netherlands.

Srebotnik advances

Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia beat Greece's Eleni Daniilidou 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in a match between former champions at the $145,000 ASB Women's Classic at Stanley Street, Auckland, on Monday.

Ancic beats Clement

Mario Ancic beat Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-0, 6-2 at the Adelaide International in Ancic's first match since helping Croatia win the Davis Cup last month.

Ancic next faces Belgian Xavier Malisse, a 7-6(11), 6-3 winner over Australian qualifier Peter Luczak.

In other matches, third-seeded Tommy Robredo of Spain beat Austria's Jergen Melzer 7-5, 6-4 and sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic beat Agustin Calleri of 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4.

Sania meets Venus

Sania Mirza will take on three-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams in the opening singles match as she kicks off her 2006 campaign at the Watson Water Champions Challenge in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

The eight-player exhibition event features the cream of women's tennis — three reigning Grand Slam champions, Venus Williams (Wimbledon), Serena Williams (Australian Open) and Kim Clijsters (U.S. Open), besides world No.1 Lindsay Davenport.

The results: At Gold Coast: Australian women's hardcourt: first round: Martina Hingis bt Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-2, 6-1; Francesca Schiavone bt Yuan Meng 6-2, 6-3; Dinara Safina bt Evgenia Linetskaya 7-6(0), 6-0; Sybille Bammer bt Katerina Bohmova, Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-1;

Jarmilla Gajdosova bt Tathiana Garbin 5-7, 6-4, 6-2; Anabel Medina Garrigues bt Ahsha Rolle 6-3, 6-3; Nuria Llagostera Vives Sun Tiantian 2-6, 6-2, 6-4; Flavia Pennetta bt Ekaterina Bychkova 6-2, 6-4; Angela Haynes bt Karolina Sprem 2-6, 6-0, 7-5; Patty Schnyder bt Virginie Razzano 6-3, 7-6(2); Tatiana Golovin bt Nicole Pratt 7-5, 6-2.

At Perth: Hopman Cup: Group B: Netherlands bt Argentina 2-1 (Michaella Krajicek bt Gisela Dulko, Argentina, 6-4, 6-2; Peter Wessels bt Gaston Gaudio 6-2, 7-6(5); Dulko & Gaudio bt Krajicek & Wessels 4-6, 6-3, 10-5). Group A: Serbia and Montenegro bt Sweden 2-1 (Ana Ivanovic bt Sofia Arvidsson 6-3, 6-1; Novak Djokovic lost to Thomas Johansson 7-6(4), 7-6(3); Djokovic & Ivanovic bt Johansson & Arvidsson 6-2, 6-4.

At Stanley Street: ASB Women's Classic: first round: Katarina Srebotnik bt Eleni Daniilidou 7-5, 4-6, 6-3; Nadia Petrova bt Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-2, 6-2; Viktoria Azarenka bt Amy Frazier 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

At Adelaide: Australian men's hardcourt: first round: Tomas Berdych bt Agustin Calleri 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4; Philipp Kohlschreiber bt Chris Guccione 6-4, 6-3; Xavier Malisse bt Peter Luczak 7-6(11), 6-3; Tommy Robredo bt Jurgen Melzer 7-5, 6-4, Maro Ancic bt Arnaud Clement 6-0, 6-2 — Agencies

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