Victory for Martina Hingis against Russia's Tatiana Panova in her opening match of the Italian Open today would see her leapfrog into third place, behind Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova, in the all-time list of prizemoney winners on the women's circuit, taking her earnings to almost £11.27 million sterling. And the Swiss world number one does not celebrate her 21st birthday until September.
It was here at the Foro Italico, five years ago, that Hingis shook the stooping pines with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 quarter-final victory over Graf. The 15-year-old lost in the final to Spain's Conchita Martinez, but returned in 1998 to claim the title.
In between times she won the Australian Open twice, Wimbledon and the US Open. But the American power hitters - Venus Williams and her younger sister, Serena, Lindsay Davenport and the rejuvenated Jennifer Capriati - have since ganged up on Hingis. She is now without a grand slam since her third Australian Open win in 1999.
Capriati and Hingis are seeded to meet in Sunday's final, although Hingis faces a potential quarter-final against Sanchez-Vicario and a semi-final against either Mauresmo or Clijsters.
Pete Sampras and Tim Henman experienced shock first round exits at the Masters Series event in Hamburg yesterday.
Fourth-seed Sampras was beaten 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 by Spain's Alex Calatrava, while Henman, seeded ninth, was trounced 6-1 6-4 by German wildcard Lars Burgsmuller.
