Tennis NewsFormer world number one Martina Hingis made a successful return to professional tennis with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Venezuela's Maria Vento-Kabchi at the Australian Hardcourt Championships on the Gold Coast, Melbourne yesterday.
Top seed Patty Schnyder also advanced into the second round with 6-3 7-6 victory over France's Virginie Razzano in a late match.
Hingis, who retired in 2002 with foot and ankle injuries, dropped her serve in the opening game but soon rediscovered the touch that led her to five grand slam titles.
"I was a little nervous," the 25-year-old Swiss said. "It was just a matter of time and getting the first point and the first game. After that I started breathing."
Hingis rated her first match back an "eight out of 10" but said she knew she would need to improve her serve.
"I don't know what else I should have done today better than what I did," she said. "The score says it all.
"Just wait until the next matches, I'll be even better. You have to have a high percentage of first serves otherwise these girls today are going to kill you. They're very aggressive and they attack right away."
Hingis, who is using the Gold Coast and Sydney tournaments as warm-ups for the Australian Open that starts on January 16th, will meet world number 35 Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic in the second round.
"I get another opportunity to play another match and that feels great already," she said. "All these expectations I've put on myself, it's gone right now for this moment. I'll feel great for the next 24 hours I'm sure."
Third seed Dinara Safina of Russia was taken to a tie-break in the first set by compatriot Evgenia Linetskaya, which she won 7-0 before sweeping the second set for a 7-6 6-0 victory.
Italian Francesca Schiavone, the second seed, also moved into the second round with a 6-2 6-3 victory over China's Meng Yuan, while fourth seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy beat Russia's Ekaterina Bychkova 6-2 6-4.
In Adelaide, Croatia's Mario Ancic ensured the three seeds appearing at the Australian Hardcourt Championships in Adelaide yesterday advanced to the second round.
Ancic, who won the decisive fifth rubber in last month's Davis Cup final against Slovakia, comfortably accounted for 2001 Australian Open finalist Arnaud Clement 6-0 6-2 to join fellow seeds Tomas Berdych and Tommy Robredo in progressing.
The sixth-seeded Berdych scratched out a 6-4 6-7 6-4 victory over Argentina's Agustin Calleri, while Spain's third seeded Robredo beat Austria's Juergen Melzer 7-5 6-4.
Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber beat Australian wild card Chris Guccione 6-4 6-3 at Memorial Drive, while Belgium's Xavier Malisse overcame Australia's Peter Luczak 7-6 6-3 and will meet Ancic in the second round.
World number four Lleyton Hewitt, the top seed in his home town tournament, plays Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic todday, while former world number nine Mark Philippoussis meets Vincent Spadea of the United States. Philippoussis has been granted a wild card for the tournament.
In Perth, qualifiers the Netherlands upset second seeds Argentina 2-1 in round-robin play at the Hopman Cup.
Argentina's Gisela Dulko, who lost all four singles matches at last year's event, continued her poor run of form in the mixed team tournament with a 6-4 6-2 defeat to Michaella Krajicek.
Peter Wessels sealed victory for the Dutch, outplaying a lethargic Gaston Gaudio 6-2 7-6, before Argentina won the doubles 4-6 6-3 7-6.
In the other group, victory in the doubles gave Serbia & Montenegro a 2-1 win over Sweden.
Ana Ivanovic followed up Sunday's victory over American Lisa Raymond by overwhelming Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 6-1 in 43 minutes to put Serbia & Montenegro ahead.
Despite dropping her serve in the opening game after leading 40-0, Ivanovic dominated the rest of the match. Thomas Johansson, who had spent the last three days in bed with a foot infection, overcame talented 18-year-old Novak Djokovic 7-6 7-6 to level the tie but Serbia and Montenegro took the doubles 6-4 6-2.
