SYDNEY, Australia -- Defending champion Martina Hingis
overcame heat illness and tingling in her legs Friday to advance to
the Adidas International final, but Serena Williams couldn't
recover from a twisted ankle and retired from her semifinal match.
Hingis won an error-ridden semifinal 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 against
third-seeded Kim Clijsters and then withdrew from the evening's
doubles final, where she was scheduled to be partnered with Anna
Kournikova against Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs.
|  | | Serena Williams couldn't continue play after twisting her right ankle in her semifinal match against Meghann Shaughnessy. |
Williams was trailing 4-5 in the first set when she gave in to
her injured right ankle and surrendered the match to fellow
American Meghann Shaughnessy.
The No. 4 seed was leading 2-1 when she rolled the ankle while
charging in for a drop volley. Williams got the ankle wrapped by a
trainer and continued, but she dropped a service game to trail 3-4
and appeared to be favoring her right foot before deciding to
retire.
Tournament doctors treated Williams and described the injury as
minor, but she was advised to keep weight off the leg and walk with
the aid of a crutch.
"The pain was pretty bad," Williams said. "I'm not the type
of person who would risk their whole career for one match. It's not
feeling good right now, but it's an injury you can tape and it'll
get better.
"It's looking really positive for me right now -- I definitely
think this isn't going to stop me."
Hingis expects to be ready for Saturday's final against
Shaughnessy.
Earlier Friday, the 21-year-old Hingis was drawn in the upcoming
Australian Open to meet Serena and Venus Williams and Jennifer
Capriati to reach the final.
But Serena Williams' injury could deprive the season-opening
Grand Slam event of another top seed, with top-ranked Lindsay
Davenport already having withdrawn.
Hingis was not concerned about forfeiting the doubles title in
Sydney.
"I've played a lot of matches so shortly after coming back from
injury -- maybe too much too soon," said Hingis, who is coming back
from a three-month injury layoff. "I don't want to force myself
over the limit."
Hingis, who had treatment for what appeared to be a leg injury
when leading 5-0 in the third set, said she couldn't risk being
injured in doubles on the eve of a final and with a Grand Slam
tournament starting Monday. The leg injury was a slight "pinch"
which was being treated with massage, she said.
In men's semifinals, Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina became the
first qualifier to make a Sydney final when he beat Max Mirnyi of
Belarus 6-4, 6-4. The 22-year-old Chela will face No. 2 seed Roger
Federer of Switzerland, who beat No. 3 seed Andy Roddick 7-6 (3),
6-4.
Federer sealed his place in Saturday's final with an ace after
an unlikely comeback in the first set. Roddick was serving for the
first set at 5-4 until Federer broke his serve and upset the
19-year-old American's rhythm.
"I got a little worried there because he was returning really
well and my serve was not working, so I'm really happy with the
outcome," said Federer, who is 1-3 in ATP Tour finals. "I played
a good tiebreak and really started to serve well in the second set,
so I'm really confident."
Roddick said he didn't feel confident on his serve, due to the
wind, but wasn't expecting the trouble to last.
Service problems are "pretty rare," he said. "I felt like I
was forcing it a bit and it wasn't clicking, but I have confidence
that it will come right -- I'm not too worried about it."
Chela served a three-month ban and lost his ranking last year
after testing positive to a banned steroid, but then climbed 700
places in the rankings and back into the top 100.
Hingis dropped her opening service game and then traded breaks
with Clijsters in a match that was marred by errors. In the 30
games, Hingis made 40 unforced errors and Clijsters made 66. Hingis
clinched on her fourth match points.
Clijsters, seeded fourth for the Australian Open, said she was
feeling discomfort from a nerve problem in her right arm, but
planned to continue massage and treatment and expected to be ready
for Melbourne.
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