SYDNEY, Australia -- Martina Hingis completed a Swiss sweep
of the Adidas International on Saturday, successfully defending her
title with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over American Meghann Shaughnessy.
|  | | Martina Hingis looks toward the crowd as she starts her celebration after beating Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 6-3. |
In the men's final, Switzerland's Roger Federer beat Argentine
qualifier Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 6-3.
Hingis, a three-time Australian Open champion and runner-up last
year, won her first WTA Tour title in 11 months. She recently
returned to competition following an ankle injury.
"I think I surprised everyone by coming back and winning this
tournament, but I surprised myself the most," she said. "I feel
good -- it was a legendary day.
"It's great to come back after having surgery, to win straight
away ... it exceeded my expectations."
The 21-year-old player from Switzerland withdrew from the doubles final Friday after suffering heat illness and aching in her legs
during her singles semifinal victory over Kim Clijsters -- her 500th
career singles win.
But she showed no signs of pain in the final, dominating at the
net and hitting 22 winners to eight for Shaughnessy.
"I'm here, I'm ready and I'm back," Hingis said of her
Australian Open preparations.
The draw for the Australian Open threw up a tough road for
Hingis, who will have to beat Serena Williams, Venus Williams and
defending champion Jennifer Capriati to win her first Grand Slam
title since 1999.
She beat the Williams sisters in consecutive matches last year
before losing the decider to Capriati.
Shaughnessy, who advanced on a walkover against Serena Williams,
said Hingis was too good.
Williams, the No. 4 seed, quit their semifinal Friday while
trailing 4-5. She'd turned on her ankle in the fourth game and had
played for five games with strapping around the injury.
"I've had a good week, but I'd have liked it to be a little bit
better," Shaughnessy said. But, "I got to play a lot of matches,
which is a positive before a Grand Slam."
Hingis broke in the second game and had a 3-0 lead before
Shaughnessy held serve. The former No. 1 didn't miss a first serve
in the first set, securing it on a service break in the eighth
game.
The match was all over in 58 minutes when Shaughnessy sent a
backhand long to give Hingis match point and then dumped her next
backhand into the net.
Federer, seeded second, also won an ATP Tour event in Milan last
season.
"I had a good week. I didn't expect to win this tournament
because there was a lot of wind and I'm not a fan of that,"
Federer said. "I'm very happy to start the year like this -- my
tennis was fantastic."
Americans Donald Johnson and Jared Palmer won the men's doubles
final, beating Australians Josh Eagle and Sandon Stolle 6-4, 6-4.
The Australian Open begins Monday in Melbourne.
| |
|
