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 Hingis, Novotna advance to second round
Posted: Tuesday June 23, 1998 04:02 PM
WIMBLEDON England (AP) -- Martina Hingis overcame the rain and a tricky first-round test Tuesday to open defense of her Wimbledon title with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Lisa Raymond. The player Hingis beat in last year's final, No. 3 Jana Novotna, advanced with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Sandra Kleinkova. And No. 6 Venus Williams, a fist-round loser in her Wimbledon debut last year, downed Jana Nejedly, 6-3, 6-3, to join her sister Serena in round two. On a drizzly afternoon, the top-seeded Hingis survived a stiff challenge from the 19th-ranked Raymond, one of only five players to defeat the Swiss teen-ager last year. Hingis said she was relieved just to get through. "I expected it to be tough," she said. "She beat me last time and I'm sure she had confidence. In the first couple of games, I really didn't know what to do. ... I hope now it's going to be easier for the next two our three rounds." Raymond and Hingis played a sparkling first set featuring furious rallies and spectacular shots. The American, who beat Hingis in three sets in their last meeting in Zurich, kept Hingis at bay with a low-bouncing slice backhand and a powerful forehand. Raymond also took her chances to chip and charge to the net for putaway volleys, often leaving Hingis shaking her head in frustration. "Having beaten her before, I knew I had it in me," Raymond said. "I just didn't play the big points well. ... She comes up with the big shots when she needs the." After Hingis broke for a 5-3 lead, Raymnd responded by breaking back for 5-4 and saving two set points in the next game to draw even at 5-5. Raymond could have taken control of the set when she earned a break point in the next game. But Hingis held for 6-5 and broke in the next game to finish the set in 52 minutes. Drizzle then stopped play with Hingis leading 2-1 in the second set. When play resumed 90 minutes later, Hingis ran off three straight games for 5-1. Though Raymond saved three match points in the seventh game and held serve for 5-3, Hingis closed out the match in the next game. After a rain-free opening day, showers and drizzle disrupted play Tuesday. Play started more than three hours late on some courts, and all doubles matches were canceled.
In men's play, No. 2 Marcelo Rios was due to play Francisco Clavet. No. 4 Greg Rusedski, No. 5 Carlos Moya, No. Patrick Rafter and No. 9 Richard Krajicek were also to play. Just being back at Wimbledon was enough to bring Steffi Graf to tears. A year ago, the seven-time champion was recovering from major knee surgery. Two months ago, her comeback threatened by more injuries, she considered retirement. So on Monday, after winning her first-round match in straight sets on Centre Court, Graf was overcome by emotion. Twice during a news conference, she broke down crying. "I get emoional because I don't take it for granted being here," said Graf, playing her 13th Wimbledon. "It's just special to be here." Graf's tears represented a remarkable display from a player who has rarely expressed her emotions on or off the court. She said she was surprised to be on Centre Court, the scene of her greatest triumphs, for the opening match against Spain's Gala Leon Garcia. "It is not common to play the first match on Centre Court unless you win the year before, so I didn't take it as normal at all," she sad. "I got really excited, and it definitely pumped me up to be playing out there." After some initial nerves, the German star settled down and beat Garcia 6-4, 6-1, solid start to her first Grand Slam tournament since the French Open in 1997. After undergoing surgery after the French, Graf didn't return to tournament play until March. But she was sidelined again with calf and hamstring injuries. That's when she started wondering whether her career was over. "There have been a couple of occasions where it has been really difficult, seven or eight weeks ago was the last time," she said. "I had so many little injuries and every week something else came around." But Graf, who said she now feels "100 percent," must be considered a title contender. "There is no question it is my favorite tournament and I do feel the grass suits my game and experience does help," she said. "But winning is a long way. That is not as far as I am looking now."
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Jana Novotna hoists the trophy at the Ladies International at Eastborne 