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Twice as nice Pierce adds doubles title to singles crown
Posted: Sunday June 11, 2000 08:48 AM
PARIS (AP) -- Frenchwoman Mary Pierce enjoyed a second victory Sunday at the French Open when she and Martina Hingis won the women's doubles final. Less than 24 hours after Pierce defeated Spaniard Conchita Martinez to fulfill her dream of winning the singles title at Roland Garros, she was back on center court. Only a handful of fans were in place to see the start of the match, pitting Pierce and Hingis against Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain and Paola Suarez of Argentina. Pierce and Hingis won 6-2, 6-4. If the center court was different, so too was Pierce. The deep breathing, nervous gestures and palpable tension were gone. Instead, the match took place in brilliant sunshine and was speckled with smiles and laughter, high-fives and the occasional giggle. In capturing the doubles crown, Pierce equaled the 1967 performance of Francoise Durr, the last Frenchwoman to win the singles title. Durr also won the doubles title that year with partner Gail Sheriff. Pierce might have been smiling Sunday but her body was showing the strain of the two-week tournament. Her left leg was bandaged above and below the knee because of swelling but it did not stop her from slamming winners. Hingis and Pierce won the first set easily but fell behind 4-0 in the second set as their rivals lifted their game a notch. Hingis and Pierce then won the final six games. Pierce, 25, paid tribute to her younger partner, who is ranked No. 1 in singles. "It's super to play with her, and she has huge amounts of talent. We have a lot of fun," she said. The compliments were mutual. "She played a great tournament and it was a lot of fun playing with her," Hingis said. Next up for Pierce is some rest, and perhaps, at last, a chance to celebrate her double triumph. "Last night, I just ate with my family and tried to go to bed early," she said. For Hingis, 19, the doubles trophy is a consolation prize. Pierce beat her 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the singles semifinals, a harsh loss coming after last year's defeat against Steffi Graf in a final remembered more for Hingis' tantrums than the tennis. But all that was forgotten in Sunday's sunshine. As they posed for the pre-match photo, Pierce put her arm around Hingis' shoulders. When Pierce put new tape on her leg during the match, Hingis held the bandages in place. But that's doubles. Asked later whether Pierce could become world No. 1, Hingis laughed, pretended to choke her partner and said, "Hopefully not."
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