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 Rolling in Rome No. 1 Hingis returns with a roar; Sanchez-Vicario also wins
Posted: Wednesday May 05, 1999 03:18 PM
ROME (AP) -- Martina Hingis rolled through her first match at the Italian Open Wednesday, closing in on potential meetings with her two closest rivals: the Williams sisters. Back after a month's layoff, the world's No. 1 player showed little rust in a 6-1, 6-1 rout of Natalie Dechy on the red clay at the Foro Italico. "It's good to be back out there. Physically, I think I'm stronger than probably ever," Hingis said. The Swiss teenager hadn't played singles since winning on clay at Hilton Head, South Carolina, in early April. She has said she relaxed her schedule with an eye to being fresh at the French Open, the lone Grand Slam event she hasn't won -- and the only one played on clay. But if Hingis is to defend her Rome title, she knows she may have to get past Serena Williams in the quarterfinals and third-seeded Venus Williams in the semis. The two Americans won their second-round matches Tuesday and Hingis said she relishes the challenge provided by the siblings. "It's always good to play against good players before the Grand Slams," she said. "I always like playing the best and [Serena's] definitely the best right now." In the meantime, Hingis has to get past another American, Corina Morariu, who moved into the third round by beating Ruxandra Dragomir 6-2, 6-3. Morariu, 21, has dropped just eight games in two matches, following up her first career WTA title last week in Bo, Croatia, on clay. One seed was ousted when Austria's Sylvia Plischke defeated No. 12 Amanda Coetzer 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. Others advancing Wednesday included reigning French Open champion and No. 2 seed Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, No. 4 Mary Pierce, No. 5 Patty Schnyder, No. 7 Nathalie Tauziat, No. 8 Sandrine Testud, No. 13 Irina Spirlea, and No. 15 Conchita Martinez, a four-time winner in Rome. All triumphed in straight sets. Schnyder said her mother is here, apparently signaling an end to their months-long estrangement. The player acknowledged that the rift had affected her results on the court. Hingis picked up her fifth career Grand Slam tournament title at the Australian Open in January, and her three titles overall in 1999 are matched only by Venus Williams. Serena, at 17 a year younger than Venus, has two crowns; no other player has more than one. Hingis had a rare chance to scout Serena, who has reached the final at her last three events. The pair practiced together in Rome last week, while Venus was winning her first clay-court title, in Hamburg, Germany.
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