Faster, stronger

Hingis back to best at adidas International

Martina Hingis is showing signs that she's playing with confidence once again. AP

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Martina Hingis advanced to the semifinals of the adidas International with a 6-4, 6-2 win Thursday over Sandrine Testud that kept her comeback on course and increased her confidence for the Australian Open.

Playing her first tournament since injuring her ankle last October, the former world No. 1 and defending titlist set up a semifinal against world No. 5 Kim Clijsters, who advanced on a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Belgian Fed Cup teammate Justine Henin.

Alexandra Stevenson, who produced the upset of the tournament Wednesday to beat top seed and Australian Open titlist Jennifer Capriati, couldn't reproduce the sparkle and had 37 unforced errors as she succumbed to fellow American Meghann Shaughnessy.

Shaughnessy broke Stevenson in the opening game and then won 6-4, 6-1 to move into a semifinal against Serena Williams, who had a straight sets win over French woman Amelie Maursemo on Wednesday night.

On the men's side, 19-year-old Andy Roddick overcame Asian No. 1 Lee Hyung-taik 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-5 when the South Korean put a backhand into the net after almost two hours.

Roddick, the No. 3 seed, moved into a semifinal against No. 2 seeded Roger Federer, who beat former world No. 1 Marcelo Rios 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4), 6-3 in their quarterfinal.

Max Mirnyi of Belarus beat Julien Boutter of France 6-4, 6-2 and will next play Juan Ignacio Chela, who was handed a spot in the semis when Frenchman Nicolas Escude withdrew due to a groin injury.

Roddick trailed 0-3 in the deciding set before reeling off four consecutive games. But Lee, who'd had his upper leg heavily strapped after overstretching for a passing shot at 3-1 in the second set, broke back to level at 4-4 and then held serve to lead.

The young American held his own serve and then broke Lee in the decisive 11th game when the Korean put a forehand volley long. He held his serve and his nerve to clinch the match.

"He'd won five matches on the trot ... and I was expecting a dogfight," Roddick said. "In the first set I was hitting well but he was bullying me around the court a little but I decided to bear down and keep fighting.

"I'm in for another dogfight tomorrow against Roger -- but it helps you get back into the tournament feel. I'm excited about getting quality matches before the Australian Open."

It was a bitter disappointment for Lee, who opted not to play qualifiers for the Australian Open in Melbourne because he was still in the main draw here.

The women's side is shaping as a good tuneup for the season-opening Grand Slam event.

Hingis, who held No. 1 ranking for 73 consecutive weeks until injuring her ankle in a match against Lindsay Davenport last October, said she'd used her time off to improve her all-around strength to compete against the likes of Venus and Serena Williams.

"This was the first real big test for me to see whether I was in good shape and able to compete with those girls and I am really pleased the way it came out," she said.

"The most difficult thing for me was probably to believe in (myself) again, that you can get up there and just play the way you are supposed to -- and even better."

Hingis dropped a service game in the opening set before hitting back with consecutive breaks to clinch the first set in 42 minutes.

The 21-year-old Swiss, who is the No. 3 seed and one of the favorites for the Australian Open after Davenport withdrew, made only 12 unforced errors as she extended her record to 16-0 against Testud.

"I'm happy with where I'm at -- you can always get better but I'm going in the right direction," she said.

Hingis won successive Australian Open titles from 1997-99 and reached the final last year for the fifth consecutive time, but hasn't won a major since her last win Down Under.

Clijsters, who is the No. 4 seed for the Australian Open, outlasted Henin in an absorbing first set, taking the tiebreaker with an unplayable first serve on her fourth set point.

But she picked up her serve in the second set and dominated at the net.

"At first it could have gone either way -- I had three set points and then she had two before I finally finished off the first set," Clijsters said. "I wanted one of these matches before the first Grand Slam of the year and I think this was an important win for me."

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