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Hingis upsets Sharapova to reach Tokyo final
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-04 14:59
Martina Hingis stunned top seed Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-1 at the Pan Pacific
Open on Saturday to reach her first final since coming out of retirement.
The former world number one, a Tokyo winner in 1997, 1999, 2000 and
2002, outclassed defending champion Sharapova in every department to stake a
place in her seventh Pan Pacific final.
Hingis will face another Russian
opponent -- either second seed Elena Dementieva or number four Anastasia Myskina
-- in Sunday's championship match.
"It feels like being back in time,"
Hingis said at a news conference. "I knew I still had some game in me. You just
have to start believing and I believe I still can play really good tennis.
"It took me three years to recharge my body and my brain. This week I've
shown a better game than at the Australian Open. I'm improving with every
tournament."
Sharapova, who was just 15 when chronic ankle problems
forced the Swiss into early retirement in 2002, had no answer to Hingis's guile
and precision.
Hingis returned to the game last month, reaching the
Australian Open quarter-finals and winning the mixed doubles title with India's
Mahesh Bhupathi.
DELAY TACTICS
The "Swiss Miss"
reproduced some of the form that saw her claim five grand slam singles titles
between 1997 and 1999, mixing power with sublime touch and making Sharapova look
ordinary at times.
Sharapova even resorted to delaying tactics, turning
her back several times as Hingis prepared to serve to slow her down -- but to no
avail.
Hingis secured the crucial break to go 4-3 up in the first set
when her backhand clipped the netcord and stopped dead.
The second set
was all about Hingis.
She broke in the third game when Sharapova netted
a backhand and again to go ahead 4-1 after a wild forehand from the world number
four.
"She still has a lot of experience and feel for the game," said a
dejected Sharapova. "In the second set I didn't really have that fighting spirit
I usually have.
"You know, 'Could've, would've, should've' but didn't."
The 25-year-old Hingis was unranked three weeks ago but climbed to 117th
after her strong run in Melbourne. Her victory over Sharapova will lift Hingis
to just outside the top 50.
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