Hingis eases to victory

SEOUL – Former world number one Martina Hingis maintained her good run of form with a 6-3 6-2 first round victory over Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki at the Korea Open yesterday.

Fresh off a tournament victory in Kolkata on Sunday, the top-seeded Swiss dominated play from the baseline with her arsenal of angled ground strokes and drop shots to ease past the world number 293. The 25-year-old five-time grand slam winner retired in 2002 due to foot and ankle injuries but made a full-time comeback in January and the world number eight will be hoping to add a third title of the year in Seoul this week.Hingis said the women’s game had changed during her absence but she still possessed the necessary skills to compete at the highest level.”The game has gotten relentless.It has gotten more forceful,” Hingis told reporters.Other results from yesterday’s matches (Singles women) Round 2 5-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Emma Laine (Finland) 6-4 6-0 Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) beat Vera Dushevina (Russia) 1-6 6-1 6-0 Akiko Morigami (Japan) beat Aiko Nakamura (Japan) 7-5 6-2 * Meanwhile, former world number one Marat Safin has warned people not to expect too much of him this year, even though his stuttering career is showing signs of picking up.The twice grand slam winner is slowly climbing back up the rankings after a knee injury pushed him out of the top 100, but he says it is too soon to talk about titles.Safin is now ranked 72nd and has not won a tournament since January 2005.Nampa-ReutersThe 25-year-old five-time grand slam winner retired in 2002 due to foot and ankle injuries but made a full-time comeback in January and the world number eight will be hoping to add a third title of the year in Seoul this week.Hingis said the women’s game had changed during her absence but she still possessed the necessary skills to compete at the highest level.”The game has gotten relentless.It has gotten more forceful,” Hingis told reporters.Other results from yesterday’s matches (Singles women) Round 2 5-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Emma Laine (Finland) 6-4 6-0 Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) beat Vera Dushevina (Russia) 1-6 6-1 6-0 Akiko Morigami (Japan) beat Aiko Nakamura (Japan) 7-5 6-2 * Meanwhile, former world number one Marat Safin has warned people not to expect too much of him this year, even though his stuttering career is showing signs of picking up.The twice grand slam winner is slowly climbing back up the rankings after a knee injury pushed him out of the top 100, but he says it is too soon to talk about titles.Safin is now ranked 72nd and has not won a tournament since January 2005.Nampa-Reuters