Hingis powered past Mary Pierce of France to claim the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Germany on Sunday for her WTA Tour-leading seventh title of the season. She is looking to capture back-to-back titles for the first time since winning the Australian Open and Pan Pacific Open early in the season.

The 19-year-old Hingis sold her home in Zurich this year, moving her training base to the Saddlebrook Resort near Tampa, Florida, but retains a home in Trubbach. She never has won a title here but reached the final in 1996, losing to Jana Novotna.

Panova eliminated countrywoman Elena Likhovtseva, 6-3, 7-5, Monday to earn her meeting Hingis, who received a first-round bye.

The battle between seventh seed Dominique Van Roost of Belgium and Italy's Silvia Farina is the only other second-round match on today's schedule.

In first-round action, eighth seed Nathalie Tauziat of France beat compatriot Sandrine Testud, 7-5, 6-3, and Irina Spirlea of Romania downed Slovakian lucky loser Henrieta Nagyova, 6-2, 7-5.

Also today, Anke Huber of Germany takes on Natasha Zvereva of Belarus and Nathalie Dechy of France meets Chanda Rubin of the United States.

American Venus Williams, the second seed, will square off against Spirlea in the second round on Wednesday. Williams did not play last week after losing to her younger sister, Serena, in the final of the Grand Slam Cup in Munich the week before.

Williams is 35-8 on hard courts this season, winning two titles on the surface. She reached the final here last year but lost to Lindsay Davenport.

Davenport, the winner of this event the last two seasons, is not entered after she was forced to withdraw from last week's event in Filderstadt with a wrist injury.

First prize is $150,000.