Looking to win her first career singles title in her native country, Hingis defeated Tatiana Panova of Russia, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, to improve her WTA Tour season record to 62-9.

Seventh seed Dominique Van Roost of Belgium had an easier time advancing to the round of eight by storming past Silvia Farina of Italy, 6-2, 6-2.

In first-round action, eighth seed Nathalie Tauziat of France beat compatriot Sandrine Testud, 7-5, 6-3; Irina Spirlea of Romania downed Slovakian lucky loser Henrieta Nagyova, 6-2, 7-5; Anke Huber of Germany crushed Natasha Zvereva of Belarus, 6-2, 6-2; and Chanda Rubin of the United States downed Nathalie Dechy of France, 7-5, 6-4.

Hingis powered past Mary Pierce of France to claim the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Germany on Sunday. 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 while keeping a home in Trubbach. She never has won a title here but reached the final in 1996, losing to Jana Novotna.

Second-seeded American Venus Williams 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.