| FILDERSTADT, Germany (AP) -- Martina Hingis beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6-4, 6-2 Tuesday in the first round of the Porsche Grand Prix, where she tore ankle ligaments last year and lost the No. 1 ranking.
Hingis injured her right ankle during the tournament's 2001 semifinals, was sidelined 2 1/2 months after an operation, and relinquished the top ranking to Jennifer Capriati.
Hingis was sidelined again after ankle surgery in May.
``You can see that in my game that I'm still missing a little speed, which you need on these fast indoor courts. And maybe I'm missing a little stamina, too,'' said Hingis, now ranked 10th.
Hingis, a four-time champion at Filderstadt, improved her record against Sanchez-Vicario to 18-2.
Hingis bent low on match point to flip a winning volley down the line, but she also showed signs of rust.
She led 3-0 in the second set, then was plagued by unforced errors, allowing Sanchez-Vicario to draw within 3-2. But Hingis broke again to take control.
In other action Tuesday, fifth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo beat wild-card entry Barbara Rittner 6-4, 6-0, and Kim Clijsters eliminated Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 6-2. |
