02 February 2005	Wednesday	22 Zilhaj 1425

PATTAYA, Feb 1: Former world number one Martina Hingis failed in her comeback attempt on Tuesday when she was beaten 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 by Marlene Weingartner in the first round of the Volvo Open in Pattaya.

It was the first match since October 2002 for Hingis, who retired from tennis after failing to sufficiently recover from a left ankle injury. Saying at first that she was playing the event to raise money for childrens charities, she later admitted that she wanted to judge whether she might be able to consider a full comeback.

On the evidence of her performance against 74th-ranked Weingartner, that appears unlikely. "I think Im ready for playing exhibitions," said Hingis. "I felt pretty good about my game. I just couldn't raise it when she started playing quicker.

"She really raised her level, and thats another step for me to do physically. Thats the game of today." Although Hingis took the opening set with ease, that was in large part due to her opponent's errors.

Weingartner, perhaps nervous at playing in such a high-profile match, struggled to keep the rallies going and also had problems with her serve. She was broken in all four of her service games in the first set, conceding the set with her third double-fault as she was broken to love, and Hingis seemed to be heading for a comfortable and encouraging victory. But once Weingartner settled, early in the second set, the match began to turn. Hingis was never the most powerful of players, and her serve in particular began to be punished by her German opponent.

The turning point came as Hingis led 2-1 and then 40-0 on her opponents serve. Weingartner responded by winning nine of the next 10 points, breaking to lead 3-2, and Hingis' game became increasingly ineffective against a stronger and more confident opponent.

More good returns gave Weingartner another break for 5-2, and the final set slipped away from Hingis just as quickly. A netted backhand gave Weingartner a break for 1-0, and an impressive double-handed backhand down the line gave her a second break and virtually ended the contest.

WTA RESULTS: Marlene Weingartner (Germany) bt Martina Hingis (Switzerland) 1-6 6-2 6-2; Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain) bt Tzipora Obziler (Israel) 6-3 6-4; Galian Voskoboeva (Russia) bt Yuliana Fedak (Ukraine) 6-2 6-1; Shahar Peer (Israel) bt Marta Domachowska (Poland) 6-3 6-2; Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzbekistan) bt Antonella Serra Zanetti (Italy) 6-3 6-2; Silvija Talaja (Croatia) bt Angelika Bachmann (Germany) 6-2 6-1; Conchita Martinez (Spain) bt Shikha Uberoi (India) 3-6 6-3 6-4

VINCI SHOCKS SUGIYAMA:

TOKYO: Japan's Ai Sugiyama suffered her fourth straight first round defeat when she was beaten 2-6 6-3 6-2 by Italian Roberta Vinci at the Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday. However, there were resounding victories for sixth seed Elena Likhovtseva and eighth seed Daniela Hantuchova in Tokyo.

Fifth seed Sugiyama, who had lost at the first hurdle at the Gold Coast, Sydney and the Australian Open, suffered a second set meltdown after a decent start against her 117th-ranked opponent.

"I think it's down to a lack of confidence," shrugged Sugiyama. "Nothing I worked on in practice clicked. Mentally I'm still nowhere near close enough." Serbian Jelena Jankovic was another casualty in Tokyo, the seventh seed knocked out by Czech Iveta Benesova, who came through to win 1-6 6-3 6-1.

Slovakian Hantuchova overpowered Russian Alina Jidkova 6-1 6-4 while Likhovtseva, also of Russia, demolished Spain's Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-0 6-0 in another late match.

In other matches, Russian Maria Kirilenko beat China's Peng Shuai 6-3 6-2 while Saori Obata trounced wildcard Miho Saeki 6-0 6-1 in an all-Japanese encounter. Obata now plays world number one Lindsay Davenport, who is bidding to win a record fifth title at the $1.3 million event.

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova and fellow Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva are also among a quality field in Tokyo. The top four players received first-round byes. Sharapova plays Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela while U.S. Open champion Kuznetsova takes on Swiss qualifier Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian on Wednesday.

FIRST ROUND RESULTS: 8-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) bt Alina Jidkova (Russia) 6-1 6-4;6-Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) bt Arantxa Parra Santonja (Spain) 6-0 6-0; Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) bt 7-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia & Montenegro) 1-6 6-3 6-1; Saori Obata (Japan) bt Miho Saeki (Japan) 6-0 6-1; Maria Kirilenko (Russia) bt Peng Shuai (China) 6-3 6-2; Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian (Switzerland) bt Nicole Pratt (Australia) 6-4 6-3; Roberta Vinci (Italy) bt 5-Ai Sugiyama (Japan) 2-6 6-3 6-2; Shinobu Asagoe (Japan) bt Yuka Yoshida (Japan) 6-2 6-1. -Agencies