FILDERSTADT (Germany), Oct 10: Martina Hingis will drop out of the world’s top 10 for the first time in six years next week after losing 6-3, 6-1 to Elena Dementieva in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Thursday.

The four-time champion — last ranked outside the top 10 in September 1996 — was unable to respond adequately to the power of her Russian opponent.

Fourth seeded Belgian Justine Henin also crashed out, losing 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to Swiss qualifier Myriam Casanova.

Hingis, seeded seventh, dropped a closely contested first set despite Dementieva struggling with her serve and double-faulting twice in the second game, once in the fourth game and twice more in the sixth.

Hingis has struggled since returning from ankle surgery. She was off the tour from May until August after tearing ligaments in her left ankle, and that followed a similar injury to her right ankle, suffered a year ago in Filderstadt.

There were no such problems for sixth seed Kim Clijsters of Belgium, who swept aside Croatia’s Iva Majoli 6-1 6-2 in just 51 minutes.

Thursday’s results:

Second round: 6-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Iva Majoli (Croatia) 6-1, 6-2; Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat 7-Martina Hingis (Switzerland) 6-3, 6-1; 4-Justine Henin (Belgium) beat Myriam Casanova (Switzerland) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.