Hingis steams through US Open first round

Hingis is looking to win her first Grand Slam in almost three years Keystone

It took just 46 minutes for top seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland to knock her first round opponent out of the US Open in New York. She conceded just two games to Laura Granville of the United States.

World number one Hingis beat the US college champion in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0 to proceed to the second round of the Grand Slam tournament.

“To open the stadium is always a great honour,” Hingis said after the match.

“There’s pressure all the time. I love the challenge. The motivation is always there.”

But there is extra pressure to perform well in New York as the Swiss star could lose her top ranking if she is knocked out early on in the tournament. Hingis is looking to end her Grand Slam drought of almost three years, having last won a top four tournament at the 1999 Australian Open.

Russia’s Lina Krasnoroutskaya will be Hingis’ next opponent in the second round of the tournament.

Switzerland’s Miroslava Vavrinec also shone at New York when she beat Cristina Torrens Valero of Spain. Despite suffering a punishing 2-6 defeat in the opening set, Vavrinec found her momentum and conceded only two games in the next two sets to finish with a 2-6, 6-1,6-1 scorecard.

It was also a good day for Patty Schnyder, who dismissed her opponent in straight sets. The Swiss beat Paraguay’s Rossana De Los Rios 6-4, 6-1. She is set to face sixth-seed Justine Henin from Belgium in round two.

The last Swiss representative on court on Monday, Marie-Gaiane Mikaelian, was less successful than her compatriots. Playing in her first ever Grand Slam match against American Lilia Osterloh, she went down 6-4, 6-3.

The Swiss as a whole have a stronger presence in New York than at any other previous Grand Slam tournament with no less than ten players taking part in the main singles draw.

swissinfo with agencies