Swiss celebrate weekend of sport success
Swiss tennis player Martina Hingis has stormed to a record fifth Pan Pacific Open title in Tokyo on Sunday, beating Serbia's Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-2.
There was also a Swiss victory in winter sports, with Ivo Rüegg winning a gold medal in Four-Man World Bobsleigh Championship in the Swiss resort of St Moritz.
Hingis, the former world number one, outclassed Ivanovic, finishing the final in 71 minutes. It is Hingis’ third singles title since returning to professional tennis in 2006.
“Winning [tournaments] is twice as sweet this time round definitely,” said Hingis. “It used to be so normal for me in 1997 and 1998.”
“I never thought I’d have the chance to win tournaments again. This time it feels like I really deserve it. I’m more proud this time round.”
One break was enough for Hingis to take the first set. She then gained a 4-0 lead in the second and cruised home to victory.
Hingis previously won in Tokyo in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2000, making it her most successful competition. Sunday’s win is her 43rd careers singles title.
The 26-year-old won five grand slam singles titles between 1997 and 1999 before leaving the game at the end of 2002 due to nagging foot and ankle trouble.
Ivanovic had beaten second seed Hingis in straight sets in Montreal last year in their only other meeting, but the 19-year-old fifth seed could not match Hingis’ precision in Tokyo.
“It didn’t feel good really,” said Ivanovic. “But it was great to be in the final against Martina. She played an unbelievable match.”
Rankings
Hingis, who reached the quarter-finals of last month’s Australian Open, is set to remain at number six when the new world rankings are released on Monday.
“Hopefully I can be more successful this year,” said Hingis. “This year I want to prove myself even more.”
Swiss tennis is currently enjoying a boom, with world number one, the seemingly unstoppable Roger Federer leading the way.
Last Sunday Federer won his third Australian Open after beating Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 in Melbourne.
He improved his winning streak to a career-best 36 matches and advanced through a major without dropping a set for the first time. Federer has now won ten grand slam titles.
Winter sports
It was a weekend of success for Swiss athletes in other sports as well.
On Sunday Ivo Rüegg propelled Switzerland to an upset gold medal in Four-Man World Bobsleigh Championship at the Swiss resort of St Moritz.
It was the first four-man gold medal for the Swiss since Gustav Weder won in 1993. Last Sunday Ivo Rüegg won the silver in the two-man bob competition.
Meanwhile, Toni Livers unexpectedly won Switzerland’s first-ever cross-country world cup race, with a victory over 15 kilometres in Davos, coming in at exactly the same time as Frenchman Vincent Vittoz. Livers’ previous best had been 14th place.
However, hopes of medals at the Alpine World Ski Championships in Are, Sweden, have been dashed by the weather, which has led to the cancellation of both the men’s and women’s super-G races. These will take place on Monday and Tuesday.
swissinfo with agencies
Born in 1980, Martina Hingis is a right-handed player. She lives and train in Trubbach, Switzerland, and Wesley Chapel, Florida, United States.
She won $182,000 for her victory in Tokyo. She is currently fourth in the WTA’s all-time list of women prize money winners with just under $20 million.
The former world number one is now sixth in the WTA rankings.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.