Hingis speeds to Swisscom Challenge in Zurich

Hingis (left), fresh from her victory in Germany, has never won a major tournament in Switzerland Keystone

Fresh from her 32nd career title in Filderstadt, Germany, Martina Hingis is on her way to Zurich to compete in the Swisscom Challenge.

The tournament is one of the most important European indoor events on the WTA Tour, and Hingis will be striving to win her first tournament title on home-soil.

On Sunday, Hingis left the Filderstadt tournament after winning her fourth Porsche in five years.

The Swiss player raced through her week in Filderstadt without dropping a single set and appears to be the overwhelming favourite for the Kloten tournament.

Hingis’s main rival for Switzerland’s biggest women’s tennis title will be America’s Lindsay Davenport, following Venus Williams’ late withdrawal from the event.

Patty Schnyder and Emmanuelle Gagliardi are the only other Swiss women vying for the $1 million (SFr1.7 million) prize money, after the talented teenager, Daniella Casanova, was beaten in the first qualifying round by Germany’s Jana Kadarr.

Gagliardi’s chances look slim. If she can beat Australia’s Jelena Dokic in the first round, her only reward will be the chance to take on Hingis in round two.

And there could be another all-Swiss dual in the quarterfinals, if Patty Schnyder wins her first round match against a qualifier and then goes on to beat the winner of the match between Elena Dementieva of Russia, and Ruxandra Dragomir of Romania.

swissinfo with agencies