Sixth time unlucky for Hingis

Martina Hingis wipes her brow during the Australian Open final Keystone

Switzerland's Martina Hingis has suffered a dramatic defeat in the final of the Australian Open, losing in three sets to American world number one, Jennifer Capriati.

Making her sixth consecutive appearance in the final of the Grand Slam event, the Swiss star had appeared to be on course for victory after winning the opening set 6-4 and then earning four match points in the second.

But amazingly Capriati defended all four points, going on to win the set on a tie-break before clinching the decider 6-2.

Wiping away tears as she accepted the runners-up plate, Hingis admitted that Capriati had been the better player.

“Jennifer was just too good for me here,” she told the crowd. “I think once again I had a great time here. I had a tough two months. I came back from surgery and exceeded my expectations. I don’t know whether to be pleased or cry about it.”

It was the second time in a row that Capriati had got the better of Hingis in the final of the tournament that the Swiss player once dominated.

Between 1997 and 1999 Hingis won all three of her final appearances in Melbourne, but recently she has not managed to win at any Grand Slam event since that 1999 victory.

Hingis’s Grand Slam drought is now into its fourth year, encompassing a total of 12 unsuccessful majors.

swissinfo with agencies