No Grand Return for the Swiss Miss

Having made a much-anticipated return to doubles earlier this summer, Martina Hingis was ready to take over the biggest stages, as she continued her partnership with Slovak Daniela Hantuchova to make her Grand Slam comeback at the US Open. 

Since teaming up at the beginning of the North American hardcourt season, Martina and Daniela have only won three matches, losing in the second round in Carlsbad, Toronto and Cincinnati, and the opening round in New Haven. They have been pretty unlucky as far as the draws were concerned, but still, it seems the Swiss Miss needs some time to readjust to the rigours and the updated rules of the WTA tour. 

In New York, the fan-favourite duo have once again been extremely unlucky, being drawn against world No.1's and defending champions, Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci, in the first round. In a highly entertaining encounter, Hingis and Hantuchova played a solid match, before Martina's nerves got the best of her. The Swiss double-falted on the final point, gifting their opponents a 6-3,7-5 victory. "The draw didn't help to play the champion number one seeds," Hingis said. "They had to play well against us but definitely not an easy challenge the first Grand Slam back in it. Definitely we had our chances. We have to take them, too."

Unfortunately for the Swiss Miss, more bad news followed, as she lost her first round mixed-doubles match too. At the end of another nail-biter, Hingis and Indian doubles legend, Mahesh Bhupathi, succumbed 6-7,6-7 to Taiwan's Chan Yung-Jan and Sweden's Robert Lindstedt. Asked to evaluate her results, Martina declared: "I wish I was winning. It would help to win some matches for confidence," she confessed. "Maybe hardcourt is not the easiest one to come back to, playing eight weeks in a row. My body is screaming, 'What are you doing to me?'"

Despite the disappointing performances, Martina is determined to carry on with her plans. "I always play tennis to win matches and tournaments," she said. "We've been close." She and Hantuchova are scheduled to compete in Tokyo and Beijing. Let's go Hingis, let's unravel the doubles magic!

Facing an unlucky draw, Martina and Daniela could not make it past the first round, losing 3-6,5-7 to world No.1s, Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.

photos: GETTY IMAGES