Well, I'm a little late but I was finally able to see Monday's match that Hingis played in Sydney against unseeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic. Boy, what a thrilling 3 setter!.
Before I start the play by play of the match, I just have to say I have no idea why people are so hugely disappointed with this loss. I mean it is a loss but take a look at how hard Hingis fought through it. I haven't seen her fight this hard since the end of last year.
And I love the fact that she doesn't give up when she loses the first set, instead she regroups and is able to take it to a 3rd. Against someone like Jankovic that's no small feat. And again I just think that's such a huge improvement from last year where she usually lost in 2 if she was not able to win the opening set.
Now on to the match, in the opening game of the 1st set Hingis couldn't hold serve, and double faulted giving Jankovic the point. Then Jankovic held serve at love for a 0/2 lead. Martina held her serve in the 3rd game for 1/2.
Jankovic won the next game with a great rally and wonderful effort from both players to go up 1/3. Hingis held serve next for 2/3 and broke Jankovic's serve at love for 3/all. Hingis held serve again to lead 3/4 but Jankovich broke right back for 4/all. Than broke Hingis to go up 4/5. Jankovic served out the first set 4/6 on her second match point afer just 32 minutes.
The second set started off better for Hingis she held serve and after a long rally won the 1st game with a great dropshot (she had quite of few of those in the match). Then Hingis had a 40/love lead and a chance for a break point on Jankovic's serve but lost it. And Jankovic evened it out at 1/all.
Martina held serve for 1/2 but Jankovic broke right back, than broke Hingis to go up 2/3. Jankovic held her serve next and went up 2/4. Hingis then saved a double break point, won the game and broke Jankovic's serve to even things out at 4/all. She won that last point with a superb rally that once again proves why she's still one of the best.
After this Jankovic started to look a little sluggish and seemed to be having physical problems (possibly with her back). Which allowed Hingis to hold her serve and then break to take the match to a 3rd set on her 3rd match point with a result of 6/4.
Before the start of the 3rd set Jankovic called for a trained who checked her blood pressure. There was nothing wrong with her really I think it was just low energy and exhaustion probably still feeling the after effects of her long matches in Auckland shortly before this tournament. Unfortunetly for Hingis she recovered half way through the 3rd set.
Hingis won the first game of the 3rd set but Jankovic held her serve for 1/all, in another tough first game (this match had some outstanding rallies). Jankovic broke serve for 1/2 and held serve for 1/3. Hingis broke back at love for 3/2 but again Jankovic held serve for a 2/4 lead.
Then Hingis saved a triple break point on her serve (with more amazing shots and long rallies) but coudn't pull it off and lost the point allowing Jankovic to go up 2/5. Next Hingis saved 2 match points, Jankovic double faulted giving Martina the point for 3/5. Hingis then got a break point ( still on Jankovic's serve) but missed and the game went to duece, Hingis had 2 more break point opportunities but coudn't convert and Jankovich won on her 3rd match point with a result of 3/6.
I have actually never seen Jankovic play so this was interesting to watch. She seems to be an all court player like Martina (though Hingis is still better at dropshots and volleys). She also throws in lots of angles and pretty amazing cross courts that had even Hingis smiling.
She also hits very hard ground strokes which is how she was able to move Martina around quite a bit and forced her to stay mostly behind the baseline. Jankovic also forced Hingis to hit a lot of extra shots.
Despite the loss the match was a very close one. I think Hingis performed absolutely great throughout. And based on this performance I think she has great chances at the open this year. Especially since fitness was not a problem in the match. This match was great practice for The Aussie Open and I think she'll do quite well there, just as she has in the past.
Also I read on one of the boards a comment someone made about Martina's ego, I have news for you every athlete has an ego. They woudn't be in the sport and probably wouldn't be as good if they didn't.
And just one final comment, I really think fans should stop putting Hingis on a pedastal. Every player loses, and every player has bad days, no player is indestructible and as I've said before Hingis is only human.
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