Martina Hingis & Belinda Bencic early exit from Tokyo

Tokyo: Former world number one Martina Hingis and rising star Belinda Bencic ended their first time together as a dream doubles team for Switzerland in the Pan Pacific Open second round Thursday.

They bowed to the top-seeded pair of Zimbabwe`s Cara Black and Sania Mirza of India 6-4, 6-2 after winning their doubles debut match against Japan`s Rika Fujiwara and Taiwan`s Hsieh Shu-Ying 6-4, 6-2 in the first round.

But the Swiss duo, who have known each other for years despite the nearly 17-year age gap, said they might team up again in WTA events in China in the coming weeks, depending on how Hingis` usual partner Italian Flavia Pennetta recovers from a recent right-foot injury.

Hingis and Bencic broke Black`s serve in the third and seventh games of the first set. But they could not hold their service right after each of the games. They lost their serve in four games in the second set of the hour-long match.

"In the second set, we were falling apart. But in the first set, we definitely had chances," said Hingis, who turns 34 at the end of this month and has won five Grand Slam singles titles and nine doubles titles.

"It was a lot of fun to bring one of the best teams to have to play their best tennis," smiled Hingis, who made her second comeback from retirement in July last year but only as a doubles player.

Partnered by Pennetta, she lost to Russia`s Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the US Open final in New York two weeks ago.

Bencic, 17, currently ranked 34th in the world and who reached the US Open singles quarter-finals in only her fourth Grand Slam appearance, said: "It was fun to play with Martina."

"If we have used the chances, maybe we`d look a little bit different. A bit unlucky as I made some stupid mistakes."

Hingis said earlier Bencic was just four years old when she first met her. Her mother Melanie Molitor has trained Bencic for 10 years along with the youngster`s father Ivan.

Recalling the "momentum and challenges here and there" in the match, Hingis said: "To be on the same side with Belinda, I really enjoyed it. Hopefully we`ll do better."

Hingis is ranked 20th in the world doubles ranking and Bencic 255th.

Both of them will compete at the top-flight $4.5 million China Open starting in Beijing on September 29 and the low-tier $250,000 WTA event in Tianjin in the week of October 6. Hingis is also booked for another WTA event in China -- the Wuhan Open next week.

About another possible pairing with Bencic, Hingis said, "It depends on how we are going to do with Flavia (Pennetta) in the next two tournaments in China."

"There is Tianjin, so that would be another possibility."

zeenews.india.com

Martina Hingis & Belinda Bencic win first doubles together in Tokyo

Former world number one Martina Hingis and rising star Belinda Bencic made their debut as a dream doubles team for Switzerland Tuesday, winning their first match together at the Pan Pacific Open.

Four-time Grand Slam singles champion Hingis, 33, and 17-year-old Bencic, who reached the US Open quarter-finals two weeks ago, combined to oust Rika Fujiwara of Japan and Taiwan`s Hsieh Shu-Ying 6-4, 6-2 in the first round.

The all-Swiss pairing was announced as a wild card only last week after Hingis`s usual partner Flavia Pennetta of Italy pulled out of the $1 million tournament with a right-foot injury.

With Pennetta, Hingis reached the US Open final but her bid for a 10th major doubles title was denied by the Russian pairing of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.

Hingis, whose mother Melanie Molitor has trained Bencic for 10 years along with the youngster`s father Ivan, said she was committed to play with Pennetta at least until the end of this year. But a regular pairing with Bencic may be possible in the future.

"We`ll see. Maybe in the future there will be other opportunities for us to do this and that will be great," Hingis said.

The second-round opponents for the Swiss duo will be either the top-seeded pair of Zimbabwe`s Cara Black and Indian Sania Mirza or unseeded Casey Dellacqua of Australia and American Lisa Raymond.

"We had to figure out each other and what our strengths and weaknesses are and how to win matches," Hingis said of the first set.

"I think we got better throughout the match today. We`re really proud of that. We have now next steps to take."

Bencic said, "In the beginning I didn`t play that good. Then I came more into the match and Martina was helping me good."

"There was no reason to be really nervous," said Bencic, who has known Hingis since she was only four years old.

There were moments of great doubles play by the Swiss.

Leading 5-4 in the first set, Hingis`s backhand drop shot from the net hit cross court at set point after Bencic served.

On Hingis`s service, Bencic`s sharp passing shot landed inside a corner to put the team ahead 5-1 in the second set.

In the singles first round, sixth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia beat Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-3 and eighth-seeded Carla Suarez of Spain outlasted Japan`s Kurumi Nara 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.

The top four seeds, including world number eight Angelique Kerber of Germany and eighth-ranked and US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, took a bye into the second round.
zeenenews.india.com

Martina Hingis & Belinda Bencic wild card doubles entries at Toray Pan Pacific in Tokyo

Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland has been granted a wild-card entry into the doubles competition at the upcoming Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, organizers announced Friday.

The 33-year-old Hingis has been paired with 17-year-old and Swiss compatriot Belinda Bencic, who made the singles quarterfinals at the recent U.S. Open, for the tournament which starts Monday at Ariake Tennis Forest Park.

Hingis retired for a second time in 2007 and returned to the sport last year. She and partner Flavia Pennetta of Italy made the final at the U.S. Open, where they lost to the Russian duo of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.

Hingis has won 43 WTA singles titles, including five Grand Slams, and 38 in doubles in her career.

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001564607

Martina Hingis withdraws from Tokyo doubles tournament

Former world number one Martina Hingis has withdrawn her wild-card doubles entry in the Pan Pacific Open women's tennis tournament in Tokyo this month, organizers said Monday.

"She will be absent from this tournament due to personal reasons," the Pan Pacific Open office said in a press release.

The 32-year-old Swiss came back from six years of retirement in July to play doubles. The winner of five Grand Slam singles titles lost in the doubles and mixed doubles first rounds last month at the US Open.

The $2.4 million Pan Pacific Open from September 22-28 will feature such stars as Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova in the singles.

globalpost.com

Martina Hingis Pan Pacific Open Champion!!

Such a lovely photo, really shows how much winning the title meant to her

Awwww

hingis.org

It's revenge week in Tokyo for Martina Hingis, she beat Ana Ivanovic in just over an hour 6-4 6-2 and took the title. Making this win her record fifth Pan Pacific Open title (she previously won it in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002). I guess she is right playing on carpet does suit her game.

This win makes it her first title this year (her 3rd one since her come back last year) and 43rd overall in her career. I am thrilled for her:), now I just can't wait to see her finally holding that elusive French Open trophy. I have a good feeling about it, and I think this is the year when it finally happens.

Great early start to the year I wish her luck in all of her other tournaments, hope that total title number keeps going up;). Congrats to Martina for another great win and another title!!

More on the match

Hingis storms past Dementieva in Tokyo

hingis.org

Looks like Martina got her revenge (I love writing that), she beat Elena Dementieva in straight sets 6-4 6-3 booking her place in the final with Ana Ivanovic (Sharapova retired with a hamstring injury).

This will mark their second meeting the last time these two played each other was last year in the finals of Montreal where Ivanovic was the victor. Here is hoping Hingis gets her revenge again and takes the title. Good luck Martina and congrats on the huge win! :).

More about the match here

Martina Hingis in the semis of Tokyo Pan Pacific Open

It was an easy victory for Martina today she steam rolled passed Australian Samantha Stosur 6-0 6-1 to reach the semis in Tokyo. Now she'll once again face Elena Dementiava, the two played each other last year in the finals of the same tournament.

This will mark their 7th meeting (they're 3-3 in head to head), something tells me that Martina really wants to win this one, looking for a little revenge. Though the final won't be any easier then the semis she'll either have to face Sharapova or Ivanovic (she did beat Sharapova last year in Tokyo so I'm hoping for another meeting with those two). And I'm crossing my fingers and wishing her lots of luck tomorrow in her meeting with Dementieva.

Tokyo Pan Pacific 2007 pics

Just 'cause I'm in the mood here are some pics of Martina and the other players from Tokyo.

Is it me or is Sharapova always doing a model pose? lol

Just some pics from the press conference

Li Na, Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis

Love this pic they both look like they're going to scratch each others eyes out lol

hingis.org