Hingis building her confidence after comeback
Charles Grandmont
Former world number one Martina Hingis advanced to the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open on Thursday, cementing her comeback from an injury with a decisive 6-4 6-2 win over Argentina's Clarisa Fernandez.
The $1.2 million Canadian Open is the first tournament Hingis has played in three months, having undergone surgery to repair ligaments in her left ankle in May.
"I worked quite hard over the last six weeks and sometimes it still feels a little funny being out there, but I feel like with every match I'm getting better and trying to get back on track," Hingis told reporters.
"Compared with my first match, I was definitely at a better level. I'm obviously happy about the way I played," the 21 year-old Swiss said.
"I was reading her game quite well, I knew what she was trying to do and I feel like I was the one attacking all time, dominating the match."
American second seed and world number three Jennifer Capriati advanced to a quarter-final showdown with Belgium's Justine Henin with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Japan's Ai Sugiyama.
Capriati swiftly sailed through the first set, but was down 5-2 in the second before she roared back, winning five straight games to take the set 7-5.
"I was just a little mad at myself that I let her get this lead and just played some loose points and maybe just lost concentration," Capriati said.
Sugiyama beat Capriati in the quarter-finals of the Los Angeles Open last week, but the American said she was more prepared and less tired on Thursday.
"From the first point, I was really ready for her and just ready to give it all. I felt a lot better physically, so I was just more confident."
World number six Henin advanced to the quarter-finals by beating Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-3 7-6.
"I'll have nothing to lose tomorrow and everything to win," Henin said. "(Capriati) is in good shape and very confident and I will have to play an aggressive and steady tennis."
Yugoslavia's third seed Jelena Dokic advanced to the quarter-finals, where she will meet Hingis, by beating American Alexandra Stevenson 1-6 7-5 6-1.
"(Hingis) hasn't played in a long time, so she's probably not at her best yet," Dokic said.
In other third round games, Austria's Barbara Schett upset fourth seed Kim Clijsters 6-4 6-4 and will meet Slovakia's eighth seed Daniela Hantuchova, who beat South Africa's Amanda Coetzer 6-1 6-3, in the quarter-finals.
Seventh-seeded Amelie Mauresmo beat American Laura Granville 7-6 7-6 and will meet Colombia's Fabiola Zuluaga, who beat Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3 6-2, in the quarter-finals.
