Here's the link page to the WTA tournaments going on this week, by the way, the WTA website has a new format--looks good.

http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/draws/

Next up for Hingis at the Gold Coast is Koukalova, the number seven seed--this will be her test and I hope she passes.

[ January 03, 2006, 05:21 AM: Message edited by: shore ]

The exhibition Hopman Cup is also being played at the moment over in Perth.It doesn't have high ranked players in 2006, particularly after Safin withdrew, but it draws huge crowds and 8 hours of television time daily.

I have been impressed by Ana Ivanovic as it was the first time I have seen her in action. Heavy serve, big forehand and good attitude though she has not yet developed a strong defensive game. Ana looks fit, arrived in Australia before Christmas and has been working out at Melbourne Park. I expect her to do well this summer.

Also in Perth is Michaella Krajicek. She has a big game with a excellent serve.Much potential. She has been inconsistent this week losing to Peng in the qualifying, and Stosur yesterday, but she just needs matches at this stage coming back after injuries in 2005. It seems to me she has already around for some time but I see she is only 16 and like 10 years younger than Venus!!

Davenport, Clijsters and the Williams sisters are playing the exhibition in Hong Kong this year and only Clijsters playing Sydney. Strange preparation playing mainly evening matches in winter under lights.

I believe the appearance money is fabulous.

Apparently Sharapova's pectoral muscle injury just hasn't healed and there is a chance she may not play in Australia this summer.

I also wonder about Serena Williams at the moment and whether she will also come down to Australia this year, she hasn't played since the US Open, was entered for only doubles in Hong Kong but I see now that she is listed to play singles. Wait and see.

HIngis wins again, beating Koukalova 3-2. Also, glad to see Daniela Hantuchova winning in New Zealand, where she is the number 2 seed, after Petrova. I'm hoping Daniela can win this tournament.

Another nice win for Hingis. Koukalova is ranked in the mid-thirties, I believe number 35, so she's a step up from beating Vento-Kabchi. Martina's in the quarters now against Nuria Llagostera Vives, so you have to like her chances of getting to the semifinals.

Hingis is clearly playing a lot better than she was last year, and just based on the two easy wins so far, you would have to expect her to beat Llagostera-Vives. A possible semifinal match against her doubles partner, Tatiana Golovin, could be interesting, as Tati has more pop than her other opponents so far.

Patty Schnyder, the top seed and defending champ here, also started off well, thumping Angela Haynes 6-3,6-0.

Indeed the Hingis-Golovin match will be interesting, if only to see how Golovin handles HIngis' game of mental prowess. Given that Hingis' style of play has been missing, I'm eager to see how the big hitters handle her game.

Just to distract us all from the Hingis-fest for a moment (I never was a fan, so I'm trying to refrain from snarky comments), Serena lost to Dementieva in Hong Kong, in straight sets, no less. This doesn't bode well. One line from the article made me think about her motivation: "Williams' lack-lustre display is likely to give ammunition to her critics who say she has lost focus after winning every honour in the game and amassing 16 million dollars in prize money."

To that end, what's left for her to play for? She's won every slam, has an Olympic gold medal, has $$$. Is this the beginning of the end? I hope not, since she's one of the WTA's star attractions (because lets be honest, is the casual tennis fan really passionate about Hingis's return?).

[ January 04, 2006, 08:01 AM: Message edited by: Neptune ]

Maybe Serena will draw Hingis in the first round at Oz and be motivated to open a can of whoop ass!

I think Serena's days of dominance are probably over, but she can still beat anyone on the tour when she's healthy, in shape, and puts her mind to it. The loss to Dementieva may not bode well for Serena's Aussie Open defense, but as a general indicator of her direction for the year, I wouldn't put too much on it. Strange things happen in exhibition matches.

[ January 04, 2006, 09:10 AM: Message edited by: Gaga4Gaby ]

G4G, I'm surprised by your statement regarding Serena opening a can of whoop ass on Hingis--I thought you actually liked and wished well for Hingis. It would be tragic to see her get such a first round opponent--who knows, maybe even Hingis could play one of her vintage matches and whoop up on a not-ready-to-compete Serena.

And Neptune, I for one am more excited about Hingis' return than Serena's lack of commitment.

Oh, I was just kidding. I do hope Hingis does well - I think she's great for the game. But a first round match up against a Williams sister or even Amelie Mauresmo would have such a fantastic drama factor!

Neither Martina nor Serena are tops on my personal faves list, but I want both of them to play well and bring the fun back to women's tennis. At least until they face off against Amelie. Then just lose, please.

I would hope, that maybe in the most indirect way, Hingis coming back would provide incentive to the other players.

Venus just needs to beat Hingis once to tie them for head-to-head matches, and twice to have a winning record against her. Serena, although having a winning record currently against Hingis, I'm sure would love to extend that winning record.

Mauresmo, as polite and thick-skinned as she is, I'm sure hasn't forgotten the "half a man" comment.

What about some of the Russians? I'd think Sharapova would love to bitch-slap Hingis back into retirement. Or Dimentieva, Myskina, Petrova, or Zvonvereva for that matter? What better way to exorcise their "Russian Head Trauma" demons than to beat the player who was so well known for being mentally tough?

How about Schnyder? I'd think she'd want to be the Swiss queen of tennis all by herself.

I'd think this list of players, and many others, would love to open an Industrial-Sized-Costco-Can-O-Whoop-Ass on Hingis, in any round of any tournament.

Hell, maybe it would motivate Steffi to get back out there and teach (or is that re-teach) her a lesson.

They'd like to, but I'm beginning to wonder how many of them *can* open that Industrial-Size Can. Lord knows I want Amelie and the Williams sisters to do just that, but Serena had better be on something other than the Brett Ratner Fitness Plan if she has any hope of defending her title.

Hingis is definitely in better shape than she was when she made her last mini-comeback. If you can't tell from the pictures, the scores so far seem to prove it. I've been a doubter, esp after a recent Team Tennis loss to Stosur, but now I really think she can go head to head with most of the top 20; even heavy hitters like Sharapova are not consistently overwhelming these days -- they'd have to be on fire to clown and beatdown a crafty strategist like Hingis. Her possible final against Schnyder this week will be the first real test. If she doesn't make it there, I take back all of the above wink

Well, besides the virtue of her mere presence on the tour for inspiration, Hingis seems to already be working her magic and offering up an invite for Sharapova to open up that can of whoop ass!

Once you pop, you can't stop!

We'll have to wait and see about Hingis' game, but there's no doubt, her mouth has had a very successful comeback.

Go, Martina, Go! You know all men's sports have this kind of sporty provocation, why shouldn't women's tennis? Why should women's tennis be all polite when we know it ain't nothing like that behind the scenes?..uh huuuuuh...

I think many a casual tennis fan will enjoy Hingis's return. She's a star and she ruled in Australia for a few years. It's great for the game.

Serena appears to have shown up once again underpracticed and not ready to compete. Too many television guest spots? Too much Hollywood glamour? Glad to see LD come out and notch a win immediately...let's see how Venus and Kim do...

[ January 04, 2006, 07:45 PM: Message edited by: Bryan ]

Go Kimmie!

Now that tennis is back on the television, I keep my tv on the tennis channel all day, even when I'm not in my aprt--it keeps my dog company. But I love coming in and seeing what's on. Just today I caught a show profiling Natalie Dechy. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Mauresmo and Henin-Hardenne were the maids of honor at her wedding, and she considers them her best friends on the tour. Mauresmo the loner and Justine the spoiler, friends with one of the nicest on tour. And I think the majority of players like Hingis too, more so than the public maybe--I don't think Hingis is a polarizing on the tour as she seems to be to the public.

My favorite part of that article was her comment about how some of the other "girls still have respect..." Reminds me how she used to endear herself with comments like: "[I heard my next round opponent's pre-match interview.] She was respectful. That means the match is already half-won."
That's just the kind of abrasiveness we need to enliven the tour!

Venus and Serena lost to Clijsters / Mirza 8-7 in the Hong Kong exhibition. Apparently it was aces and errors out of the sisters.

I've been biting my tongue, since I know a sizable portion of this board likes Hingis. But I have to say, it was this kind of imperious attitude that turned me off of her. After her silly French Open final against Graf, I find it really hard to root for her. And even though I tend to root for an underdog, I'm someone who usually supports top athletes who try to find their old dominating selves as part of their second acts (e.g. Graf, Navratilova, Seles, Andre).

Yes, yes, I know Hingis has a great cerebral game. And I am forced to admit that she is good for women's tennis in the sense that she forces the big hitters like Sharapova, Davenport, Serena, and Venus to add more dimensions to their games--hit drop shots, go for sharp angles, moonball, whatever. But like with TO, I can respect Hingis's skills while disliking the persona.

Anyways, I'll shut up now and aspire to follow the saying "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all..."

[ January 04, 2006, 03:43 PM: Message edited by: Neptune ]

I think it is fair to say that most people here like the Hingis game but not her personally.

I thought with this comeback she might have learnt something from the past and hired a media coach but that clearly has not been the case.If she uses these comments as part of gameswomenship is it any worse than an opponent calling a trainer out at a critical moment mid match for a leg massage??

There are some here who are offended by her comments and other who find they give a bit of flavour, and needle, in interviews. Hingis in her awkward way just says exactly what she is thinking and I don't think it is going to change.

It gives some spice I suppose to the womens scene as her press conferences are packed with journalists waiting, and sometimes baiting, for the next headline to come out of her mouth. Compare her style to how some of the other leading women handle interviews: Davenport,well mannnered and classy but has been delivering the same boring pitty pat for 12 years, JHH controlled and insightful,Clijsters bubbly, happy and relaxed. Mauresmo poised and vulnerable and the Williams sisters who only ever talk about themselves.They are all different.

I want to see Hingis eventually mixing it with the top 10 again, simply to see her skill, but I accept along the way she is going to put her foot in her mouth.

I actually find Davenport to be refreshingly candid, rather than the "same old boring pittypat." Which is one of the reasons I like her so much.

As for Hingis's irrepressible mouth being gamesmanship, it's hard for me to equate that with, e.g., taking fake injury timeouts. Although it's not common in tennis, that kind of verbal jousting is part and parcel of virtually every American sport (maybe not golf, if you consider that a sport). Xanthos, maybe that's not the case in Australia. In any event, Hingis is in some ways quintessentially American, regardless of her true nationality.

I am also a great fan of Davenport but she has given thousands of interviews she has learnt to say the right things about the match,her opponent, the weather and the tournament.She is professional about it,smiles, gets the job done, but I always feel I know what she is going to say next. Whereas Hingis usually has a time bomb ticking away in her mouth.

I was trying to make the point that verbal jousting/head games and fake injury timeouts are, in my view, as equally irritating as each other. It was an odious comparison I agree. It is of course similar here too.

It is not for me to comment on but I am sure you are going to get some feedback here after describing Hingis as "quintessentially American"

Hingis beats Llagostera Vives 6/0 in the third. The real test still is Schnyder if they both get to the final.

[ January 05, 2006, 04:23 AM: Message edited by: xanthos ]

Hingis wins, but her countrywoman lost. Oh, I should have looked at the draw to see who's next and who awaits in the final, but just to get this far is a nice showing for her. Go Hingis.

Pennetta is Hingis' next opponent, and I'm guessing she'll get past her. The final will be interesting, as she'll be facing either Safarova or Safina. Safina's the more familiar player, but Safarova is a young player who has had some very good results.

I don't know anything about Pennetta's game, but I want to assume that she's not going to hit Hingis off the court. Pennetta is #23 in the world and the tournament's fourth seed ... should be interesting!

If Martina continues to win, you have to figure she'll face Safina in the final. And while Dinara is capable of hitting Martina off the court, she's also capable of hitting herself off the court.

[ January 05, 2006, 06:02 AM: Message edited by: Gaga4Gaby ]

That's the case with the three other women left. They are all capable of beating Hingis. Flavia can hit the ball hard, but she's inconsistent. Safarova won a couple tournaments last year and is poised to take the next step.

I would be most interested in a Safina/Hingis final. Safina is right there, ready to move up. I think her expereince in the Fed Cup last fall will be a confidence boost. I have watched and re-watched her doubles match win, and at times, she was the best on the court (she played with Dementieava, Pierce, and Mauresmo). I just couldn't beleive some of the shots she came up with. Of course she had a lot of errors too, but I think her role in Russia's win will bode well for her this year.

Oh, I definitely meant that for better or worse.
I'm also expecting a Hingis v. Safina final. Then all predictions are off.

I think the Tennis Channel is broadcasting the final -- I'm hoping for Hingis vs. Safina, though Safarova sounds interesting too. I agree with G4G about that Fed Cup doubles match, it was Safina who really came through on the key points -- I was impressed. Haven't seen her play singles much, though.

I get a kick out of Hingis's mouthiness when it relates to something like these Sharapova remarks, which are just Ali-like boxer challenges.

But I don't get a kick out of what she's said in the past about Mauresmo and -- though others don't see it this way -- the Williams sisters. So I guess I'm split about her: I love watching her game and think her mouthiness can be funny, but there are other players I amire more and prefer to root for.

Speaking of timeout gamesmanship, I speed-read Nick Bollitieri's(sp) autobiography the other day and the chapters about Mary Pierce are sometimes hilarious. They make for a real odd couple.

I am starting to have this sinking feeling that perhaps the Williams sisters will not come down to Australia this summer. Serena is still out of shape, and, in Hong Kong seems disinterested at the moment, and Venus got hurt but continued in her match against Mirza.

Hope I am wrong.

Hey Xanthos, thanks for the reports...getting us ready for the big one coming up. At this time of year here with pro and college football, tennis doesn't get much attention.

Alicia Molik had a nice run last year. Is she back from her illness (wasn't it an illness rather than an injury)? And what about Justine...is she scheduled to play? Any word on JenCap...is she also not showing?

Btw...Kooyong=Australia Tennis Central? I remember that term from when the Aussie was played on grass. Still the same site, just that other surface?

I'd just as soon Serena didn't show up; no sinking feeling here. Since I hail from the States I'd want to be able to whole-heartedly root for a compatriot, rather than worry. That's just me though; I'm not advancing a cause.

Molik was going to take an extended absence to try to recover. Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if she never returned.

Hingis lost 2-6 in the 3rd set to Pennetta. Safina also lost. Didn't expect those 2 results, rather those 2 to meet in the finals.

Decent run by Martina, though!

And she withdrew from doubles with a hip flexor strain. I'm going back to bed to recover from all this sadness--Hantuchova also lost. Roger in Qatar is my only hope for the day.

I'm kind of surprised that Safina lost, too. After Schnyder lost, I thought it would have been hers to win.

I'm not so much surprised by Hingis' loss. In all honesty, she did better than I thought she would. An injury after just 3 matches into the comeback can't be a good sign, though. But that's OK, according to McEnroe she'll be "back in the top 10 almost instantly" anyway.

I'm really bummed Hantuchova lost too, but what's this with Zvonereva?? eek! If she wins against Bartoli and takes the ASB classic, could that mean she's actually on the road to recovery from Russian Head Trauma?? eek!

I think semis in her first tourney back is a good result. Hingis played well this week. Hopefully the injury isn't too serious and she'll continue to makes strides. Her comeback certainly has added a lot of fun to the start of the tennis season!

Shriver is predicting top 10 also although, more rationally, by the end of the year. SI's Jon Wertheim is guessing somewhere between 11 -15, which would be my guess too.

As for Z's victory -- Hantuchova isn't exactly the fount of consistency, now is she? Although she has the game to beat a lot of players, I think she's also capable of losing to just about anyone. Sort of like...Zvonereva.

Speaking of which, where is Myskina? I used to think her French Open performance was flukey, until I saw her take out Sharapova pretty convincingly in a subsequent match. I miss her. And Chanda Rubin, and of course our girl Monica frown

Hey Good Hands, Molik got the ear virus,vestibular neuronitis early last year and tried a couple of comebacks but it apparently hadn't cleared her system. She said at the New Haven (USA) tournament in August that she was going to take 12 months off to completely recover. I see that she is doing some commentary work at the moment.

JHH is already in Sydney and is scheduled to play at the Sydney event starting Monday. I saw her practising at Olympic Park on Wednesday with her husband, who incidentally is a very good player. I guess they must have met on the circuit at some stage.

My opinion is that JHH has never really captured the form she was in 2003/early 2004, when she was so dominant, before she became ill. Sure she won in Athens in 2004, and the French last year, but apparently the virus will always remain in her body so she has to space her tournament play and limit her training sessions.I also noted late last year that she was serving poorly and has a techical flaw where she is not pushing off properly with her right leg and reaching up for the ball.She has a manufactured rather than a natural serve and I saw she was getting some service coaching from Tony Roche this week.

I know that most of the gang here dislike JHH, for various reasons, but I have travelled abroad just to see her play. When JHH is in full flight, confident and seeing the ball early her whipped backhand crosscourt drive is one of the greatest shots in womens tennis, certainly over the last 10 years.

Yep, you are correct Kooyong is the place where the Open used to be played, on grass, before moving to Melbourne Park. Kooyong is actually a private club and the members allowed the LTA to hold the Open there annually.However, it needed upgrading, a surface change but the negotiations fell through and the LTA decided to build Flinders Park(now Melbourne Park)with finacial assistance from the Victorian Government. The rest is history.The fact Rebound Ace was the selected surface finish was the only mistake in my view.

Kooyong Tennis Club,which is close to Melbourne Park, converted some of their courts to Rebound Ace and the exhibition is held there for the Top 8 men, one week before the Open.

I really don't know about Capriati and her rehabilitation from shoulder problems. I do know she is not coming to Australia this summer. Perhaps some of the other posters here know more.

[ January 06, 2006, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: xanthos ]

Thanks for the info, Xanthos. I actually meant was JenCap playing down under, so you've answered that. I had thought she was going to be back by now....maybe that was just speculation about a future return date, and also because it's been a good tourney for her.

Great description of the serve being manufactured rather than natural (JHH's in this case). Sampras always had such a fluid motion when he served. On the women's side....hmmm, Martina N. comes to mind. Who among active (under 45) players has a natural serve do you think?

Too bad about Molik. She was a late bloomer, and it was fun to see her realize her potential.

some bigger names step up next week, especially at the medibank international. unfortunately for the hingis supporters, she didn't catch much of a break and faces jhh in the first round -- a big test for both.

see the draw here

OH God, what a first round matchup--test for both of them indeed, and a match I've wanted to see for a long time, just wish both of them could be in top shape and preparedness.

I also like the Hantuchova-Mirza matchup.

And how is Schnyder the third seed and JHH the fifth? How did I miss this ascent?

[ January 07, 2006, 08:28 AM: Message edited by: shore ]

Oh my....two WTA players I can't stand. Who to root for? In this one...I'm gonna have to root for Justine *gags* for the simple reason that Martina turns my stomach slightly more than Justine does. Excuse me while I puke for actually having to root for Justine to win.

Absolutely, a terrific match for those of us in control of our digestive systems. It really is a shame that it has to be in the first round.

I was lucky enought to sit in the interview room at Wimbledon a few years ago after Venus beat Lindsay in the semi's and they are pretty dull. The questions are lame and the interviewers really ask the same questions over and over. Not only that but the players then have to go do the Big Network interviews right after. Venus was really the dullest of the two. But I did all I could do not to ask the really good questions. Like "Why in Hell Lindsay when you fought from 5-1 down in the second did you get so pissy about everything." Or to Venus "Why do you feel the need to shreak like mad women to get you back in line to win a match, surely your talent is better then gamemanship?" But they don't ask the big stars the big questions as it is all respect "pitter pat stuff" I guess that is the way the world goes round. MH will say what she wants as she doesn't follow those rules I like that about her but. Just a little "interview insite for those of you that have never seen it really in action. And also there were no more than 5 or six reporters there as at wimbledon they feed the interviews all over so any reporter can get it downloaded or watch it live with out even going. I was lucky enough to sit in a press box during Jcap/JHH semi and LD/VW and most of the reporters were watch the Cricket or down at the bar, match summaries are pre written. That was dissapointing for me but hey A/C press box on Center court! Who cares what the rest of them are doing.

Jus(CREA)tine Henin just beat Chucky Hingass 6-3, 6-3. SPLAT!!!!

Ok ok...I guess I can be a bit more mature than that. Sorry..I just really can't stand either one of them.

The only upside was that Martina was able to get one break from Justine. Justine won the first set serving at a horrid 25%. This is pretty routine and what I expected. Justine has been out for awhile now and still made it look easy. Even the scoreline makes it seem more difficult than it actually was for Justine. And who exactly was predicting a 3 setter? Hmmmph!! I hope Martina draws Justine again first round for the Aussie Open.