Hingis though to last eight
Martina Hingis took another step towards completing a glorious comeback to the WTA Tour by advancing to the last eight of the French Open on Monday.
Hingis started the day level at one-set all with Israel’s Shaher Peer but summoned all her experience to complete a 6-3 2-6 6-3 victory and set up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with Kim Clijsters.
The 25-year-old Swiss admitted the bad light on Sunday came at just the right time.
“Yesterday was difficult, we played under difficult conditions,” she said.
“We waited for a long time and then we split sets.
“But I think it was better for me because I could go out there fresh (on Monday).”
Hingis is a former world number one and won five grand slam titles between 1997 and 1999, although she was never successful at the French Open. She retired due to serious foot and ankle injuries in 2002 before launching a comeback at the start of the current season.
Her return stepped up a gear when she won the Italian Open in the build-up to Roland Garros.
A clash with Clijsters will certainly test her credentials but Hingis is in the enviable position of playing without fear.
“What gave me the biggest confidence was winning in Rome,” she added.
“I played six matches in seven days. Now I know that I can survive anything.
“It does not matter what’s coming up next. I just have to play my tennis and prepare as best as I possibly can.”
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