Hingis Regains #1 Ranking

To those wondering if Martina Hingis would regain her game, the Swiss teenager provided an emphatic answer with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Venus Williams in the TIG Classic on Sunday.

"That was a great test for me to see where I'm at right now," she said. "I feel like I'm pretty good."

Hingis needed just over an hour to beat the fourth-seeded Williams for her first title since the German Open in May.

"Some people said is she ever going to come back," Hingis said. "This is a good opportunity for me to show here I am again."

Hingis also regained the No. 1 ranking she lost to Lindsay Davenport after Wimbledon, where Hingis was knocked out in the first round. Davenport will drop to No. 2 in the WTA Tour rankings released Monday. Williams remains fourth behind Steffi Graf.

Hingis has had a rough summer, losing a three-set final to Graf at the French Open where her tantrums earned the ire of booing fans. Then came her shocking early exit at Wimbledon, followed by a month off to work on her game.

That's when the critics descended, speculating about Hingis' future. "I didn't really listen," she said. "I just tried to get myself together and really think about what I want. I figured out pretty soon that I just want to play good tennis. I didn't want to be second and somewhere put aside. I'm used to being something special."

Williams, who beat Davenport 6-4, 7-5 in the semifinals, committed 32 unforced errors and won just 11 points in the second set.

"I was just too tired," she said. "She was able to make more shots. I missed quite a few which made it easy for her."

Neither player could hold serve through the first four games, then Williams went up 4-3 when Hingis netted a backhand drop volley attempt.

But Williams collapsed, losing the next nine games and first set 6-4. "She played a good match. She was making her shots. I made some bad decisions," said Williams, who is 3-7 lifetime against Hingis.

Hingis wasted no time asserting herself in the second set. She broke Williams at 15-40 in the opening game with a forehand winner down the line. Then she allowed just one point on her serve in the next game for a 2-0 lead.

Hingis broke Williams twice more, then closed out the victory on Williams' consecutive forehand errors.

"I have to learn my lessons and wait for the next opportunity," Williams said.

Hingis earned $80,000. Williams received $40,000.

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