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Hingis storms into semi-finals at Gold Coast
On comeback trail, Hingis is continuing with her good show at the Australian Women Hardcourt tournament. She did lose a set, but finally won her quarterfinal match in emphatic style
Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis continued her professional comeback with a win on Thursday in the quarter finals of the Australian Women's Hardcourt tournament.
Hingis, 25, retired due to injury three years ago but has made her most determined comeback to the game at the Gold Coast tournament where she wiped out Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives 6-2, 4-6, 6-0.
The five-time Grand Slam champion will also play in the Sydney International later this month before taking a wild card entry into the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 16.
Asked about whether Serbian-Australian Dokic, who has slipped to 349 in the world rankings, could also make a comeback, Hingis said: "Does she really want it? That's the question. "She was number four in the world at her peak. It's pretty much up to her how far she wants to take it."
Dokic has withdrawn from next week's Canberra International due to a recurrence of an injury to her left abductor muscle but is still preparing to play in the Australian Open.
Asked about comments from world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport and other players that it might be difficult to climb back to the top of women's tennis, Hingis said she had "no reaction".
"You always have those doubts but I can only show them the results. Either you belong to the top or you don't," she said. "I can only play match by match and get out there and compete."
Llagostera Vives also had no doubts that Hingis had the capability to return.
"She's done everything in tennis so I don't see why she can't do it again but it's too early to say because you never know what can happen," she said. "(But) this is her first tournament and she could get injured or there could be other problems."
Hingis will now play Italy's world No. 23 Flavia Pennetta in the semi-final. World No.20 Dinara Safina will meet either defending champion Patty Schnyder or Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in the semi-finals after beating Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1, 6-3 earlier on Thursday.
