Former world No.1 Martina Hingis yesterday claimed a record fifth Pan Pacific Open title, beating fifth-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-4, 6-2.
The 26-year-old Swiss Miss added to the titles she won in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002.
"I knew before the match that I could make the record. I really feel at home being here in front of the crowd and the public have been supporting me the last 10 years I've been able to play here," Hingis said.
PHOTO: AP
"Last year, I was already happy to make the final. I had a win over Maria Sharapova, and this year Ana was the winner over her. I think the last time we played was also in the final, so I had nothing to lose basically," she said.
"She had a great tournament to get into the finals. Now we have 1-1 [head-to-head against Ivanovic], so hopefully there will be many more finals against each other," Hingis said.
Ivanovic, who lost her opening service game after four deuces, fired a couple of fine service return winners to tie the first set 2-2, but it was her last break opportunity of the match.
Hingis proved the better player in long rallies, winning 19 points in a row from 30-30 in the eighth game to 0-15 in the third game of the second set.
After losing the first set, a disappointed Ivanovic hit three double faults to lose the first game of the second set, and never recovered, allowing Hingis to chalk up a 4-0 lead before cruising to victory.
Hingis notched up a new personal best for the most titles at a single event, besting the four trophies she took home at Filderstadt between 1996 and 2000.
Former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport of the US had also won four titles in Tokyo between 1997 and 2004.
Hingis' first victory of the season brought her a US$182,000 check and avenged her two-set loss to Ivanovic at the Montreal final last August.
"The last time I played her, she had a very fast start, she had a great match in Montreal last year when I lost to her in the finals, so after that she gets confidence," Hingis said.
"She just goes for her shots, hits a lot of winners. After the first set, I gained the momentum and in the first game she double faulted three times, I said `OK, I'll take that,'" she said.
"I think against someone like her you have to force to make those errors, they just don't happen. In the second set Ana made too many unforced errors, so she felt the pressure of having to take the risk," Hingis said.
It was Hingis's third title since she made a comeback a year ago from foot, heel and ankle injuries, and her 43rd overall, including three at the Australian Open, one at Wimbledon and one at the US Open.
Meanwhile 19-year-old Ivanovic said: "At the beginning of the match it was a high quality of tennis, and then suddenly I dropped my concentration a little bit. I started to feel heavy, so I found it hard to move."
"I started to feel better at the end of the second set, but it was too late. She was playing really well, defending unbelievably. She just played an unbelievable match today," Ivanovic said.
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