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Hingis suffers power shortage

By DARRELL FRY

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 15, 2000

Wasn't it Chris Evert who first said a year or so ago that Martina Hingis' domination wouldn't last long? Well, it seems pretty prophetic now.

Hingis hasn't won a Grand Slam title since the 1999 Australian Open. If she doesn't win the U.S. Open next month -- and she's not the favorite -- she could go two years without a Slam title, which has not happened since she won her first in '97.

"Well, it's a little bit disappointing," Hingis said.

The difference is the power -- Lindsay Davenport, Mary Pierce and the Williams sisters have more of it than Hingis, whose game is more about finesse. Hingis lost to Davenport in this year's Australian Open final, fell to Pierce in the French Open semifinals and lost to Venus Williams in the Wimbledon quarterfinals.

Last week, she was overpowered again by Serena Williams in the semifinals in Manhattan Beach, Calif. She's now 1-4 dating to Indian Wells against Pierce, Davenport and the Williamses.

Hingis has said she needs to juice up her serve and get more fit to combat the tour's power hitters.

"I think it takes a little bit more time to kind of get in a certain shape. I was working on it last year, but I still have the feeling I can get better and that just might help my game a little bit," she said. "If I have that little (bit), one more step, I might beat them again."

GOING OUT WITH A BANG: A funny thing is happening to the Woodies this season. They announced this spring they are spliting up after this year because Mark Woodforde is retiring. And since then they have been playing some of their best tennis together.

They won the doubles title in Cincinnati last weekend for their fifth straight title and 26th consecutive match victory, the longest streaks of their careers.

"We are playing very relaxed, and everything is just flowing right now," said Todd Woodbridge, who announced he'll play with Jonas Bjorkman beginning next season. "There's not pressure, and it's a great way to play. I wish you could just bottle this feeling up in singles and doubles every time you walk on the court."

EVEN STEVEN: Parity continues to reign on the ATP Tour. With Thomas Enqvist winning Sunday at the Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati, there have been seven winners of the tour's seven prized Masters Series events so far. The others are Alex Corretja (Indian Wells), Pete Sampras (Key Biscayne), Cedric Pioline (Monte Carlo), Magnus Norman (Rome), Gustavo Kuerten (Hamburg) and Marat Safin (Toronto).

YOU WERE EXPECTING HER TO SAY ANGELICA GAVALDON?: After Serena Williams won the title Sunday in Manhattan Beach, she was asked who would win the U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 28.

"You guys know my prediction, I don't need to say it," she said. "You know who it is. The lady in purple." Yes, Serena was wearing a purple tennis dress.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: South African pro Wayne Ferreira, explaining why he is winless in nine clashes with Andre Agassi: "I think the difficulty that I have is that I just don't match up that well against him. That's because I keep getting my butt kicked."

DID YOU KNOW?: During the ATP Tour event in Cincinnati last week, when a severe thunderstorm blew through the area, local weather forecasters reported 21,000 lightning strikes in a one hour and 45 minute period.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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