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Hingis must tackle Henin-Hardenne
SYDNEY, Australia -- Martina Hingis faces her first major test since announcing her comeback to professional tennis after being drawn to play Justine Henin-Hardenne in the first round of the Sydney International. Hingis returned to professional tennis in a blaze of publicity last week, four years after she announced retirement because of a series of injuries. The former world number one made an encouraging start to her comeback, reaching the semifinals of the Australian women's hardcourt championships on the Gold Coast. "What a match it promises to be," tournament director Craig Watson. "We are excited about it and there is no doubt it will be the most highly anticipated early clash and tennis fans are sure to fill the centre court for this mouth-watering encounter." Henin-Hardenne is also a former world number one on the comeback trail from injury. But while Hingis has been out of the game for four years, the Belgian made her return last season, winning the French Open. The pair were drawn together after Henin-Hardenne was seeded fifth in Sydney and Hingis was given a wildcard. Marion Bartoli of France beat Russia's Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-2 in the final of the Auckland Open on Saturday. The 21-year Bartoli, playing superbly from the baseline, strolled to a comfortable straight-sets win to capture her first WTA Tour title five years after she joined the circuit. "I think I played really amazing tennis today," Bartoli told reporters. Bartoli was eliminated in the semi-finals at Auckland in 2004 and 2005 but made it through to her first final when top-seed Nadia Petrova retired from their semifinal showdown on Friday with a leg injury. Bartoli was leading 2-1 on serve in the deciding third set when Petrova called it quits. Bartoli had failed to even win a set off Zvonareva in their three previous meetings but put her turnaround down to superior fitness. She broke Zvonareva for the first time in the third game then broke her again for a 5-2 lead before serving out the opening set. She raced to a 5-1 lead in the second set and although the Russian fought off three match-points on her serve, Bartoli sealed the match on her own serve in the next game. Czech teenager Lucie Safarova beat Italian fourth-seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-4 in the final of the Australian women's hardcourt championship at the Gold Coast on Saturday. The 18-year-old Safarova upset her more fancied opponent to capture her third WTA title and the second on a hardcourt. The left-handed Safarova raced through the opening set in 33 minutes and then took 49 minutes to add the second and clinch the title. Safarova is one of the most promising players on the circuit. She won WTA titles at Estoril and Forest Hills and her victory at the Gold Coast will lift her to a career-best ranking of 35. 
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