MONTREAL, 17 August 2006 — Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis rallied from a second-set deficit to defeat Italy’s Mara Santangelo 7-5, 7-6 in the second round of the Rogers Cup on Tuesday.
Hingis, the seventh seed, trailed 4-1 in the second set, but managed to break back twice to get back in the set before finally prevailing in the tiebreaker to move into the third round.
One of eight players to get a first-round bye, the Swiss was obviously comfortable playing in an event she won in 1999 and 2000.
“I’m just very happy to be back here in Montreal in front of a stadium like this,” Hingis said.
“It wasn’t an easy match in the beginning. Overall it was a good match to get through in straight sets.”
Hingis received some courtside visits from her mother during the match, as she took advantage of the event’s on-court coaching rules that allow visits during sets.
“She knows my game inside out. She just told me to play my game. It helps.” Hingis will now meet either No. 11 Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia or American qualifier Jamea Jackson in the third round.
In the only other second round-match Tuesday, fifth seed Nicole Vaidisova survived a grueling late match to defeat fellow Czech Lucie Safarova 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Local fans were delighted as Canadian wild card Marie-Eve Pelletier stunned 16th seed Na Li of China 6-4, 6-2.
Pelletier, the world No. 337, had little difficulty putting away her Chinese opponent to move on to the second round as she attempts to rebound from an injury riddled year.
“I’ve had a very rough year with injuries,” Pelletier, who has had a recurring foot injury, said. “To be able to put everything back together here in Montreal, it’s great.”
China’s Shaui Peng also lost, falling to German 10th seed Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-3, 6-3.
Another Canadian crowd favorite made it into the second round as wildcard Stephanie Dubois beat lucky loser Tathiana Garbin of Italy 6-4, 6-4 in a match that was suspended on Monday night and again delayed by rain on Tuesday.
Dubois has her work cut out in the second round, however, when she faces top seed and defending champion Kim Clijsters of Belgium the next day. Russian Anna Chakvetadze beat countrywoman Vera Dushevina 7-5, 6-3 to earn a second-round match against third seeded Russian Nadia Petrova.
Federer Opens Cincinnati
Defense With Tough Win
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal began with fighting victories at the ATP Cincinnati Masters here Tuesday to take the first step toward another showdown on cement. Defending champion Federer, fresh from his seventh trophy of the season last weekend in Toronto. took a few games to click into gear before rolling past top Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan 7-5, 6-4.
“It was an extra tough match. He was playing well from the start,” said Federer.
The victory was the third in the series for the Swiss top seed, who has now won 55 straight matches on North American hardcourt while maintaining a win streak of 18 matches.
The 25-year-old world-beater stands 85-2 on hardcourts over the last two seasons a as he heads into a Wednesday confrontation with Scottish teenager Andy Murray, who ousted England’s Tim Henman for the second week in a row. Second seed Nadal outlasted American teen Sam Querrey 6-7 (5 7), 6-2, 6-3 but struggled with the mental side after last week’s third-round loss in Canada. “I didn’t go in with a lot of confidence,” said the double Roland Garros champion.
Also winning his opener at the $2.45 million warm-up event for the US Open was Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic. The fourth seed eliminated Britain’s Greg Rusedski 6-3, 6-4. Rusedski’s compatriot Murray continued the changing of the guard in British tennis, defeating former British No. 1 Henman 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 in another first-round match. Spain’s seventh seed Tommy Robredo beat Toronto finalist Richard Gasquet 7-5, 7-5 while 2005 finalist and 2003 winner Andy Roddick put aside a lingering injury to advance over Italian Daniele Bracciali 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5).
