The stirring comeback of Martina Hingis continues to go well. After a surprising run to the quarters in Australia, the five-time grand slam champion had a successful return to Roland Garros- posting a 6-2, 6-2 opening round victory over American Lisa Raymond Tuesday at Court Philippe Chatrier.
"Somehow it didn't feel like it's that long," Hingis told the AP after coming out victorious in her first match at Roland Garros in five years.
"Maybe also because I had a first round opponent who I was comfortable with but, you know, I had to go out there and do my job. I'm pleased with my win today."
Fresh off her win at Rome two weeks ago, Hingis had little trouble with Raymond. After a routine first set, she saved all four break points on her serve in the second set to cruise to victory, which was punctuated by a volley winner.
Hingis made only 15 unforced errors compared to 25 for her opponent. The 12th seeded Swiss Miss is a two-time runner up but isn't putting any pressure on herself to add another trophy.
"I don't want to put any extra pressure on myself because I don't have to," she pointed out. "Of course, it feels better moving into tournaments, Grand Slams, with having won the last tournament. It definitely gives me hopes and the confidence."
Hingis will next face Czech Zuzana Ondraskova in the second round. Ondraskova defeated German Julia Schruff 6-4, 6-2.
Also moving on was defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Maret Ani. Tenth seeded Russian Anastasia Myskina advanced over Sania Mirza 6-4, 6-1. German Anna-Lena Groenefeld (13) defeated Camille Pin 6-1, 6-1. Slovak Daniela Hantuchova (15) posted a 6-1, 6-4 win over Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez Lino.
Meanwhile, 20th seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko cameback to beat Frenchwoman Severine Bremond in three sets 1-6, 6-2, 8-6. Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues also cameback from a set down to oust Victoria Azarenka 0-6, 6-3, 9-7. In a match which took two hours 45-minutes to complete, Argentina's Gisela Dulko (32) outlasted Ukraine's Yulia Beygelzimer 6-3, 2-6, 11-9.
Other seeds who advanced included Ana Ivanovic (19) and Israeli Shahar Peer (31).
However the day wasn't without a major upset. Japan's Akiko Morigami stunned third seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-2. Petrova had entered red hot having won three clay court titles and was expected to challenge for her first career slam. But due in large part to a left leg injury sustained during practice, she struggled mightily against Morigami.
"It's a new injury I've never experienced," Petrova said afterwards. "I couldn't move and felt slow and it was affecting me in the head. Morigami played her best, but there is no excuse for me not winning the match."
"I'm disappointed because I was really looking forward to this. I've had really good results here. It was really unfortunate what happened to me. It was bad luck."
Petrova wasn't the only casuality on the women's side. Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin (23) fell to China's Jie Zheng 3-6, 6-7 (5). Italian Tathiana Garbin eliminated Czech Klara Koukalova (30) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.
American Jill Craybas fell to Bulgaria's Anastasiya Yakimova 4-6, 7-5, 3-6. But the day wasn't a total loss for America thanks to straight set victories by Shenay Perry and Jamea Jackson.
The second round gets underway Wednesday at Roland Garros.
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