Martina Hingis’ hope of a decent finish at this year’s edition of the US Open was shattered when Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano beat her during their second-round match at Flushing Meadows in New York, 6-2, 6-4, in sixty-four minutes.
Playing in her second match since losing to Monica Seles in the fourth round of the US Open in 2002, Hingis looked flat and careless, and was plagued with unforced errors. Razzano, on the other hand was mercilessly coming to the net, and often times, was rewarded with points to her credit. Hingis could hardly hold her serve in the first set, she managed to win only two games. Razzano won the first in just twenty-seven minutes.
In the second set, Hingis trailed Razzano at 1-5. Just when it seemed that all is lost, Hingis then clawed her way, winning the next three consecutive games, pushing the scoreboard to 4-5. Hingis’ newly found rythm could not sustain her to win the second set as Razzano held her serve, to win the set, 4-6, in thirty-seven minutes, and the match, 6-2, 6-4.
“Well, I think it’s not only that she played well, but I didn’t play good. I think I let her play well, and then she just opened up, lost the fear, and played exceptional. I think after yesterday I didn’t have much more to give. I was a little flat and tired mentally,” Hingis told the reporters.
