Can Hingis be the world No.1 again!

[goughy]

She beat v. williams this morning in 3, after losing the first set 0-6. Williams is only the world No.9 these days.

If she gets strong enough to compete with their power game without losing her finesse I think she can do it. Plus I think she's enjoying tennis now days - mums probably off her back and I guess she didn't need to come back for the money.

Personally I always thought she was a class act and would love to see her regain the crown. Whether it happens is another thing.

She is playing for her first title against someone she beat in straight sets earlier this year. She's ranked just outside the top 20 atm.

[Fishman Dan]

I think it's more a case that Williams can't be #1 again.

[AndyP]

Maybe. Maybe not. I hope so, but I don't think it will happen. However, she is definitely a top ten player, which is a great effort.

I've seen her play live twice this year, and she was very good, but still seemed to lack a bit of aggression in her game that Clijsters, Mauresmo, et al, have. But that was at the start of her comeback, and she may have developed that side of her game a bit more.

At the start of the year, it was asked whether she would win a tournament this year. If she doesn't now, she probably will soon.

Here's another question: Can she win another grand slam tournament?

[Moe Norman]

she can definately win Wimbledon i reckon.

[Jarro]

of course she can. Shes a class act. Fishy's point is right on the money too, Williams can't be #1 again so that all holds well for Hingis.

[Fishman Dan]

Maybe. Maybe not. I hope so, but I don't think it will happen. However, she is definitely a top ten player, which is a great effort

Is that a yes or a no :?:

[jimandr]

When I first looked at the question I thought it was a bit silly to make the jump based on doing well in a second tier tournament.

But I thought a bit more about the state of the womens game at the moment, and decided it is unlikely but not impossible.

The Williams era appears to be over, there is no dominant new player on the horizon, and all the good players have question marks over either fitness (Henin), motivation (Clijsters) or mental toughness (Mauresmo).

All it needs is a good draw and a top seed to get knocked out, and Hingis could easily win Wimbledon or the US this year.

The womens game is a bit weak at the moment. Win three slams in 18 months, and you suddenly become number 1.

[connico]

She seems fit, and if she stays of injury she could easily get a few wins, but a slam is a big call...

Shes more powerful than last time she was around and her serve is has alot more kick and pace, shes working on those ground strokes and shes generating more heat as well. The issues that she will have is match fitness and if she can develop and maintain her fitness she'll do great things. Number one is something else also, she could do it if she captures 2-3 slams, and you've got to consider the current state of womens tennis, there isnt a federer in womens tennis right now, but there are strong but inexperienced russians and the usual suspects...

all in all, yes she can win a slam, yes she can be number one, but shes gonna need to work on her power and her fitness, shes still got game but.

[AndyP]

Maybe. Maybe not. I hope so, but I don't think it will happen. However, she is definitely a top ten player, which is a great effort
Is that a yes or a no :?:
My personal opinion is no, but she's top ten, and may even get in the top five.


The womens game is a bit weak at the moment. Win three slams in 18 months, and you suddenly become number 1.
Tennis rankings are done on a rolling 12 month calendar.
I don't think women's tennis is weak ATM either, there just isn't a dominate player anymore.

You don't need to win any slams to get to world number one in women's tennis. This has happened several times in recent years. Clijsters, Mauresmo and Sharapova all reached number one in a 12 month period in which they didn't win a slam. All it takes is consistent high results and a few tournament wins.

[AndyP]

Martina Hingis won the first WTA singles tour title of her comeback on Sunday, taking down Dinara Safina 6-2 7-5 at Rome's Foro Italico.
Woohoo!


The tournament win, the first of her comeback will give her confidence going to Paris for the French Open, which starts next Sunday. When the WTA rankings are published tomorrow she is expected to have moved up to 14 in the world.
Top 15 and only half a year's worth of tournaments.
Doubling the amount of points she probably has now, would put her at about 6th in the rankings. But she is getting better, and there are three slams left in the year.