After 3 years away from clay courts, Hingis wins her first clay match

Martina Hingis, who has not been on a clay court professionally in just over three years (I have no idea why the tennis press keeps saying four years), won her first round match at the J&S Cup in Warsaw today. Hingis defeated the young and very talented Maria Kirilenko of Russia, 7-5, 7-6. The score indicates that Kirilenko put up quite a fight, which is no surprise, considering how her game has progressed.

Hingis will probably have to face Venus Williams in the second round. Hingis, though she has five Grand Slam titles to her name, has never won the French Open, a tennis peculiarity, because the Swiss player is so great on clay.