Hingis triumphs in Australia comeback match
MELBOURNE, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Former world number one Martina Hingis made a successful return to professional tennis with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Venezuela's Maria Vento-Kabchi at the Australian hardcourt championships on the Gold Coast on Monday.
Top seed Patty Schnyder also advanced into the second round with 6-3 7-6 victory over France's Virginie Razzano in a late match.
Hingis, who retired in 2002 with foot and ankle injuries, dropped her serve in the opening game but soon rediscovered the touch that led her to five grand slam titles.
"I was a little nervous," the 25-year-old Swiss told reporters. "It was just a matter of time and getting the first point and the first game.
"After that I started breathing."
Hingis rated her first match back an "eight out of 10" but said she knew she would need to improve her serve.
"I don't know what else I should have done today better than what I did," she said. "The score says it all.
"Just wait until the next matches, I'll be even better.
"You have to have a high percentage of first serves otherwise these girls today are going to kill you.
"They're very aggressive and they attack right away."
Hingis, who is using the Gold Coast and Sydney tournaments as warm-ups for the Australian Open that starts on January 16, will meet world number 35 Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic in the second round.
"I get another opportunity to play another match and that feels great already," she said.
"All these expectations I've put on myself, it's gone right now for this moment. I'll feel great for the next 24 hours I'm sure."
Third seed Dinara Safina of Russia was taken to a tie break in the first set by compatriot Evgenia Linetskaya, which she won 7-0 before sweeping the second set for a 7-6 6-0 victory.
Italian Francesca Schiavone, the second seed, also moved into the second round with a 6-2 6-3 victory over China's Meng Yuan, while fourth seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy beat Russia's Ekaterina Bychkova 6-2 6-4.