Martina Hingis has secured a sixth successive Australian Open semi-final spot with a 6-2 6-3 victory over unseeded Italian Adriana Serra Zanetti this morning. The Swiss world number four triumphed in 73 minutes although the match was closer than the final scoreline suggested against the 25-year-old Italian from Modena, who was ranked 83 last year. Hingis will now meet Monica Seles, who beat Venus Williams later this morning, for a place in the final.
Hingis took advantage of her eighth break point to go 3-1 up in the first set and broke again to take it in 38 minutes. She then broke for a third time to lead 2-0 in the second but Serra Zanetti showed admirable fighting spirit to hit back immediately. However, Hingis was not to be denied and made it three breaks in a row before sealing the contest on her fourth match point.
Afterwards, 21-year-old Hingis admitted she was not surprised by her opponent's strength, but insisted it was exactly what she needed at this stage of the competition. She said: "She was pretty tough, yeah, but I would expect that after she got into the quarter-finals. I think it was important for me today to get a speedy player. She was very fast and sometimes she went down the line when you didn't expect them. She played very well."
Filed by Shane Murray
