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Hingis enters Australian Open
| Sports Watch ... 04 December 2002 |
Former world No.1 Martina Hingis is among 97 of the top 100 women tennis players to have entered the 2003 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Only Jelena Dokic, who refuses to return to her adopted homeland, the recently-retired Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and pregnant Frenchwoman Sandrine Testud will be missing.
With entries having closed at the beginning of the week, American Todd Martin, a former finalist, will be the only player ranked in the world's top 100 absent from the men's singles draw.
Hingis, a three-time champion and finalist the past five years in a row, had been undecided about her participation in the first grand slam of the year after cutting short her 2002 season in October.
The Swiss star had been battling injury and a run of disappointing results, but is now keen for a return to her favourite stomping ground.
"It's great to see that triple champion Martina has indicated that she wants to play, so like her we'll be keeping our fingers crossed that she'll be fit in time for January," Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee said.
Two-time defending champion Jennifer Capriati and Serena and Venus Williams will headline the women's field.
World No.1 Serena will be hoping to complete a grand slam after winning the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open this year.
Lleyton Hewitt will be top seed and bidding to become the first Australian men's winner since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
The tournament, running from January 13-26, carries an $18.2 million purse, including $1,127,850 to the men's and women's singles winners.
It will be nice to see her again and this time taking the title home
Vamos Martina
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
| Sports Watch ... 04 December 2002 |
Former world No.1 Martina Hingis is among 97 of the top 100 women tennis players to have entered the 2003 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Only Jelena Dokic, who refuses to return to her adopted homeland, the recently-retired Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and pregnant Frenchwoman Sandrine Testud will be missing.
With entries having closed at the beginning of the week, American Todd Martin, a former finalist, will be the only player ranked in the world's top 100 absent from the men's singles draw.
Hingis, a three-time champion and finalist the past five years in a row, had been undecided about her participation in the first grand slam of the year after cutting short her 2002 season in October.
The Swiss star had been battling injury and a run of disappointing results, but is now keen for a return to her favourite stomping ground.
"It's great to see that triple champion Martina has indicated that she wants to play, so like her we'll be keeping our fingers crossed that she'll be fit in time for January," Australian Open chief executive Paul McNamee said.
Two-time defending champion Jennifer Capriati and Serena and Venus Williams will headline the women's field.
World No.1 Serena will be hoping to complete a grand slam after winning the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open this year.
Lleyton Hewitt will be top seed and bidding to become the first Australian men's winner since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
The tournament, running from January 13-26, carries an $18.2 million purse, including $1,127,850 to the men's and women's singles winners.
It will be nice to see her again and this time taking the title home
Vamos Martina
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: