Five-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Hingis launched her comeback to professional tennis with a straight-sets victory over Venezuela's Maria Vento-Kabchi at the Australian women's hardcourt championship here on Monday.
The former world No 1 defeated the No 62 Vento-Kabchi 6-2, 6-1 at Royal Pines resort.
It was Hingis's first WTA Tour match since losing to Russian Elena Dementieva in Filderstadt, Germany, in October 2002. Three-time Australian Open champion Hingis, 25, retired from the sport three years ago with foot, ankle and heel injuries.
She will take on world No 35 Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic in the second round of the Gold Coast tournament. "I was a little nervous," Hingis said after the match. "I'd like to thank my family and friends for supporting me."
RESULTS (x denotes seeding):
ROUND 1: Dinara Safina (RUS x3) bt Evgenia Linetskaya (RUS) 7-6 (7/0), 6-0; Francesca Schiavone (ITA x2) bt Meng Yuan (CHN) 6-2, 6-3; Sybille Bammer (AUT) bt Katerina Bohmova (CZE) 6-3, 6-1; Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.
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