Hingis shakes off rust to brush aside France's Foretz
( 2002-02-28 10:21 ) (7 )

Martina Hingis returned from a three-week layoff to brush past French qualifier Stephanie Foretz 6-2 6-4 on Wednesday and ease into the third round of the Scottsdale women's classic.

"I felt very focused, very concentrated," said the Swiss former world number one.

"I had to do the best (I could) out of what possibilities were out there in my first match. Overall I was pretty happy about it."

Hingis, seeded two here, has already captured two singles titles in 2002 and was desperately unlucky to lose a nerve-jangling Australian Open final to Jennifer Capriati last month.

After winning the Pan Pacific in Tokyo earlier this month, the five-times Grand Slam champion decided it was time for an early-season rest.

DANGEROUS PLAYER

She took three weeks off but there was no evidence of a lack of match practice when she took to the court against the French player, who had won four matches, including three to get into the main draw here.

"She's a very dangerous player," Hingis said after the 63 minute victory.

"Once you have already won four matches, you probably have a little confidence and feel good coming into the tournament to play a first round match. They have nothing to lose. And, not having played in three weeks, I was a little rusty, and had to get going again."

In other second round matches, eighth seed Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic bounced Croatian Silvija Talaja 6-2 6-3 while unseeded Australian Nicole Pratt beat Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-2 6-1 in just 56 minutes.

Sugiyama -- who had upset fifth seed American Lisa Raymond 7-6 6-0 on Tuesday -- was suffering from a sore throat.

In the marquee night match, third seed Serena Williams faces Russian qualifier Alinda Jidkova while top seed Capriati sees her first action on Thursday against fellow-American Alexandra Stevenson.

Stevenson is the only player to blemish Capriati's 7-1 2002 record, beating her in a quarter-final match in Sydney last month.