Martina Hingis has made the first big step towards re-establishing herself as the greatest female tennis player of her generation.... but this triumph of guile over brawn suggests she's on the right path: the scoreline of 6-1, 6-2 against the 30th seed is imressive enough... but the BBC reports that "Zvonareva was so out-classed she seemed on the verge of tears at times".

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/4619042.stm

It's nice to see Hingis taking the correct steps towards getting back to the top of her game. In terms of being a tennis player, Hingis is absolute class, I've yet to see her now she is back but before her 'time-off' she was a complete joy to watch, skillful and graceful.

My concern for Hingis is that the womens' game might well leave her behind. There are now female tennis players who are complete brutes, bullies even. People like the Williams sisters, Sharapova and Davenport are constantly pounding the baseline, and hard! Strength decides tennis all too often nowadays which is a shame for the purist (which I am a little, but not totally. I think I'm correct in saying that you are, Rachael.) The fact remains that the most graceful players don't win matches until they get two sets before their opponent, just like their powerful counterparts. If power is how tennis is going, then that is how it is going, we have to accept that. But it will certainly be interesting watching possibly the most eye-pleasing player in women's tennis attempt to compete at the very top.

Hingis was and still is a quality player but when she comes up against the likes of the William's sisters I doubt that she will be able to cope. She is certainly one of, if not the, most graceful tennis player's to watch.

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Watch this for a perfect about.
James May

In my opinion the Williams sisters are not the unstoppable force they once were. I alwyas loved to watch Hingis play before she retired, and I felt it was such a tragic way to end a career. However, I am delighted to see her back, and wish her all the best, right up to number one.

Brilliant to see her back.Hope it is a long term thing and not just a fleeting glimpse before she retires again.

Yes I agree but how many comebacks are a success? - not many I wager.

The problem is tennis is such a physical game (much more so that soccer) that any player who has been out for any length of time, are always playing catch up with the leaders.

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Ern

She's into the fourth round, which shows us how absolutely little the womens game has improved in four years. To tell you the truth, I can't stand women's tennis, too slow and not enough winners hit. All unforced errors.

And the gap in the men's game isn't funny either. It's Federer, then daylight to Safin, and daylight to Roddick and Nadal. Then the likes of Hewitt, Nalbandian and Ljubicic come into the equation. Also Rach, you're favourite player, Tim Henman, looked disgraceful in his 1st Round Exit and is a useless player nowadays. Never was that good in my opinion- but he's no good now. On the progression of Men's Tennis...well, it hasn't! A player like Max Mirnyi, who was no better than ok in the Late 90's, is still the No.30 seed. Someone like Gaston Gaudio, a one slam wonder, is still No.8 seed. And a player like Davydenko, who's quick and not much else, is the No.5 seed.

Federer didn't break a sweat against Mirnyi last night and only has to show up to win, now that Roddick's gone. The only way he'll lose is if he gets arrested or is attacked in WWE style in the change rooms. I went to the tennis yesterday, and by gee, how the game is so bad these days.