Back Where She Wants to Be

For most players, advancing to the semifinals of a tennis tournament is a thrill. But for Martina Hingis, the last three semifinals have been anything but exciting.

At the French Open, she lost to Monica Seles in the semifinals. At Wimbledon, the loss was to Jana Novotna. And last week, Mary Pierce sent the 17-year-old packing early in Carlsbad.

More history:

Last year, Hingis lost at Manhattan Beach to Lindsay Davenport.

Yes, in the semifinals.

On Saturday, her semifinal losing streak ended.

Top-seeded Hingis defeated third-seeded Aranxta Sanchez Vicario, 6-4, 6-4, on her way to the final of the Acura Classic at Manhattan Country Club in Manhattan Beach.

“Finally,” she said. “I can’t believe I am in the finals again. I didn’t know how it feels anymore.”

Although Hingis won in straight sets, the points were long and physically challenging. The second set took 50 minutes.

“In the beginning, it was kind of easy,” Hingis said. “It was not too hot. But once you had to start to run, especially when you had these long rallies, you get shorter and shorter [of breath]; and then, like in [the seventh game of the second set] when I lost my serve . . . I almost couldn’t breathe anymore because it was such a tough game.”

Sanchez Vicario took the early lead in the second set, using her volley to advantage. Hingis won her serve and brought the score to 2-1, but dropped her racket in frustration when she lost the next game with a wide shot.

Sanchez Vicario’s lead was short-lived, and Hingis broke her serve to tie the score, 3-3.

“In the important games, when it was very close, at the end, I made them,” Hingis said. “I made them, and then I would lose easy, but in the end I still made them. She had so many times when she had the advantages, but she wouldn’t get them. I was just getting stronger, and when I really needed it, I would make the points.”

That Hingis is playing Davenport in the final doesn’t seem to matter to her. Her streak has ended, and she is just happy to return to another tournament final.

It showed after the match, when a smiling Hingis threw tennis balls into the crowd and, though she was playing doubles later in the day, stayed on the court to help with the contests and promotions between matches.

During a question-and-answer session, a small voice asked from the crowd, “When did you start?”

Hingis told 7-year-old D.B. Henney of Pacific Palisades that she started when she was 2, and asked if he played tennis.

When he responded “Yes,” Hingis invited him on to the court, where he was given a racket and demonstrated his forehand, passing her with a couple of shots and drawing cheers from the crowd.

It was much more fun for Hingis than the way she has spent so many other days lately: explaining why it was her last day at the tournament.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Today’s Final

* WHAT: WTA Acura Classic.

* WHERE: Manhattan Country Club.

* WHEN: 11:30 a.m.

* TV: Channel 4 (noon, delayed).

* WHO: Martina Hingis (1)

vs. Lindsay Davenport (2).