Martina Hingis and Kim Clijsters ruthlessly exposed the gulf in talent in women’s tennis on Friday when both stormed effortlessly into the French Open third round.
Hingis, the 12th seed and playing at Roland Garros for the first time in five years, crushed Zuzana Ondraskova of the Czech Republic, ranked a lowly 114 in the world, 6-1, 6-3 in just 49 minutes.
Clijsters, the second seed, took just six minutes longer to see off Spain’s Conchita Martinez Granados, the world’s 95th best player, 6-0, 6-3.
With the courts bathed in sunshine for the first time this week, Hingis powered through the first set against Ondraskova in just 18 minutes before the 26-year-old Czech woman managed to muster brief resistance in the second.
Clijsters was equally impressive at the start of her second-round tie, although her Spanish opponent at least managed to break serve in the second set before the inevitable conclusion.
With the tournament schedule playing catch-up after rain disrupted the programme on Thursday, both men’s top seeds were due on court later.
World number one Roger Federer, chasing the only Grand Slam title to have eluded him, was taking on Chile’s Olympic champion Nicolas Massu for a place in the last 16.
Defending champion Rafael Nafal was to meet American lucky loser Kevin Kim in a second-round match held over from Thursday.
Women’s top seed Amelie Mauresmo was facing Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic for last 16 spot, while Maria Sharapova, the fourth seed, was taking on Australia’s Alicia Molik also in a third round clash. — AFP
