Hingis starts new season with a win

Former world number one Martina Hingis opened her 2002 campaign in clinical fashion on Tuesday, thrashing American doubles specialist Lisa Raymond 6-1 6-1 in the second round of the Sydney International.

Playing her first competitive match since undergoing ankle surgery in October, the 21-year-old Swiss dusted off the cobwebs to claim victory in just 46 minutes.

"It's a great start to the new season, especially because I haven't played for so long," said Hingis, who won the Sydney tournament in 1997 and again last year.

"I felt a little nervous out there and didn't really know what to expect.

"But it's always nice to come back to a place where you have had success in the past. It gives you a little extra kick."

While Hingis hardly missed a beat in her match, Belgium's Wimbledon finalist Justine Henin had to overcome a jittery start to defeat Barbara Schett 7-6 6-3 in their first round encounter.

Henin, beaten by Venus Williams in last weekend's Australian women's hardcourt final, committed 38 unforced errors and struggled to find her range on serve before eventually sealing victory after 82 minutes.

The French enjoyed a mixed start at Sydney's Olympic tennis centre with Sandrine Testud and Julien Boutter both winning easily but Fabrice Santoro losing to Karol Kucera.

Seventh seed Testud breezed through to the second round with a 6-0 6-2 win over Slovenia's Tina Pisnik while Boutter upset men's sixth seed, Swede Thomas Johansson, 7-6 7-5.

Santoro lost 6-4 1-6 6-3 to Kucera while Rainer Schuettler beat his fellow German Nicolas Kiefer 6-2 6-2 and Czech Bohdan Ulihrach defeated Nicolas Lapentti 6-3 6-1.