Hingis crumbles to Williams power

Serena Williams advanced to the semi-finals of the Nasdaq-100 tournament here yesterday at the expense, once more, of Switzerland's Martina Hingis.

In a repeat of the Scottsdale Classic semi-final earlier this month, Hingis capitulated to the power of the American, who now goes on to meet her sibling Venus in the final.

The muscular younger sister imposed such a grunting dominance over the lightweight former world No1 that by the end of a 6-4, 6-0 victory it was almost an embarrassment.

The second set lasted only 20 minutes and Hingis's serve was taken apart. The Williams delivery has a higher toss, and she laid into her opponent's with gusto, pressuring the first ball, socking the second for winners, and eventually breaking the No3 seed mentally.

Hingis served double faults in all her games in the final set and finished the match with another. She had been trying to do more with the delivery. But she had neither the strength to launch it with more spin, nor the height to risk more pace.

"Sometimes I get down on myself a bit too much," Hingis admitted, though she bristled when she was asked if the big-hitters were moving out of her league. "Come on, I've proved myself. I was within a point of winning the Australian Open," she said. But the reply elicited sympathy rather than belief.

By contrast Venus Williams's win over the 12th-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva took two hours and three sets.

Her wrist tendinitis may still be an irritation as well as the prospect of playing her sister. Even before Serena had come through, the incessant questions began. Will she win because she is the elder? "No, no." Did younger sisters tend to be too nervous? "Yeah, I suppose it's a complex, but I don't think it's one for Serena." What memories did she have of their US Open final? "I never think about it, I moved on." Venus was relieved when the press conference did so too.

The other semi-final will feature Jennifer Capriati, who crushed Russia's Tatiana Panova 6-2, 6-0, and either Kim Clijsters or Monica Seles.

Lleyton Hewitt, meanwhile, reached the quarter-finals in the Masters Series event here. The world No1 beat the much improved American James Blake 6-4, 6-1 and is within three victories of winning the two American Masters titles back-to-back. Hewitt is unbeaten in the States since taking the US Open six months ago.

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