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Hingis keeps up marvellous start

Martina Hingis kept up her encouraging start to 2007 with a 6-0, 6-1 demolition of Nicole Pratt at the Australian Women's Hardcourt Championships.

Martina Hingis kept up her encouraging start to 2007 with a 6-0, 6-1 demolition of Nicole Pratt at the Australian Women's Hardcourt Championships.

The Swiss, seeded number one, overwhelmed her Australian opponent on the Gold Coast and has lost just three games in her opening two matches.

Hingis goes on to face Colombia's Catalina Castano, who upset sixth seed Li Na of China 6-4, 1-6, 6-2. Second seed Dinara Safina beat fellow Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-3, 6-2.

And Safina later claimed that Likhovtseva faked a foot injury when she called for a trainer when trailing 0-1 in the second set.

"I don't think she had something," said Safina. 'Maybe she had, but I don't believe in these games. I'm not sure if she had something or she may be really hurt, but if it really happened then why was she still running on the court?

Hingis insisted she is relaxed about her on-court prospects after coming out of retirement to complete a full season in 2006.

Round 2

1-Hingis (Switzerland) beat Pratt (Australia) 6-0, 6-1

Tathiana Garbin (Italy) beat Severine Bremond (France) 6-3, 6-1

Castano (Colombia) beat 6-Na Li (China) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat 7-Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) 6-3, 6-2

Round 1

2-Safina (Russia) beat Likhovtseva (Russia) 6-3, 6-2. - Reuters

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