Hingis gets a reality check against Henin-Hardenne

SYDNEY, Australia – Justine Henin-Hardenne beat Martina Hingis 6-3, 6-3 Monday in the first round at the Sydney International, giving the former No. 1 player a dose of reality in her comeback.

Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion who had not played since October because of a right hamstring strain, had too much power for Hingis.

A five-time Grand Slam singles winner who has been off the WTA Tour since 2002 because of foot and heel problems, the Swiss star won three matches on the Gold Coast last week in her first full tournament in three years.

But this was her first match against a Top 10 player. Hingis was broken in her opening service game and generally struggled with the pace as Henin-Hardenne attacked the slower second serves.

Henin-Hardenne, who finished last season ranked No. 6, broke Hingis’ serve three times in the first set and once in the second, when she won eight straight points to take a 4-2 lead.

The 25-year-old Hingis rarely ventured to the net, but showed glimpses of her old form with some winning ground strokes.

In earlier matches, China’s Li Na had a 6-4, 6-1 win over Italian Flavia Pennetta, who beat Hingis in the semifinals at the Gold Coast last week.

Francesca Schiavone beat Ai Sugiyama of Japan 6-1, 6-2.

On the men’s side, Australian wild-card entry Chris Guccione upset Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 and Austria’s Jurgen Mezler beat Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 7-6 (1).