Hingis proceeds to New Haven quarterfinals
Agencies, New Haven, Connecticut
Switzerland's Martina Hingis, playing in her second event since an ankle injury sidelined her for three months, defeated American Alexandra Stevenson 7-5, 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the WTA Tour tennis tournament here.
Hingis, the fifth seed, will next face Russian Anastasia Myskina, a 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 winner over fourth-seeded Belgian Justine Henin.
French sixth seed Amelie Mauresmo also advanced, downing Russian Elena Bovina 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/1).
Third seed Jelena Dokic, who like all the top four seeds had first-round bye, withdrew complaining of a sore hamstring and was replaced by lucky loser Martina Sucha of Slovakia. But Sucha couldn't capitalize on her chance as Switzerland's Patty Schnyder beat her 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Mauresmo, who didn't lose a set en route to winning the title in Montreal last week, next faces American second seed Lindsay Davenport.
Hingis, the former world No. 1, reached the quarterfinals in Montreal last week and said her confidence was growing.
"I feel more comfortable out there now," she said. "I'm not afraid. I know what I can play. Right now, I'll just take any match, any challenge. I probably didn't play my best, but I won."
Like Davenport, top seed Venus Williams advanced to the quarters on Tuesday. She'll face U.S. qualifier Laura Granville.
Schnyder earned a shot at seventh-seeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, who beat Croatian Iva Majoli 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
In men's tennis, defending champion and top seed Tommy Haas was given a tough test by qualifier Ramon Delgado in the second round of the TD Waterhouse Cup in Long Island, New York, on Wednesday but emerged with a 1-6 7-6 6-4 victory.
The German rallied from a first set loss to overcome his Paraguayan opponent but was plagued by a sore shoulder throughout in the final warm-up event for next week's U.S. Open.
"The shoulder is like a roller-coaster at the moment -- up and down," he said.
"At one point in the second set I thought I may have to default, but I hung in there. I was very close to calling a trainer to have my arm massaged.
"It's a pain having to worry about the shoulder rather than being able to go out there and focus on the match.
"I'm fighting against two things -- my arm and my opponent."
Haas will now meet 16th-seeded Agustin Calleri of Argentina, a 6-2, 6-3 victor over American Vincent Spadea.
Nicolas Massu of Chile came from a set down to upset Roger Federer of Switzerland 6-7 6-1 6-3.
Federer has been struggling recently, losing in the opening round in four of his past five tournaments.
"I've lost all confidence lately," he explained. "I feel like I'm missing energy. I started the year well, but after that it's mainly been downhill, and I really can't explain why."
Three other seeds were also knocked out in the second round, with Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan continuing his run of good form with a 7-6 7-5 victory over eighth seed Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador.
Brazilian Flavio Saretta overcame German sixth seed Rainer Schuettler 6-3 6-3 and 12th seed Stefan Koubek fell to local favorite Jan-Michael Gambill by a 6-4 3-6 6-3 margin.
There was better news for some of the tournament's seeded players as number 11 Jarkko Nieminen beat Kevin Kim 4-6 6-3 6-1, number 14 Arnaud Clement eased past Jan Vacek 6-2 6-3, and 16th seed Agustin Calleri defeated Vince Spadea 6-2 6-3.
Other winners on the day were Jonas Bjorkamn and Mardy Fish.