Hingis just happy to be playing at Wimbledon again
A decade later at the All England Club, she’s just happy to be playing at all, and satisfied to reach the third round after beating Aiko Nakamura of Japan 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday.
The third round is where Hingis tripped up last year, when she ended a four-year, injury-forced retirement.
While she’s not the virtually invincible Swiss Miss whose defeat in the French Open final cost her achieving a Grand Slam in 1997, Hingis was glad of a few changes since then.
‘I’d say I was a little bit more chubby back then,’ Hingis said, pinching her cheeks. ‘I think as a teenager, you’re just really growing into a phase that you gain weight. I’m definitely not proud of the way I looked.
‘When I was holding the (Wimbledon) trophy, it didn’t matter. It was just a great moment at that time. I grew out of it. You have to be in better shape today.’
Hingis was quick enough on Wednesday to finish before rain halted play.
Eight singles matches were suspended in progress; 10 never began. In a bid to deal with the backlog, play was to start on most courts an hour earlier than usual Thursday.
Four-time defending champion Roger Federer was leading 18-year-old Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina 6-2, 7-5, 2-0 when their match was suspended, putting on hold what would be the Swiss star’s 50th consecutive grass-court win. He’s due to resume in the first match on Court 1.