Hingis Makes Return This Week at WTA Pattaya

Russian Vera "The Crying Game" Zvonareva heads the anemic Tier IV field this week at the Volvo Women's Open in Pattaya, with No. 39-ranked Marion "Roly Poly" Bartoli as the No. 2 seed, but the real story in Thailand is the return of former No. 1 Martina Hingis.

The winner of 40 career singles titles returns after an almost 2-1/2 year layoff due to a foot injury. After originally saying her appearance at the event was a one-off for charity, Hingis now says she is testing the waters for a return to the WTA Tour.

"As a competitor and athlete, I always want to win. But I hope my body will last and hold up and help me to come through," said the 24-year-old Hingis. "You miss being out there in a Grand Slam final and not be able to compete. It's a big difference between staying on court and commenting for TV. I miss it a lot."

Hingis will donate her prize money in Pattaya to charity, and also plans visit to the tsunami-battered island of Phuket.

"I saw news in Switzerland every day about the natural disaster," Hingis said. "It was very unfortunate. I came here to play tennis and hopefully to make people feel better."

Joining Zvonareva and Bartoli among the seeds in Pattaya are former Wimbledon champ Conchita Martinez (who has nearly dropped out of the Top 50), American Mashona "Little Sis" Washington, Puerto Rican Kristina Brandi, Poland's Marta Domachowska, German Anna Lena Groenefeld, and Spanish doubles specialist Virginia Ruano Pascual.

Hingis opens against German Marlene Weingartner, who she beat in straight sets in both their career meetings.

Another un-seed of note is No. 100+ ranked Jelena Dokic in her 2005 debut, facing Luxembourg's Anne "Kosmo" Kremer.

In last year's stadium-emptying all-unseeded all-Slovak final, Henrieta Nagyova defeated Lubomira Kurhajcova 6-4, 6-2.