Hingis comeback runs out of steam

Martina Hingis was beaten in the semi-final of the Mondial Australian Women’s Hardcourts tournament on her comeback after over three years out of the WTA Tour.

The Swiss star was beaten 2-6 7-6 (7/2) 6-2 by Italy’s Flavia Pennetta at the Gold Coast event in the first meeting between the two players.

Hingis cruised through the first set but ran out of steam as the fourth seed took control with powerful ground strokes to win the tie-break and take the final set from the tiring former world number one.

Pennetta will face Lucie Safarova in the final after the Czech teenager beat Russia’s Dinara Safina 6-4 6-2 in their last-four clash.