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Dementieva dominates Hingis to win Pan Pacific Open title

TOKYO - Martina Hingis had her eyes set on a fifth
Toray Pan Pacific Open championship and a first singles title
since her returning from retirement. Unfortunately for the
Swiss superstar, Russian Elena Dementieva had different plans.

The second-seeded Dementieva cruised to the championship in
impressive fashion with a 6-2, 6-0 triumph over Hingis in
Sunday's final of the $1.34 million event.

It is the fifth career title and first in a Tier I event for
Dementieva, who took home $196,000 by defeating Hingis for the
third straight time.

However, the two had not met since an encounter in the second
round at Filderstadt, Germany in 2002, as Hingis had spent the
majority of the last three years in retirement due to foot and
ankle injuries.

The 25-year-old Hingis, who was seeking her 41st career singles
title in her 67th final, returned last month from the sabbatical
and has enjoyed significantly more success than most expected.

The five-time Grand Slam winner and former world No. 1 reached
the quarterfinals in singles and won the mixed doubles title
with Indian Mahesh Bhupathi at the Australian Open last month.

However, the most impressive win of Hingis' comeback came
Saturday, when she rolled to a 6-3, 6-1 victory against
top-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova in their first meeting on
tour.

But Hingis was unable to ride the momentum as she fell to 28-4
lifetime at this event, where she was a wild card this year.

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