Tracy Austin

MELBOURNE, Australia - Martina Hingis played surprisingly well at the Australian Open — even in Wednesday’s quarterfinal loss to Kim Clijsters. But the Swiss Miss simply needs to play more matches before it can be determined whether she can equal the daunting challenge of beating players with better speed and athleticism.

Hingis deserves credit for her strong showing Down Under. Keep in mind that Clijsters is an excellent player who will take over the top world ranking after Lindsay Davenport’s loss. True, Hingis didn’t beat anyone ranked higher than No. 29 (in the world rankings), but I was still impressed by her ability to play at a high level despite not having played in a Grand Slam event in three years.

That said, the Clijsters loss was only the 10th match of her comeback. And I was surprised by Hingis’ level of mental strength. Normally when any player returns after a long layoff, they are prone to lapses in concentration.

Hingis never had that.

What’s more, I still consider Hingis one of the smartest players on the women’s tour. Why? She always seems to know where she is on the court, and has a knack for knowing her opponents’ strengths and weaknesses inside and out.

Hingis, however, is not exceptionally strong physically — or quick-footed. And she essentially admitted after the Clijsters match that tennis is simply a much faster game than when she last played professionally.

But I feel Hingis improved with each Australian Open match. Do I expect that upward curve to continue in the coming weeks?

Yes.

How good can Hingis be during her comeback?

That’s a difficult question to answer after just 10 matches. However, I feel she can play her way into the WTA Tour’s top 20 … even the top 10.

But can she become a top-five player — or even approach the level of play that helped her win five Grand Slam titles during a dominant run that included a whopping 209 weeks as the world No. 1?

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Due to Hingis’ intelligence on the court, it is very difficult to rule her out. However, players such as Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport, the Williams sisters (when they’re focused and playing consistently), and even Justine Henin-Hardenne (who toppled Davenport here) could all prove to be too athletic for the Swiss Miss.

That said, could Hingis settle for a ranking in the top 15?

Stay tuned.

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Hingis will play in Tokyo before going to events in Doha and Dubai. The quality of play at each of these tourneys won’t be of Grand-Slam caliber. But they will allow Hingis opportunities to play into “match shape.”

Although expectations for Hingis will undoubtedly rise in the coming weeks, I can’t stress enough the need to give her time to grow accustomed to playing pro-level tennis again.

Exactly how long will it take before we know how she stacks up against the world’s top players?

Give Hingis six weeks.

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