Hingis bounces back

Hingis wasted four match points in Australian Open final

Martina Hingis shrugged off the disappointment of her Australian Open final defeat by Jennifer Capriati with a comfortable victory in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The top seed cruised into the quarter-finals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Marlene Weingartner.

Hingis has pulled out of the Pan Pacific Open doubles due to tiredness, but she had far too much energy for her German opponent.

"I've had plenty of rest," said Hingis, who has won the event four times in the past six years.

Clear favourite

"I got here on Sunday (from Australia) and there's no time difference, so I think I played fairly well."

With defending champion Lindsay Davenport, who beat Hingis in last year's final, and Serena Williams having already pulled out of the event due to injury, Hingis is the clear favourite.

"The expectations are all for me to win, and I feel pretty good about my chances here," said Hingis.

Elena Dementieva set up an all-Russian second-round meeting with Anna Kournikova by outclassing Japan's Saori Obata 6-3 6-4.

Kournikova faces fellow Russian Dementieva

It will be the first time the two 20-year-olds, who are both still seeking their first career title, have met on the WTA Tour.

"I haven't played Anna, so it's going to be our first match," said Dementieva. "It will be very interesting for both of us."

Kournikova cruised through the opening round with a 6-3 6-0 win over Spain's Cristina Torrens-Valero.

In other first round matches, American qualifier Alexandra Stevenson beat Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik 6-1 6-4, while Italy's Silvia Farina Elia defeated Russia's Tatiana Panova 6-4 7-5.

Anne Kremer of Luxembourg also reached the second round after beating another Russian, Elena Likhovtseva, 4-6 6-1 6-3.

Fourth seed Sandrine Testud of France became the first player through to the quarter-finals when she beat Austrian Barbara Schett 4-6 7-5 7-5.