Tennis: Hingis in mood for quick trick

MARTINA HINGIS' title defence at the season-ending Chase Championships gained momentum yesterday as the world No 1 crushed France's Mary Pierce, 6-1, 6-2 in 58 minutes.

Her semi-final opponent was due to be to Venus Williams, who used her huge serve and superior athleticism to beat the seventh-seeded Austrian Barbara Schett, 6-4, 7-6.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, and Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, both clinched semi-final spots at the ATP World Doubles Championships in Connecticut.

The Indian team improved to 2-0 in the round robin as they got past the third seeds, Ellis Ferreira, of South Africa, and the American Rick Leach, 6-4, 6-4 in their Gold Group match. Woodforde and Woodbridge remained unbeaten in the Green Group as they defeated the fourth seeds, Sebastien Lareau, of Canada, and the American Alex O'Brien, 7-6, 6-4.