NESHA STARCEVIC - 29/09/99
Associated Press Writer

MUNICH, Germany (AP) - Ready to get her game on track and celebrate her birthday at Oktoberfest, Martina Hingis beat Amelie Mauresmo 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 Wednesday at the $6.7 million Grand Slam Cup.

The world's No. 1 player was competing in her first match since losing the U.S. Open final to Serena Williams nearly three weeks ago.

"It felt good to have the victory," said Hingis, who plans to enjoy herself at the annual beer festival on her day off Thursday, her 19th birthday. "I went a little bit down after that (the U.S. Open). I wasn't practicing."

Hingis, who beat Mauresmo in the final of the Australian Open, assured herself of earning at least $300,000 in the richest tournament in tennis.
The tournament features the 12 men and eight women with the best records at the year's four Grand Slam events. The men's winner gets $1.3 million and the women's champion gets $800,000.
In the Hingis-Mauresmo match, there were six breaks in the first set, but Hingis dominated the tiebreaker.
In the second set, Mauresmo dropped serve six times, including a double fault that gave Hingis a 2-1 lead. She broke back for 2-2 but could not hold in her next two service games. A place in the women's semifinals is worth $200,000 and Hingis also collects $100,000 as bonus for her Australian Open title.
After beating Mauresmo in Melbourne, Hingis caused bad blood by calling the broad-shouldered Mauresmo "half a man." The two have met three times since, with Hingis winning twice. Hingis said Wednesday the episode was history.

updated at Wed Sep 29 15:10:04 1999 PT