Hingis beaten in three sets on tennis return

Former world number one Martina Hingis slumped to defeat on her comeback after two years out with an ankle injury yesterday and said she had "no plans" to play in any other tournaments.

The 24-year-old Swiss lost 1-6 6-2 6-2 to Germany's Marlene Weingartner in the first round of the Thailand Open.

Hingis was thought to be using the Thai event as a test for a full-time return but she said: "My life has been very good the last couple of years. I'm very comfortable, and this is really hard work.

"I give the girls a lot of credit, who travel all the time. I was doing that for 10 years.

"I've never had plans further than this step. Maybe I'll play some exhibitions. That's my plan at the moment. At this point I have no plans to play any more tournaments."

Hingis was seeking a low-key event in which to test her ability to return to the WTA Tour and was on top for the first set against a player ranked no.73 in the world.

However, Hingis's service began to deteriorate in the second set and her opponent took advantage of a series of lightweight returns.

In the third set, an increasingly listless Hingis fell behind 1-0 with a netted double-handed backhand and a blistering backhand winner down the line gave Weingartner a further break for 4-1. A netted Hingis forehand ended her hopes of victory.