Chanda Rubin, streaking shots down the line then attacking the net, stunned Martina Hingis with a straight-set victory Wednesday in the Evert Cup quarterfinals.
The unseeded Rubin, in what she called the best win of her career, ousted defending champion Hingis 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).
Rubin, ranked 26th in the world, stroked accurate shots from the baseline to keep the top-ranked Hingis scrambling from side to side, then frequently rushed forward to seal the point with a volley.
“I wanted to take advantage of her second serves, take the opportunity to start the point off aggressively,” said Rubin, 23, who is 2-1 against the 18-year-old Hingis.
Hingis was impressed.
“I think she played an unbelievable match,” said Hingis, losing for just the third time in 18 matches this year. “I was always a step too late and too defensive.”
Serena Williams, also unseeded but playing extremely well, advanced to the semifinals with a 7-5, 7-6 (7-1) victory over Mary Pierce.
In a second-round match in the Newsweek Champions Cup, also played at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort, defending champion Marcelo Rios beat Cedric Pioline 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
