NEW YORK, August 29: Martina Hingis is the world's top-ranked tennis player, but the Swiss 19-year-old is feeling the pressure from Wimbledon winner Venus Williams and her younger sister, reigning US Open champion Serena.Top seed Hingis advanced to the second round of the 15 million-dollar Grand Slam tennis event by beating 101st-ranked Alina Jidkova of Russia 6-3, 6-1 in 56 minutes.But Hingis has not won a Grand Slam crown since last year's Australian Open, losing here to Serena Williams in the 1999 final even as Venus Williams has won 19 matches and four titles in a row starting with her first Slam at Wimbledon.``They had a very good summer. They played very good on hard court,'' Hingis said. ``Serena didn't play that much since Wimbledon. But Venus - you know, if I would be a fan, maybe I would pick her too.''Hingis is the most likely spoiler to a US Open final match-up between the Williams siblings. Asked if she felt like a favourite or underdog here, Hingis replied, ``Maybe both.''``I feel like I have a pretty good chance. I'm playing well. Venus, she has won four straight tournaments. Maybe she is the one who is more favoured. People used to pick me. So you never know.''Hingis has won three Australian Open titles plus Wimbledon and US Open titles in 1997, when she came within a French Open finals loss of completing the Grand Slam. But the Williams' more recent success clearly haunts Hingis. ``I think so far I have been better than them,'' Hingis said. ``I haven't been as injured as them. It's just the consistency. That's what counts to be Number One, not who wins the most tournaments or who hits the fastest serve.Hingis emphasises speed but lacks the serving power shown by the Williams sisters, second-ranked Lindsay Davenport or French fourth seed Mary Pierce. The lack of Slam titles since the rise of the Williamses has also dimmed her light.Poor sportsmanship by Hingis led to jeers by French fans when she lost to Steffi Graf at the 1999 French Open final, again missing a chance to complete a career Slam.``OK, I had a few problems. But who doesn't when he is a teenager?'' Hingis said. ``You learn by playing tournaments. You have to deal with different things than just playing tennis.''Hingis lost a Wimbledon quarter-final to Venus Williams and now regrets taking a conservative style in the match, saying, ``I should have taken my chances earlier, not wait for her to miss Or do something stupid.''One thing Hingis will not do to combat the Williamses is try to become a big-serving player by working on weights and taking steroids to enhance her muscles. Speed, not strength, will continue to be Hingis' main weapon.``Speed and quickness is all of my game anyway. If I get bigger, I just get slower and that's not my game. I realise that. I just have to work on my speed, be light and fast on the court, not a big hitter. I'm never going to compare myself to the Williamses, Lindsay or Mary. I'm never going to hit a ball like they do. But I have other good thing in my game, so I have to use those."
