Monday, March 24, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
But the competition is getting fierce.
Hingis won a battle of 16-year-olds Sunday, beating Venus Williams 6-4, 6-2 in the third round at the Lipton Championships.
Anna Kournikova, at 15 the youngest player in the draw, also advanced by beating Katarina Studenikova 1-6, 6-4, 6-0.
An intriguing final could be looming Saturday between Hingis and former No. 1 Monica Seles, playing her first tournament this year. Seles advanced to the fourth round by beating Amy Frazier 6-3, 6-3.
In the men's draw, 11 of the top 16 seeds were eliminated before the third round was complete. Former champion and Henderson resident Michael Chang's 11-match winning streak came to an end when he lost to Sergi Bruguera of Spain 6-4, 6-3.
The 6-foot Williams made a fearless bid to pull off an upset as she blasted forehands, reached 111 mph on her serve and rushed to the net, pitting her acrobatic volleys against Hingis' precise passing shots.
"She's the same age I am and two heads taller -- maybe even three," the 5-foot-6 Hingis said with a giggle. "I didn't grow so much when I was little. It doesn't seem she's the same age I am at all."
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