Martina Hingis can't recall the first time she faced Silva Farina Elia of Italy. Not because Hingis lost 6-3, 6-1, but because it happened in 1996 and the current No. 4 player in the world was only 15-years-old.

"I lost to Farina?" Hingis, 21, said seemingly shocked. "Well, obviously, I don't remember that. . . . Was I supposed to win at that tournament?"

Maybe not, but in front of 8,183 fans at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Saturday, fan-favorite Hingis answered expectations with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Farina Elia in the Toray Pan Pacific Open semifinals.