Tokyo, February 5:

Martina Hingis missed a chance for the first title of her comeback on Sunday, falling 6-2, 6-0 to Russia’s Elena Dementieva in the Pan Pacific Open final.

The second-seeded Dementieva overpowered Hingis at Tokyo’s Metropolitan Gymnasium to win her first Tier 1 WTA Tour singles title.

“I’ve been playing well for the last five or six weeks,” said Hingis. “I guess I just faced one Russian too many.” Hingis, who retired three years ago because of foot, heal and ankle injuries, is a four-time winner in Tokyo. She last played in the event in 2002.

Hingis, who entered the tournament as a wild card, beat top-seeded Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals on Saturday, but got off to a sluggish start in the final and never found her game against the ninth-ranked Dementieva.

Hingis was broken three times in the first set and had a series of unforced errors. The Swiss star had no answer for Dementieva’s powerful serves and returns. When Hingis came to the net, the Russian player frustrated her with lobs that Hingis had no chance of reaching.