Martina Hingis exults after defeating Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela 6-1, 6-1 on Monday. (AFP)

Gold Coast (Australia): Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis gave her comeback to professional tennis in the Australian Women’s Hardcourt tournament here on Monday a rating of eight out of 10.

After a three-year break from the WTA Tour, the five-time Grand Slam singles champion was predictably rusty early before going on to claim a 6-1, 6-1 first-round victory over Venezuela’s Maria Vento-Kabchi.

Asked to rate her performance against world No. 62 Vento-Kabchi, Hingis said: “under the circumstances in the heat and not having played for three years, I’d say an eight (out of 10), other times even better.

“I don’t know what else I should have done today better than what I did. The score says it all.”

Hingis retired in 2002 with ankle, foot and heel injuries before making an abortive comeback attempt in a WTA event in Thailand in February last year when she lost to Germany’s Marlene Weingartner.

Her serve has improved and her groundstrokes appear considerably stronger than when she retired at the age of 22 in 2002.

“Just wait until the next matches, I’ll be even better,” said Hingis about her serve. “You have to have a high percentage of first serves, otherwise these girls today are going to kill you. They’re very aggressive and they attack right away.”

Hingis next plays world No.35 Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic on Wednesday. “I get another opportunity to play another match and that feels great already,” she said.