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CARLSBAD, Calif. -- After a near six-year absence, former world No. 1 Martina Hingis is back on the WTA Tour. But Hingis, a five-time Grand Slam singles champion, insists her return will only be in doubles and not singles. The 32-year-old Hingis began her second comeback to the tour Wednesday, teaming with Daniela Hantuchova for a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Julia Goerges and Darija Jurak in the Southern California Open. Hingis has retired twice previously, the first time in early 2003 at 22 and the last time in November 2007. "I always had it in the back of my head in the last six years," said Hingis, who has been coaching for the last two years. "Now, being so much closer to it, being closer to the game, closer to the matches, I was like lets try it again and see if I can have a great time." Her last WTA match was a second-round loss to Chinas Peng Shuai at an event in Beijing in September 2007. But recent comments made by current tennis commentator Lindsay Davenport, the three-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 ranked player, that Hingis was using the doubles comeback to launch a full-fledge return to singles later this fall, has fueled rampant speculation. All of which the "Swiss Miss" swatted away like a weak second serve. "Its a different world," said Hingis, a recent inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. "Even Team Tennis now, its brutal. Its only one set, but still like the next day I wake up and you have to put so much more effort into it. Playing tournaments, thats the easy part. Its all the grind behind it, behind the scenes that people dont see. The six straight hours of training. At 17, everything seemed to be so easy. Now. Im almost twice the age." Hingis just completed her second season of playing Team Tennis, leading the Washington Kastles to the championship and earning her second consecutive MVP award, all of which has her ready for her next return. "Its kind of weird just to play doubles," Hingis said. "Team Tennis always gets you in great shape. Being the MVP, that helps, I guess, the confidence. I played a lot more the last two years than I did in the first three years when I stopped." Hingis schedule after the Southern California Open includes two more warm-up tournaments at Toronto and Cincinnati before playing the U.S. Open, all with Hantuchova. "I dont have any expectations," Hingis said. "Obviously, I wouldnt put myself in this position if I didnt feel fine enough to be able compete at this level. Well see. Team Tennis, it was good enough. Will it be good enough in this world? Its another question." Hingis, who won 43 career singles titles, was also an accomplished doubles player with nine Grand Slam titles, including a calendar-year Grand Slam in 1998, and 37 doubles titles overall. A chronic ankle injury forced Hingis into her first retirement in 2003 and she was sidelined three years before she launched her first comeback in 2006. But her return fell far short of the standard set by the woman who held the No. 1 spot for 209 weeks, fourth longest in WTA history. Hingis was nothing close to the player who was the youngest Grand Slam singles winner at 16 years, three months when she captured the Australian Open in 1997 and later became the youngest female player to ascend to the No. 1 ranking. Hingis ended her first comeback under a cloud of controversy after she revealed in November 2007 that she tested positive for cocaine after losing in the third round at Wimbledon that year. 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Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary.CHICAGO -- Robin Ventura doesnt expect any more hoopla or controversy as Chicago White Sox left-hander Chris Sale returns to the lineup Thursday.Whether the White Sox manager is just looking at a best case scenario remains to be seen. But Ventura says there shouldnt be any issues from Sales teammates.I think its going to be fine, said Ventura on Wednesday, prior to the start of the two-game Wrigley Field leg of the White Sox-Cubs inter league crosstown clash.Players always have their teammates backs and thats no different with our clubhouse, Ventura said. I think its going to be fairly normal when he comes in as fair as hes going to be prepared to pitch and our guys are going to get prepared to play and its going to go from there.Sale (14-3) was the first big league pitcher to 14 wins this season but hasnt pitched since July 18. He was yanked from his last start on July 23 and suspended for five games following a clubhouse incident where he reportedly damaged 1976 throwback jerseys intended to be worn that night.(The uniforms were) uncomfortable and unorthodox, Sale said in an interview this week with MLB.com. I didnt want to go out there and not be at the top of my game in every aspect that I need to be in.In the same interview, Sale also apologized to fans who had come out that night to see him pitch against the Detroit Tigers.Ventura said Sale is not required to say anything to his teammates about the incident, but expects there will be some discussion.Theyre going to talk on their own Im sure, Ventura said. Over the course of the year theyve had meetings amongst themselves -- clubhouse meeting sson their own.dddddddddddd Some of thats going to happen but its not going to be a full team meeting.Sale will make only his second start in three weeks while facing the Cubs for the first time.He might have a little more on it than in the past because hes probably going to come out a little strong, Ventura said. Hes had these situations before hes had a long layoff and hes always been pretty good when hes had a long layoff.Sale goes against Cubs right-hander John Lackey (7-7) on Thursday. Lackey is 0-4 in his last six starts and 3-7 lifetime against the White Sox.Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he felt more upbeat heading into the showdown with Sale after his offense woke up in Wednesdays 8-1 victory.In a game like tomorrow we have to pitch well to beat them because you really anticipate theyre going to pitch well, hes going to pitch well, Maddon said. To go into tomorrows game with a defeat and not swinging the bats well would have been much more difficult.The Cubs are 7-5 since the All-Star break and wins in three straight series. But as they regain health and sharpness, Maddon said they could return to a similar for that saw 25 wins in their first 31 games.I believe we have another really good run in us, Maddon said.The Cubs stick with mostly American League opposition after the White Sox leave Wrigley Field. Seattle comes in for three games starting Friday and the Cubs travel to Oakland for three games starting Aug. 5. The Angels visit Chicago for a pair on Aug. 9-10. ' ' '