He bent down to pick up a few small objects near the middle of the court.
Beads. Venus Williams had left her calling card.
In stunning Hingis 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, in the semifinals of the Lipton Championships, Williams left behind more than that.
She left behind a stadium roaring at the suspense of the 1-hour 59-minute thriller that saw Lipton defending champion Hingis escape three match points in the second set and rally from 3-5 down to force a third.
She left behind likely the best women's match in the Lipton's 14-year history -- and maybe its goofiest victory dance.
It was a cross between the limbo and the Ickey Shuffle.
``It's a little dance,'' said Venus, 17, from Palm Beach Gardens. ``I don't do a full dance on court. Maybe after I win a Slam or something of that nature.''
Venus treated this triumph like a title, leaning over a courtside wall to kiss her father and coach, Richard. Also watching farther back in the stands: mom Brandy and sister Serena, who served as Venus' practice partner in a morning hitting session.
Venus will need Serena again Saturday, before her noon Lipton final against either Arantxa Sanchez Vicario or Anna Kournikova (who played late Wednesday). Williams is going for her second career title after winning Oklahoma City in March.
``I guess it's pretty difficult to play the Williams family two matches in a row,'' sighed Hingis, who turned away two match points before beating Serena, 16, in Tuesday's quarterfinals. ``[Venus] was right there from the first point on. She was pretty ready this time.''
Chances are good the championship won't top the 11th-ranked Williams' victory over Hingis for drama.
For perspective, consider that even flashy Andre Agassi, following Hingis-Williams on stadium court, was rendered an afterthought Thursday afternoon. He played Jeff Tarango in a half-full stadium.
Agassi's 6-4, 6-3, victory over Tarango put Agassi in the semifinals, where he'll play either Steve Campbell or Alex Corretja today.
But Tuesday's story was Williams, who finally slammed the door on the suspense with a down-the-line forehand that Hingis couldn't reach, as the crowd of 10,143 erupted.
It was Williams' fourth match point. Her first three came 12 games before, with a 5-3 lead and Williams serving for the match in the second set.
Hingis saved the first with a backhand winner. On the second, Williams netted a backhand. On the third, she hit another long.
``I was just much too tight, much too pumped,'' Williams said of the 16-point game that Hingis finally won on her fourth break point. ``I suppose I got much too high. After I lost that game, it was like, `Wow, how could I have done that?' ''
A better question: Has Venus, 10 times better than her No. 110 a year ago at Lipton, caught up to Hingis?
Hingis admitted as much when asked if she considers Williams, rankings aside, her equal.
``She is,'' said the 17-year-old Hingis, who first ascended to the No. 1 ranking at Lipton last year. ``She beat me now. She beat me in Sydney. Of course, she's going to be a tough opponent.''
Hingis, 19-3 this year and 43-2 over the past two years on U.S. outdoor hard courts, didn't look like her spritely self at times. She was a step slow chasing Williams' groundstrokes in the corners. Hingis, whose game is based on placement, notched just 16 winners to Williams' 37 that included 12 from the backhand side.
``If I was 100 percent, I could do it,'' said Hingis, saying she felt tired from playing three consecutive three-setters [against Sandrine Testud, Serena and Venus] this tournament. ``But I'm not, so that's why she beat me. She was just a better player today.''
Spectators booed Hingis when she left the court for a bathroom break to change her shirt while trailing 0-1 in the third set. Against Serena, Hingis made a controversial call for the trainer. Was it a stall? It worked, breaking Serena's momentum. The maneuver backfired against Venus, who reeled off the next three games.
Said Williams: ``I thought it was really great I got a break and had a chance to think things over. It surprised me that she was taking breaks, because she did it against Serena. She did it against me before. Didn't bother me at all.''
More of a bother to Hingis: Williams (21-3 in 1998) has beaten her two of three matches this year. Hingis, 4-2 career against Williams and undefeated in Florida until Tuesday, won in the Indian Wells semifinals the tournament before Lipton.
``She's got much more confidence,'' said Hingis, who easily beat Williams at the 1997 Lipton -- their first meeting, and in the U.S. Open final later that year. ``She got smarter. She changes the pace. She doesn't just hit every ball as hard as she can.''
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