Martina Hingis showed yesterday before, moving from one Williams sister to another, that she is not totally sugar and spice and all things nice.

Having beaten Serena in an enthralling Australian Open quarter-final - 4-1 down in the final set, Hingis won it 8-6 - the world number one turned her thoughts to her semi-final with Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic champion Venus.

But not before she had reacted more than a touch unsympathetically to questions about the effect that gastroenteritis may have had on her beaten opponent.

When told that Serena had spent the previous two days hardly eating a thing because of food poisoning, Hingis said: ''Well, you have to watch out what you eat then. I learnt that. I mean, I wouldn't eat the proper way in the past sometimes.

''I didn't feel that great or I gained weight, but in time you have to become a little bit professional about that.

''You couldn't really tell that she had food poisoning or anything. I mean, she was running well.

''When she lost the long rallies or anything I think it was more that I wore her out, not that anything else was the problem.

''Maybe after the first set she felt a little sick or something, but I think once we were in the third set everything bad came out. I didn't feel my body any more.''

Williams, twice given medication during the match after being seen by a doctor before it, said: ''I did well considering I hadn't eaten in two days apart from some piece of toast here and there.

''I wanted a big win but I wasn't at my best or feeling my best, so I'm pretty disappointed.

''I was feeling dizzy and I just really didn't know how I was out there. They gave me lots of fluid and it really helped. I think it definitely wore off in the third set.''

The older of the two sisters had also been stretched to 8-6 in the third set of her quarter-final with South African Amanda Coetzer who, like Serena, served for the match.

''As we've got to play again tomorrow I think I've had the better preparation this time,'' said Hingis.

''It's not like the US Open the other year when I got back at 10pm, then had to go out the next day. This time I think I have enough time to rest.'' She and Seles played their doubles quarter-final on Tuesday.

The only two Hingis-Venus Williams clashes last year were in the Wimbledon quarter-finals and US Open semi-final. Williams won both in three sets