Hingis, who will replace Lindsay Davenport as world number one on Monday, struggled to find her rhythm in the first set and was put under pressure by the Spaniard's superior baseline drives as the players traded early breaks.
``You can't win against Arantxa by playing long rallies, she's better than most players at them,'' Hingis said. ``I think you have to play aggressively.''
The top-seeded Swiss, who had lost to Sanchez-Vicario only once in 14 previous meetings, took a 4-1 lead with a rare ace, yet won only one of the next nine points as an exquisite lob brought the Spaniard, seeded fourth, back into the set at 4-3.
``Obviously against Martina you have to go for the shots,'' Sanchez-Vicario said. ``I had my chances.''
But Hingis wrapped up the first set after a series of entertaining rallies -- which brought a quiet 7,800-strong crowd to life -- and settled into her stride in the second, quickly building up a 3-1 lead with an early break.
Sanchez-Vicario, a veteran of 13 years on the WTA tour, held her serve against impressive all-court play from Hingis, betraying few signs of two marathon matches she played on Saturday and sparking hopes of a comeback.
``On court she's such a fighter, you don't see that she's tired or anything,'' Hingis said.
COMMANDING
But the Spaniard lost the next service game to love after failing to put a first serve in play, handing Hingis, who also won here in 1998, a commanding 5-2 advantage.
``I was playing better when I was returning than serving,'' Sanchez-Vicario said. ``If I'd have served a little bit better that would have helped.''
She broke back after saving three match points in a gruelling eighth game before Hingis, whose $87,000 prize makes her the year's leading money-winner with $1,123,039, sealed victory with a searing cross-court forehand.
Sanchez-Vicario, who won here in 1993, 1994 and 1996 and has missed the event just once in 13 years, vowed to return next year and dismissed the idea her marriage this summer would herald an end to her career.
``They've been retiring me for three or four years,'' she said. ``But I'm not done yet.''