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Notebook Capriati to stay No. 1 next weekPosted: Thursday January 24, 2002 5:01 PMMELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Jennifer Capriati will keep her world No. 1 singles ranking next week, even if she loses to Martina Hingis in the Australian Open final on Saturday. Capriati earned enough points to hold the ranking by beating Kim Clijsters of Belgium in the semifinals Thursday. Hingis will stay at No. 4 in the world, even if she wins. The only changes in the top 10 will be at the lower end, with Justine Henin of Belgium moving up to No. 7 and Amelie Mauresmo of France moving up to No. 8. Jelena Dokic will drop from No. 7 to No. 9.
A 'frustrating' fly-byPlanes in formation came over center court several times during the semifinal match between Monica Seles and Hingis. The aircraft were part of the Australian Air Force's Roulettes team, which performs aerial acrobatics at major sports events."They warned us before the match," said Seles, who lost in three sets. "Definitely, it's a little bit frustrating when you're serving."
Novak proves a good sportUsually, players argue over line calls that don't go their way.Serving at 40-0 and down 2-3 in the third set, Thomas Johansson hit a crosscourt backhand that a linesman called long. But Jiri Novak said the point was good and gave the Swede the point and the game. "I saw that this ball was definitely before the line. It was in," Novak said. "I was surprised but I also know that Jiri is a great guy," Johansson said. "He's one of the nicest guys on the tour."
Hingis ends grand slam finals droughtHingis chases her first Grand Slam singles title in three years when she plays Capriati in Saturday's final.The Grand Slam title drought for the Swiss has prompted talk that the power hitters may be too much for her at the very top level of women's tennis. "The other girls caught up with me and I couldn't raise it at that point," said Hingis, who has won five Grand Slams. "But now I think I'm moving forward again and playing better than ever." Hingis' last Grand Slam title was the 1999 Australian Open, and she said she had thought about whether she had the ability to win another one.
Hingis' record run tied GoolagongBy reaching her sixth straight Australian Open women's final, Hingis has tied Evonne Goolagong Cawley's record for the open era.Goolagong Cawley made six straight finals from 1971 and 1976, winning three times. Hingis, who won three straight times starting in 1997, was runner-up the past two years. The record for consecutive finals before the open era is seven, set by Esna Boyd (1922 to 1928) and matched by Margaret Smith-Court (1960 to 1966).
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