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Back on track Seles will face Williams in Acura Classic final
Updated: Sunday August 05, 2001 12:54 AM
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) -- Monica Seles dismantled Martina Hingis 6-3, 6-4 in the Acura Classic semifinals Saturday for her first victory against the world's No. 1 player in three years. Seles, the seventh seed, advanced for the second straight year to the final, where she'll play No. 2 Venus Williams in a rematch of last year when Williams won in three sets. Williams faced just three break points on her serve in defeating fourth-seeded Lindsay Davenport 6-2, 7-5. "I play very well against the top players. My game comes to another level," said Williams, who was cheered on by sister Serena and father Richard. Williams has dominated their series since beating Davenport at this tournament in 1999, winning seven of their last nine meetings, including a three-setter in the Wimbledon semifinals in June. "I had my chances. I could never get over that hump to get a lead," said Davenport, who despite the loss will move up to No. 3 in the world while Williams drops to fourth in next week's rankings. For the first time in eight tournaments this year, Seles has put together consecutive victories against higher-ranked players. She defeated third-seeded Jennifer Capriati 6-3, 6-3 in Friday's quarterfinals, then beat the top-seeded Hingis to end a seven-match losing streak against her. "The results have come faster than I thought," said Seles, who is playing for the second consecutive week after being off since May with a stress fracture in her right foot. "Nowadays to do well, you got to win at least two or three big matches against top players. In the past I could maybe do one but not put two or more together, and that's one area where I really want to improve." Formerly No. 1 in the world, Seles hasn't won a Grand Slam title since the 1996 Australian Open. She is ranked 10th in the world this week. "She looks fitter than ever," Hingis said. Seles cracked powerful winners into the corners and down the line against Hingis, who leads their series 13-3. Hingis tried to move Seles side to side, but the American was able to run down balls. "To finally come out and play at a high level and not let her back into the match really meant a lot," Seles said. "Having two hands on both sides, I have a tougher time reaching a lot of balls so I have to be in extremely good shape." Three times Seles was victimized by net cords that went in Hingis' favor in the first set, including one that allowed Hingis to hold serve after two break points and trail 5-3. Another net cord put Seles down break point, but she hit three consecutive winners to close out the set 6-3. The crowd at La Costa Resort jumped to its feet and cheered loudly for Seles, the clear favorite. "I was a little slow and she was always attacking," said Hingis, who returned to play about 16 hours after her quarterfinal win Friday. "She's moving better definitely. I didn't have that many chances." Seles broke Hingis to open the second set and took a 3-1 lead. But Seles gave it back when she double-faulted on break point and Hingis tied the set. Hingis returned the favor in the next game, double-faulting on double-break point to give Seles a 4-3 lead. Seles served for the match at 5-4 but double-faulted and sent a backhand wide to trail 30-love. "I thought, `You're getting really tight here. Just hit the ball. If you don't, she will,'" said Seles, who fired a forehand winner before Hingis committed three consecutive backhand errors to lose. Seles continued grunting on each shot a day after Capriati complained to WTA Tour officials that the noise distracted her. Capriati likened Seles' distinct sounds to "screaming at the top of her lungs." Tour supervisor Clare Wood was on court monitoring Seles' grunting Saturday, but Hingis didn't complain. "Nowadays there are girls that are much louder than I," Seles said. "I just try to play my game. I don't think I'm grunting or I'm not grunting."
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