Davenport Beats Hingis for Advanta Tennis Crown

American Lindsay Davenport served notice that she is ready for next week's Chase Championships with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 victory over world No. 1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland in today's Advanta Championship final in Pennsylavania, the United States.

In what may be a preview of the final at the season-ending event in New York, Davenport fired seven aces en route to her sixth WTA Tour title of the year and her second win of the season over Hingis, who dethroned Davenport for the No. 1 ranking on August 9. Hingis leads the WTA Tour with seven titles in 1999.

"I just felt great playing and I went for my shots," Davenport said. "My serve definitely kept in the match today. To win this is pretty exciting."

Both players held serve in the second set until the 10th game. With Hingis serving at deuce she committed a backhand error which forced match point. But the Swiss teenager fired an ace to Davenport's backhand side which kept her alive. Hingis managed to save a second match point, but faced a third after hitting a forehand wide. Off her second serve, Hingis hit a backhand into the net to give Davenport the victory.

In her first event since aggravating a wrist injury last month in Filderstadt, Germany, Davenport lost only one set en route to the title, including an impressive 6-1, 6-2 semi-final victory over world No. 3 Venus Williams.

Davenport pocketed a first prize of $80,000 for winning her 25th career title. She holds an 8-7 lead in the all-time series with Hingis, including a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the final at Sydney, Australia in January in their only previous meeting this season.

Davenport will be the second seed at the Chase Championships, which gets under way on Monday, and will face Amelie Mauresmo of France in the first round. Davenport lost to Hingis in last year's final.

The 19-year-old Hingis was appearing in her tour-best 12th final of the year, but posted her second straight runner-up finish. She lost to Venus Williams in the final of her home event in Zurich three weeks ago.

Hingis will be the top seed at the Chase Championships and will meet Sandrine Testud of France in the first round. (Xinhua)


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