Hingis and Capriati set up rematch
Martina Hingis and Jennifer Capriati are to meet again in the final of the Australian Open. For Hingis it will be her sixth consecutive Melbourne final, and for Capriati a chance to retain her women's singles crown. But to predict a winner from the pair will be more tricky, after they both had to overcome difficulties in winning their semi-finals today.
Hingis beat Monica Seles, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 as she struggled to see off an opponent who not only has a great history at Melbourne Park, but was in great form too. "I had to do something, Monica was playing so well - just hitting winners," said Hingis who won her last major in Australia in 1999. "I was just trying to make her move whenever I could."
Seles started the match much the stronger, the 28-year-old breaking Hingis in the first game of the match. Hingis broke back in the sixth, but a selection of powerful shots from Seles pulled off another break in the ninth to clinch the set.
Hingis was often left grunting and screeching as she summoned up the power to match Seles for power. But Seles couldn't maintain her early standards, and Hingis quickly seized control.
Coming in to the net frequently and using her volley to keep Seles on the back foot, Hingis out-thought her opponent and raced through to claim the second set in double time. The Swiss third seed went 5-1 up in the third set too, but failed to serve out and had to cope with a mini-revival from Seles, before holding out 6-4.
When asked whether she had the ability to overcome Capriati on Sunday, Hingis said: "I believe in it now again. I've played some great matches to get here and am looking forward to playing the final."
The current champion also had her difficulties in shaking off Belgian teenager Kim Clijsters, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1. Both women played out a titanic French Open final at Roland Garros last year, with Capriati only prevailing 12-10 in the third set. But today she made more effective use of her extra power when it mattered.
The American lost four consecutive service games in the first set, but broke back each time before winning out 7-5. An error-strewn second set was gifted to Henin, but Capriati recovered in the third set and after holding one break point, raised her game and drove past Henin with ease.
"I think it was important to get that first game [in the third set] and not to get broken," Capriati said. "I regrouped and said to myself, 'This is it. I'm going to give it all I've got.'"
Looking forward to the final, Capriati said: "For the first time, going up against her, it's like I'm the one favored to win. I know how she feels being in that position, because I was in that position last year. I know she wants it bad, but I want it bad too."