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Men's Tennis
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Women's Tennis
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| Sunday, August 19 |
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| Williams beats top-seed Capriati in 3 sets ESPN.com news services | |||
TORONTO -- Serena Williams served notice that she's back in
Grand Slam form with a 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-3 victory Sunday over
Jennifer Capriati in the Rogers AT&T Cup championship match.
The 19-year-old Williams, who had to pull out of last year's
final in Montreal against Martina Hingis in the third set due to a
foot injury, recovered from a rain interruption of almost 3 hours
and a tense tiebreaker loss to win her second WTA title this
summer.
"This win is really gratifying for me," Williams said. "To come
through as a winner this year, just a step farther, is really
satisfying. I really needed the win."
Williams broke a string of four straight losses to the
top-seeded Capriati, who ousted her from the Wimbledon
quarterfinals in their last meeting.
"I think Serena played really well. She came up with a few big
ones at important times," Capriati said. "I felt pressure to
hold my serve. She was also returning well. Probably the
difference was her serve game."
Capriati will be the No. 2-ranked player in the world next week
in the WTA rankings. Williams has to be considered a favorite to
win the 2001 U.S. Open later this month. She won the event in 1999.
Williams won $178,000 Sunday.
Since winning the Tennis Masters Series at Indian Wells in
March, Williams had lost in the quarterfinals of four straight
events. That included three straight losses to Capriati at the
Ericsson Open, French Open and Wimbledon.
"If I have to play Jennifer at the U.S. Open, this win will be
behind us," Williams said. "I am going home to work hard and
make sure I do everything I can so I won't have to struggle."
The highlight of the tournament was easily Williams' semifinal
match against Monica Seles on Saturday night, with both players
hammering the ball hard and the crowd cheering for more of it.
The WTA said Capriati's finish will regain her career-high No. 2
world ranking this week. Williams will stay at No. 10.
"There's a few things I would like to improve," Capriati said of
her preparation for the U.S. Open. "My serve, making a better
first serve percentage and just different things that I know
that I have to do. I am really looking forward to the Open and
hopefully there I'll come out with better tennis." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories | |
ALSO SEE Sunday's results Capriati rallies past Huber to reach final in Toronto | |
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