INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Monica Seles and Conchita Martinez
were upset Friday in the Tennis Masters Series.
|  | | It wasn't an enjoyable day for Monica Seles as she got eliminated from the Masters Tennis Series by Tathiana Garbin of Italy.
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Fourth-seeded Seles struggled in losing to 23-year-old Tathiana
Garbin of Italy, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4. Elena Bovina of Russia
celebrated her 18th birthday one day early by beating fifth-seeded
Martinez, 6-4, 6-4.
Garbin called it her best victory ever and was 0-5 this year. She
credits a thyroid operation she had in November with her good
performance.
After a tough first set, Martina Hingis, the top seed, routed
Kveta Hrdlickova of the Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-0. Hingis won the
first three games, only to have Hrdlickova win the next five.
Down 4-5, Hingis won the final nine games of the match.
Defending champion Lindsay Davenport, seeded second, needed only
48 minutes to eliminate Nicole Pratt of Australia, 6-2, 6-1, and
third-seeded Venus Williams dominated Sarah Pitkowski of France,
6-0, 6-1 in 64 minutes.
Hingis, who has never lost to Hrdlickova in five meetings,
looked at of the third game of the opening set as critical. The
game went to deuce eight times and Hingis won after having seven
break points.
"It was like 10 times it went to deuce. I won that game, but I
still didn't feel like so safe," Hingis said. "Then she kept
playing the same style. I was happy to win the first set, that's
for sure."
Davenport arrived here with two consecutive tournament victories -- in
Tokyo, where she defeated Hingis, and Scottsdale last week, where
she avenged her defeat against Australian Open champion Jennifer Capriati.
"Coming off two wins in a row certainly gives me confidence to
try and keep the roll going and try to win here again," Davenport
said.
Williams lost only won game in her match.
"I hated giving that game up, really I did," she said. "It's
not like she played badly. I was able to get all the important
points."
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Friday's results
Osterloh knocks off Dragomir in Masters Series
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