TENNIS: Hingis Continues Toward Chase Championships

By Tom Kosinski Sports Central Columnist

Martina Hingis solidified her claim to the number one player in the world and ensured herself the top spot in the coming Chase Championships with her 6-3, 6-1 straight set drubbing of doubles partner Anna Kournikova in the finals of the Kremlin Cup this past Sunday in Moscow. Hingis displayed an all court game in disposing of Kournikova without breaking a sweat and proving that she is the one to beat coming into the final month of the WTA season.

With the win at the Kremlin Cup, Hingis moves to 9-2 in finals in 2000. Hingis' only two finals losses came to current Chase champion and world number two Lindsay Davenport, both early in the year. Davenport defeated Hingis at the Australian Open in January and the Evert Cup in March. Hingis defeated Davenport in their last two finals meetings. Hingis other tournament victories include wins over Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, Serena Williams and teenager Kim Clijsters. Hingis holds the number one spot despite being shut out of titles at all four 2000 grand slams.

Kournikova remains without a professional singles title. Kournikova was seeking to win her first tournament on the professional tour in seventy-nine tries. She remains the most popular player on tour and one of the wealthiest, despite her lack of singles success. By making it to the finals of the Kremlin, Kournikova returned to the top ten displacing Sandrine Testud, who dropped from 10th to 15th. Kournikova continues on her quest for a singles title this week at the Sparkassen Cup in Leipzig, Germany. At press time, Kournikova had reached the semifinals and will face teen phenom Clijsters. Clijsters defeated Kournikova in their only previous meeting this year.

Hingis faced Amelie Mauresmo in the semis of the Kremlin, and came back from 1-5 down in the first set for a straight set victory to earn her place in the final. Hingis was off her game early against Mauresmo, who blasted cross court winners with ease from the baseline and had Hingis defending from all over the court. Hingis switched away from her baseline rally strategy at 1-5 down and attacked the net at every opportunity. Hingis ran the next six games and continued with an easy win in the second set. Hingis is arguably the best all-around player on the women's tour and her mastery of the court and strokes allowed her to nullify the power games of both Mauresmo and Kournikova and take the 2000 Kremlin Cup. Hingis' win and great comeback demonstrate that the classic all-court game is not dead, and heats up the "brain vs. brawn" debate in tennis. The debate will continue in the month of November, with all the top women players meeting at both the Advanta Championships in Philadelphia the week of November 6th and at the season ending Chase Championships at Madison Square Garden the week of November 13th.

In men's tennis, the 2000 ATP tour is winding down with the final three Tennis Master's Series events. On Thursday, seeds Marat Safin, Magnus Norman, Andre Agassi, Gustavo Kuerton, and Tim Henmen fell during the third round at Stuttgart, Germany, keeping the season ATP points title up for grabs. A new annualized point system was instituted at the beginning of 2000 to replace the often confusing rolling points system. Points are earned only in the calendar year, with the highest point winner the season champion. Currently, Kuerton is number one, Safin sits at number two, fueled by his U.S. Open victory, and Pete Sampras remains at number three.

Thursday's results in Stuttgart should not come as a surprise to the tennis fan and may be just another indicator of how far out of control technology has brought both the men's and women's game. All of the seeds who fell in Stuttgart, big hitters themselves, were defeated by what could be called the tennis "artillery". Big servers Sjeng Schalken and Greg Ruzedski and baseline bombers Wayne Ferreira and Lleyton Hewitt pounded by Agassi, Philippoussis, Norman, Safin, Kuerten and Henmen with relative ease. Only sixth seed and Kremlin Cup winner Yevgeny Kafelnikov remains in the draw.

Article courtesy of Sports Central