TENNIS ROUNDUP : Sabatini Wins in Confidence Game

It took a little longer than she had hoped, but Gabriela Sabatini got what she was seeking--a second consecutive Family Circle Magazine Cup title.

“It’s very special,” Sabatini said. “It gives me a lot of confidence always to win a tournament. It’s something that means a lot mentally, too.”

Sabatini had a breeze and then a battle en route to beating Conchita Martinez, 6-1, 6-4, on Sunday at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Sabatini, ranked third in the world, won the first set in 30 minutes, but struggled in the hourlong second.

Martinez had her chances. She broke the top-seeded Sabatini once, she had double-break point twice and then was up 40-0 on Sabatini’s serve in the final game.

But Sabatini refused to wilt, fighting back each time to save serve and, finally, the match when she hit a backhand drop shot that Martinez could not reach.

Sabatini earned $110,000 for the victory in the 20th annual Family Circle. Martinez, who was seeded fifth, earned $44,000.

“The first set I was terrible,” Martinez said. “I made many mistakes, and I didn’t move. I was really tired.”

Martinez, who played in the singles and doubles semifinals Saturday, said she didn’t feel comfortable on the court.

“But what can you do?” she said. “I didn’t expect to play so bad in the first set. After that, it was too late.”

The victory gave Sabatini 23 championships in her career, tying her with Monica Seles for third among active players. Sabatini has also now won three tournaments this year.

“I’m playing very well,” she said. ‘I’m really feeling confident. Mentally, I feel very good, especially in this tournament.”

Martinez had more winners than Sabatini, 26 to 19, but she also had more unforced errors, 32 to 15, before a capacity crowd of 9,300. Of Martinez’s errors, 21 came on her forehand.

Sabatini’s net play was a key. She won the point 24 of the 28 times she came in.

Aaron Krickstein overcame a foot injury to defeat top-seeded Alexander Volkov of Russia, 6-4, 6-4, and win the South African Open at Johannesburg.

Krickstein, seeded fourth, won his first singles title since 1989 in a ragged match that lasted 77 minutes.

An injured tendon in the arch of his right foot Tuesday almost forced Krickstein out of the tournament.

But he said his baseline play and service return remained strong, and he went on to win the title without dropping a set despite playing with a heavily bandaged foot.

Unseeded Carlos Costa upset defending champion Sergi Bruguera, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, in the final of the Estoril Open at Lisbon, his first ATP tournament victory.

Costa defeated Bruguera in the Spanish national championships last December.

Costa, 23, is listed 59th in the ATP rankings.