Even Hingis Can't Slow the Rising Davenport

By LISA DILLMAN

Aug. 17, 1998 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Is Martina Hingis shrinking or is everyone getting bigger and stronger?

Immediately after Lindsay Davenport of Newport Beach defeated Hingis, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the final of the Acura Classic on Sunday, Hingis sounded like she was hanging out in the land of the giants on the tour, repeating a consistent theme.

“I saw her on the other side, and she is pretty big,” Hingis said. “Lindsay was just on a run. She hits the ball very hard from the baseline and sometimes I would I lose the racket.”

Hingis may not be shrinking, but her once-sizable hold on No. 1 has been reduced to 444 points over the second-ranked Davenport. Davenport simply overpowered and, at times, reduced Hingis to a helpless spectator in the one-hour, 26-minute match at the Manhattan Country Club in Manhattan Beach.

For Davenport, it was a continuation of a brilliant three-week stretch of tennis. She is on a three-tournament, 12-match winning streak, making her the favorite for the U.S. Open, which starts on Aug. 31.

“I think I’ve beaten just about everyone, just about,” said Davenport, who won $79,000. “Here, to beat the No. 1 player in the world, where I used to come and watch as little girl--and to win three in a row--this is a great ending for the whole month.”

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the challenge to Hingis’ long grip on No. 1 is that it is not coming from a member of the brash teen movement. Davenport, 22, felt badly when she forgot to acknowledge Hingis during the on-court ceremony, and made it a point to grab the microphone again.

There is a chance Davenport could become No. 1 after the U.S. Open. But there are other factors--Hingis may pick up some points this week in Montreal, and Davenport is defending points at a subsequent event just before the U.S. Open.

Although Davenport has not lost since the Wimbledon quarterfinals, she does not feel like the No. 1 player in the world, although no one is playing better tennis right now.

“Well, No. 1 is 52 weeks of the player’s result,” she said. “I have had three great weeks, but Martina has had about 49 greater weeks than I’ve had. I feel like I am playing great tennis, and can beat anybody now. But the rankings are a reflection of a whole year’s work.”

Should Davenport ascend to the top spot, it would end a long drought. The last time an American-born player held the No. 1 position on the women’s tour was Chris Evert in November, 1985.

Hingis, now 17, became the youngest No. 1-ranked player since the tour rankings began in 1975, taking over the position on March 31, 1997.

Davenport, who has reached the semifinals of three Grand Slam tournaments, would rather win a major than become No. 1.

“It closes the gap but it is still a bit away,” she said. “For me, the chase is there, but I am not playing these tournaments and winning these tournaments to become No. 1.

“I am playing these tournaments to win these tournaments. I’m going to play the U.S. Open to win my first Grand Slam, not to possibly be No. 1.”

Hingis, already, is thinking ahead, to the U.S. Open.

“Tennis is not over, there’s still the U.S. Open coming up,” she said, smiling.

Davenport’s dominance was so complete on Sunday that Hingis joked about her upcoming schedule.

“Montreal and then I am taking one week off--I hope Lindsay won’t be there,” she said.

The final was the third time Davenport and Hingis have played in 1998. They split the other two matches, with Hingis winning the most recent meeting at Indian Wells in March.

This time, Davenport was more poised, and more mobile. Her increased confidence showed when she missed a high volley into an open court, and smacked an overhead in the net. Previously, her confidence would have been impacted but not on Sunday.

Davenport managed to stay resolute despite a first-set lull, in which she squandered a 4-2 lead and dropped four consecutive games to lose it, 6-4.

In the second and third sets, she moved well side-to-side on the baseline, and ran down several drop shots. Her improved speed was never more evident on her second match point. Hingis and Davenport traded groundstrokes, and Hingis lured her to the net with a drop shot. Davenport retrieved it, and chased a lob back to the baseline.

Finally, Hingis tried another drop shot. Again, Davenport moved forward, and put it away, powering a backhand down the line.

“I think everybody thought I won it before I won it,” she said. “The lob went over my head and bounced back in the court.”

Said Hingis: “Some of the balls she hit today were amazing. She just hit the corner, so what can you do about that? That is just too good. I mean, what can I change about that? Nothing.”

Hingis had 10 aces but double-faulted seven times. To keep up with the power game, she knows she must make some adjustments.

“You have to keep holding serve,” she said. “It’s more like men’s tennis. Once you lose your serve, you lose the set.

“It is very different. Women’s tennis has improved so much, you have to have different strategies now. I don’t feel at home with that strategy. But there are the next tournaments and I have to improve.”

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DAVENPORT’S NET GAINS

A look at how Lindsay Davenport has fared on the WTA Tour this year:

Tournaments entered: 14

Tournaments won: 4

Finals appearances: 5

Semifinals: 9

Quarterfinals: 13

Worst finish: Lost to Amelie Mauresmo in third round of German Open.

Earnings: $1,144,093 (third in WTA)

Picking Up Speed

How Lindsay Davenport has fared in five tournament finals this year: