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| Capriati is Aussie champ |
27 gennaio 2001
Australian Open
Jennifer Capriati powered to a sensational straight sets victory over Martina Hingis to be
crowned Australian Open champion in front of a joyous Melbourne crowd.
Capriati won 6-4 6-3 with a near-faultless performance as hot favourite
Hingis crumbled under a fearsome onslaught of raking groundstrokes.
"Who would have thought I would ever make it here after all that has
happened?" Capriati said afterwards.
"Maybe dreams can come true."
The American was thought to be finished as a top-flight player when she took three years out
of the game between 1993 and 1996.
This display completes one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history.
"I don't know what to say," admitted a shell-shocked Hingis.
"It was a great effort from Jennifer."
Capriati shot out of the blocks to open up a 3-0 lead in the first set,
holding on despite a break-back from Hingis at 5-3.
She sealed the set as a Hingis drop-shot opened the court out for a backhand
drive down the line.
End comes quickly
Hingis, unlucky with poor line-calls throughout, could barely believe what
was happening to her as the second set went the same way.
Throwing her racquet down in disgust, she fell apart in the closing stages
as 24-year-old Capriati conversely showed no sign of weakening.
The end came quickly as Capriati hit another hammer of a backhand winner and
leapt in the air with delight.
Hingis, so sure of victory
beforehand, was eventually gracious in defeat - but the day belonged to Capriati.
Seeded 12th, she beat no.4 seed Monica Seles and no.2 Lindsay Davenport en
route to the defeat of no.1 seed Hingis in the final.
Hingis, 20, has now failed to win a Grand Slam title in two years, having won five as a teenager.
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