Serena subdues Capriati for Biscayne crown
KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) — Serena Williams extended her 2003 unbeaten streak by beating American countrywoman, Jennifer Capriati, for the seventh consecutive time yesterday, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, to win the Nasdaq-100 Open.
Williams, who is ranked No 1 and 17-0 this year, also beat Capriati in the 2002 final.
Playing on her 27th birthday, the No 6-seeded Capriati won four games in a row to take charge of the first set, and an erratic Williams appeared susceptible to an upset. It was the first set Williams had dropped in the tournament.
The noisy stadium crowd was firmly in Capriati’s corner, but Williams steadied her game in the second set and won nine consecutive points early in the third to grab the lead. Taking a big swing on almost every shot, Williams finished with 42 unforced errors to 21 for Capriati, but compensated with a big advantage in winners — 33 to 13.
On match point, Capriati pulled a backhand wide, and Williams raised her arms and hopped up and down with glee. Capriati now is behind 8-4 in the all-time series against Williams. She hasn’t beaten Williams since the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2001.
Williams earned $393,000. Capriati received runner-up money — $206,000 — for the third year in a row. She lost to Venus Williams in the 2001 final.
No 5-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain advanced to the men’s final by beating Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, 6-4, 6-2, Friday night. Moya’s opponent today will be the winner of yesterday’s semifinal between Spanish compatriot, Albert Costa, and Andre Agassi, bidding for his sixth Key Biscayne title and his third in a row.
Moya was ranked No 1 when he came to Key Biscayne in 1999, then lost in the fourth round. Now he’s in the final for the first time.
“I feel that I’m a better player now than four years ago when I was at the top,” said Moya, 26. “I think 26 is a great age for tennis. I’m still young. I have many things to improve. It would be a great story if I get back to No 1. I’m hungry to get up there again.”
Moya, who fell out of the top 40 in 2000 because of a back injury, will climb to fourth in next week’s rankings regardless of Sunday’s outcome.
