DECEMBER 2000 SPORT HEADLINES

Friday, January 26, 2001 - Web posted at 10:12:33 AM GMT

Agassi, Hingis, Capriati advance to finals

MELBOURNE - Defending champion Andre Agassi wore down Patrick Rafter with his sharpshooting and rallied for a 7-5, 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 victory last night to reach the Australian Open finals.

Rafter, the first Australian since 1996 to reach the semi-finals of his home country's Grand Slam tournament, had taken the lead with his precision serving and acrobatic volleying.

By late in the fourth set, the hard work had taken its toll on Rafter.

He slowed noticeably, and called for the trainer to massage his legs before the final set.

The match was reminiscent of the semi-final last year where Agassi rallied to beat Pete Sampras in five sets.

In the championship match Sunday, he will meet the winner of today's semi-final between Frenchmen Sebastien Grosjean and Arnaud Clement.

The women's final tomorrow will be between three-time winner Martina Hingis and resurgent Jennifer Capriati.

Hingis beat Venus Williams 6-1, 6-1 - Williams' worst loss ever - and Capriati knocked out defending champion Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 6-4.

It was the first time Hingis had beaten both Williams sisters in the same tournament.

It also was the first time that former troubled teenager Capriati had reached a Grand Slam final.

Agassi won the first set thanks to an 11th-game break when Rafter double-faulted and then volleyed long.

Rafter took control of the second by breaking in the fourth game with help from two drop shots and a double fault by Agassi.

In the third, both sides played their contrasting styles to perfection.

Agassi never was in trouble after breaking Rafter for 3-1 in the fourth set with a backhand serve return down the line.

He broke again for 3-1 in the final set, and served the rest of the way out.

He reached match point with a backhand between the desperately charging Rafter and finished the 3-hour, 7-minute match when Rafter floated a backhand just long.

In the women's semi-finals, both losers suffered from a rash of errors as Williams missed a chance to collect a fourth consecutive big title after the Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic championships.

Williams, who beat Hingis on her way to the Wimbledon and US Open titles, held service only once, committed 38 errors and yielded her second service break of the second set by serving three double faults.

She gave Hingis match point by slamming a volley far out, and then missed a backhand long.

Davenport hung her head or banged her racket on the court after some of the 43 errors that accounted for a majority of Capriati's 78 points.

Trying to stay in the match with Capriati serving at 5-4 in the second set, Davenport missed two serve returns, netted a backhand and finally dumped a forehand into the net while chasing a wide shot by Capriati."

"In all the semi-finals I've ever played, this was probably the most disappointing in the way that I showed up to play," Davenport said.

- Nampa-Sapa-AP

•  Boxing titles at stake
•   Pirates host Arrows
•  Boks overcoming poor displays
•  Kangaroos favourites
•  Sports Notices Cheetahs hold race
•  India takes one-dayer
•  Suzuki Night of Jumps postponed
•  Omusati, AN up in arms
•  White to work with Saracens
•  Boks keen to start Lion-taming
•  Kangueehi confident of retaining post
•  Player management
•  SA in solid start
•  Gibbs for Glamorgan