Davenport Defeats Graf In Straight Sets For Acura Title

Lindsay Davenport, playing the best tennis of her career this summer, made Steffi Graf her latest big-name victim Saturday.

At Manhattan Beach, Calif., Davenport surprised the world’s co-No. 1 player 6-3, 6-3 in the Acura Classic semifinals, handing Graf her first loss in the United States since November of 1994.

Anke Huber of Germany, the second seed, played Karina Habsudova of Slovakia in the evening semifinal. The final is today.

“I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet. It means so much to me that I was able to really pull it out,” Davenport said of her first victory over Graf in five career meetings.

Davenport also has the title of Olympic champion. Two weeks ago, she strung together victories over Huber, Iva Majoli, Mary Joe Fernandez and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario in Atlanta to win the gold medal.

Pete Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic, the top seeds playing at the top of their games, won their semifinal matches and will meet for the title of the $1.04 million RCA Championships at Indianapolis.

Sampras, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, had little trouble in a 6-1, 6-4 victory over No. 13 Bohdan Ulihrach despite two 30-minute rain delays at the Indianapolis Tennis Center.

Ivanisevic handled fifth-seeded Todd Martin with surprising ease in a 6-2, 6-4 semifinal win.

Jan Siemerink fended off five break points in one game late in the third set then rallied for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Wayne Ferreira in the semifinals of the Pilot Pen International at New Haven, Conn.

Siemerink will face Alex O’Brien who defeated Mark Philippoussis 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (4-7) 6-4.