Agassi nets record fifth

Agassi also earned 250 ATP Tour ranking points, assuring him of overtaking Kafelnikov for No 2 behind Pete Sampras. The rankings determine the seedings for the US Open, and guarantee Agassi of having an easier draw than Kafelnikov and playing in the bracket opposite Sampras.

Kafelnikov defeated Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 in the semi-final yesterday. In a battle between two Americans, Agassi defeated Todd Martin, 6-4, 6-2.

Hingis tops

TORONTO: Martina Hingis dethroned Monica Seles of the title at the $ 1.05 million Du Maurier Open, ending Seles’ four-year reign at the event and gathering momentum for the US Open.

Hingis, who regained her world No 1 ranking earlier this month, swept Seles 6-4, 6-4 in a final that took just more than an hour.

In the doubles final, the fourth-seeded duo of Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic and Mary Pierce of France defeated the fifth seeds, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain and Larisa Neiland of Latvia, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

Seles defeated unseeded Anne Gaelle-Sidot of France 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the final against Hingis, who beat third-seeded Mary Pierce 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

Lapentti escapes

INDIANAPOLIS: Nicolas Lapentti captured his first title in four years and Vince Spadea was left to rue a major miscalculation in the final of the $ 870,000 ATP RCA Championships.

Spadea, who lead 6-4, 4-2 against the 11th seed before losing the second set, watched a lob off Lapentti’s racquet fly near his racquet and land good in the ninth game of the final set.

Instead of making a move on the ball, world number 34 Spadea guessed that it would land out. It was good and gave Ecuador’s Lapentti a break for 6-3.

A game later, Lapentti served out a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in two hours and five minutes, capturing the second ATP Tour title of his career, his first on hardcourt and his first since 1995.