Serena dumps Davenport

Davenport broke Williams to open the third set but Williams answered in the fourth game to level at 2-2. Davenport broke again for a 3-2 edge but Williams again broke back to equalise.

Both women held serve until Williams sent a forehand long to surrender a break and allow Davenport to serve for the title at 6-5. But Davenport double faulted and sent a backhand wide to surrender the break in four points and set up the deciding tie-breaker.

Williams double faulted on break point to surrender a service break in the opening game of the second set. In the next game, Davenport double faulted to give Williams two break points but saved both and held for a 2-0 edge.

Williams squandered one break point chance in the sixth game with a wide forehand, but Davenport sent a forehand long and then double faulted to level the set. Davenport broke back but Williams swept the next three to force a third set.

Williams surrendered the only service break of the match in the ninth game of the opening set, smacking a forehand long on the deciding point.

Henman takes heart despite final loss to Enqvist

CINCINNATI: Briton Tim Henman brushed away the drama of losing a seventh consecutive final, saying his game is poised to kick into top gear soon despite going out in the trophy match of the $ 2.95-million Masters Series to Swede Thomas Enqvist on Sunday.

Henman, seeded 15th, was beaten 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 as the Swede earned a 17th career title and first of the season after losses in two finals.

Henman fell victim to 25 unforced errors with only 24 winners compared to the 42 of the Swede, who moves up to eighth in the season’s Champions points race.

The Brit lost the first-set tie breaker as he offered the set to Enqvist with a double-fault. The Swede then went on a purple patch, winning eight consecutive points for a total of ten in a row and grabbed a 2- 0 lead.

Henman performed some heroics in the ninth game of the second, saving a pair of Enqvist match points. He did it again in the next game as the Swede served for victory.

But Enqvist wrapped up the victory with a return which bounced dead on Henman’s side of the net after ricocheting off the net cord.