Pete Sampras, the world's top-ranked player, handled the blazing serves of Goran Ivanisevic on Sunday to win the RCA Championships for a record third time, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5. It was his first tournament triumph since April.
The victory, in a match that began two hours late because of rain, was Sampras's first in three matches with Ivanisevic on hardcourts, giving him an 8-6 overall edge head-to-head."Goran is so difficult because he is so up and down, serves three aces in a row, double-faults twice," said Sampras.
Acura Classic
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - Lindsay Davenport used pinpoint groundstrokes to rout Anke Huber 6-2, 6-3 and capture her most significant title since joining the WTA Tour three years ago.
Davenport, the fourth seed, needed just 61 minutes to win. Later, she teamed with Natasha Zvereva to win doubles, over Amy Frazier and Kim Po 6-1, 6-4.
Pilot Pen International
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Alex O'Brien completed a run from wild-card entry to first-time champ, beating 10th-seeded Jan Siemerink 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.
O'Brien, the ATP Tour's lowest-ranked winner of the year at No. 169, beat No. 8 Arnaud Boetsch, No. 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov and No. 14 Mark Philippoussis to reach the final. In doubles, top-seeded Byron Black of Zimbabwe and Grant Connell of Canada beat the No. 6 Swedish duo of Jonas Bjorkman and Nicklas Kulti 6-4, 6-4.