MELBOURNE, Australia -- Powerful American Lindsay Davenport beat top seed Martina Hingis 6-1, 7-5 in the final of the Australian Open Saturday to end the Swiss star's reign at the year's first Grand Slam tournament.
Davenport, the second seed, completely outplayed the world No. 1 for most of the match, dominating on her serve and firing winners down both sides of the court.But she had to survive a stirring second-set comeback by Hingis, who came back from 1-5 down to even the scores at 5-5.
Davenport then held her serve for 6-5 and broke Hingis to love in the final game to take the first Grand Slam title of the new millennium.
Hingis had been bidding to win her fourth consecutive Australian Open title and had not lost in Melbourne in 27 singles matches stretching back to 1997, when she first won the title at the age of 16.
She had also won three straight women's doubles titles before losing in Friday's final, after which she was branded a sore loser by her opponents.
But Hingis, who also left the court in tears after losing last year's French Open final to Steffi Graf, was entirely gracious in defeat.
"My winning streak has ended here in Australia, but don't worry -- I'll be back next year," Hingis told fans at Melbourne Park's center court.
"I'd like to congratulate Lindsay on a great tournament here. You really played some great tennis."
Davenport returned the compliment. "I know she's going to be back here and win many more of these -- as well as every other Grand Slam."
Davenport broke Hingis' serve three times in a first set lasting just 19 minutes and strung together a sequence of seven straight games to stamp her authority on the match.
Hingis has said she considers the court her second home, but she was virtually powerless against the American's groundstrokes and saw her own returns spraying across the lines.
Sunday's men's final will see world No. 1 Andre Agassi meet second seed and defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov.