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Davenport proves too good for Govortsova in Memphis
'ECSTATIC':
The 31-year-old proved she's still a force to reckon with while in the men's event another veteran, Jonas Bjorkman, was defeated
AP, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
Monday, Mar 03, 2008, Page 18
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Jonas Bjorkman hits a return during his match against Steve Darcis in Memphis, Tennessee, on Saturday.
PHOTO: EPA
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Lindsay Davenport won her 55th career singles title and fourth since becoming a mother, beating Olga Govortsova 6-2, 6-1 on Saturday in the Cellular South Cup final.
On the men's side, Swede Robin Soderling advanced to his second consecutive ATP final, beating Czech Radek Stepanek 7-6 (2), 6-3 in the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships. Soderling will play Belgian Steve Darcis, who advanced to his second career ATP final by defeating Jonas Bjorkman 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
The 31-year-old Davenport improved to 25-3 since returning to tour play last fall and has won Bali, Quebec City, Auckland and now Memphis in that stretch.
"I'm ecstatic to win any tournament and to win here in the States and to play as well as I did to win, how I was winning very comfortable, gives me a lot of confidence," Davenport said.
Gorotsova was playing her first career singles final, and didn't stand a chance against the veteran who came in ranked only three slots ahead of her at No. 49. Davenport broke her in the first game and the seventh.
The Belarusian had her right elbow treated and taped by a trainer during the changeover between sets, which may have helped her hold off three break points in the first game of the second set to hold serve. Then fourth-seeded Davenport broke her next three service games and won the title when Gorotsova hit a forehand long.
Soderling had 12 aces in improving to 3-1 against Stepanek and won 35 of 39 points on first serve.
Stepanek, who lost to Andy Roddick in the final at San Jose last week, missed a chance to break Soderling in the third game of the first set. But Soderling held, and they went to a tiebreaker where Soderling blew it open by winning the first five points.
Darcis, ranked 81st, is making his Memphis debut and had won only two ATP-level matches this year.
He took control during the fourth game of the second set, which featured 18 points and four break points. Darcis broke the 35-year-old Swede to go up 3-1.
Bjorkman tried to answer in the third set and was serving well until the seventh game when Darcis broke the Swede.
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