Tennis: Californian sweep for Davenport

THE WORLD No 2, Lindsay Davenport, came from behind against the top-ranked Martina Hingis to win her 12th consecutive match and third WTA tournament in a row at Manhattan Beach in California on Sunday.

Davenport dropped the first set, but stormed back to clinch a 4-6, 6- 4, 6-3 victory. Hingis had a break point in the final set to level matters, but the American saved it and held to take a 5-3 lead before breaking back to win on her second match point for her 17th career singles crown.

"Three wins in a row is just great," said the local favourite, Davenport, following her victories at other California venues, Stanford and San Diego. "It's so exciting. It means a lot to me, especially in California."

The Russian teenager Anna Kournikova will make her long-delayed Japanese debut when she takes part in the Princess Cup tennis tournament in Tokyo next month. The 17-year-old failed to make her Japanese debut at the Tokyo hard court tournament last year because her mother could not get a visa.

Kournikova reached her first final at Key Biscayne in March, but has been out of action since she strained her right thumb in a fall during a victory over Steffi Graf at Eastbourne in June.

She is expected to face tough opposition from Graf, Monica Seles and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, the French Open champion.