WTA C'ships could be another sisterly final

Beth Harris, Associated Press, Los Angeles

There's one last chance for yet another Williams vs. Williams final in 2002.

The season-ending WTA Championships begin Wednesday, and No. 1-seeded Serena Williams will defend the title she won last year, when Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the final with an injury.

Older sister Venus skipped the event with a hurt wrist last season, when it was in Germany.

This year, she was surpassed by Serena for the top ranking. Serena beat Venus in the finals of three consecutive Grand Slam tournaments - the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

"It would be better to get some different players in some of the Grand Slam finals," Davenport said.

She considers herself the spoiler in the 16-player draw. She isn't seeded because she was off the tour for six months after having knee surgery in January.

"It will be a fun position," she said. "I'm guessing the top eight wouldn't be happy to see me."

Davenport plays No. 6 Monica Seles on Wednesday night, followed by No. 2 Venus Williams vs. Patty Schnyder of Switzerland. No. 5 Kim Clijsters opens the day session against Chanda Rubin, followed by No. 4 Justine Henin against Elena Dementieva.

Serena Williams begins play Thursday night against Anna Smashnova, followed by No. 3 Jennifer Capriati against Silvia Farina Elia of Italy.

The single-elimination tournament features the top 16 singles players and top eight doubles teams based on points accumulated during the year. The results will determine the final WTA Tour rankings for the year.

Martina Hingis is sidelined with an ankle injury, so she's out of the singles and doubles (as is partner Anna Kournikova).

The event moved last year after 22 years at New York's Madison Square Garden to Munich, Germany, but attendance fell from 94,133 to 36,500. Davenport and Seles were among the biggest supporters of the switch to Los Angeles.

At stake is US$3 million in prize money, with $765,000 to the winner of the six-day event.

Since returning to the tour in July, Davenport has reached four finals in eight events - but she hasn't won a title.

"I haven't made it back to the level I feel I should be at," the three-time Grand Slam title winner said. "I've lost matches this year I'm not used to losing. It's not so much about not winning the title, but letting the person hang around in the match."

Davenport was determined to qualify for the championships, so she played three consecutive weeks in Europe. By reaching the finals in Moscow and Zurich and the semifinals in Filderstadt, Germany, she piled up enough points.

But in the process, she strained her right shin and withdrew from a fourth event in Austria.

"It hasn't cleared up yet," she said. "I probably packed too many in too short a time."

A year ago, Davenport finished as the world's No. 1 player despite being unable to play Serena Williams in the final.

Capriati comes into Los Angeles having won just one match since the US Open in September. She also played the European indoor tournaments with disastrous results. After withdrawing from Moscow, she lost early in three consecutive events, including twice to Alexandra Stevenson.

Venus Williams hasn't played in a month, having lost to Magdalena Maleeva in the second round in Moscow. Maleeva is in the field this week.