Henin, Krajicek, Medina Garrigues Win WTA Titles

Schiavone visibly tightened in the second and third sets, eventually contributing to her career record in finals which falls to 0-6.

"It was very tough and she played very well in the most important moment," Schiavone said. "I didn't push maybe sometimes when I had to push...it finished like this...I was very near, very close to winning."

Henin-Hardenne missed the end of 2005 with a leg injury, and is projected to rise from 8 to No. 6 on the WTA Rankings.
 
The No. 3-seeded team of Corina Morariu and Rennae Stubbs won the doubles title, defeating No. 4 seeds Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.

Krajicek Routs Benesova in WTA Hobart Final

17-year-old Michaella Krajicek won her second career title Saturday at the WTA stop in Hobart, with the unseeded Dutchwoman ousting No. 5 seed Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-1 in 49 minutes.

"I feel very good," Krajicek said after beating her friend and practice partner in their first WTA Tour meeting. "I played a tremendous match. It was one of my best matches in my whole career. I'm very happy to win my second title so soon. It gives me a lot of confidence for the Australian Open. I've played a lot of matches and I think I'm in good shape."

Benesova drops to 1-5 in career finals.

In the doubles final, top seeds Emilie Loit and Nicole Pratt steamrolled No. 5 seeds Jill Craybas and Jelena Kostanic 6-2, 6-1.

Medina Brings Funk in WTA Canberra Title Win

Top-seeded Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues recovered from a second-set hiccup Saturday in the final at the WTA stop in Canberra, defeating unseeded Korean Yoon Jeong Cho 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 for her fifth career singles title.

"At 0-6 I felt like I didn't want to stay on court," Medina Garrigues said. "But then I relaxed and I said to myself 'OK Anabel, play like you can and if you lose it doesn't matter.' Then I start to play better. When you are seeded No. 1, every other player wants to beat you. I have had some tough matches so that makes it good to win. I am very happy but very tired also."

Medina Garrigues has been cleaning up at the lower-tier events over the past year, winning the Tier III event in Strasbourg last May and the Tier IV event in Palermo.

Cho drops to 0-3 in career finals.

"I am disappointed because I had a chance to win the tournament," Cho said. "But it was a good match and I felt like the crowd was lifting me. It is disappointing, but this is still a good result for me to take the top seed to three sets like this. I don't think I was nervous, but in the third set I was tired and I started to lose confidence."

In the doubles final No. 3 seeds Marta Domachowska and Roberta Vinci defeated No. 4 seeds Claire Curran and Liga Dekmeijere 7-6(5), 6-3.

One Down, One Russian to Go for Blake at ATP Sydney

No. 8 seed James Blake beat No. 2 seed and Masters Cup qualifier Nikolay Davydenko for the fourth consecutive time 6-4, 6-2 Friday to advance to the final at the ATP stop in Sydney.

The final is the result of hard work in the off-season for Blake, who told his coach he feels he is near the top of his game in Australia.

"My defense has definitely gotten a little better," Blake said. "My serve's gotten a little stronger. I've put on four or five pounds, which I think has helped me make it through the long seasons without getting injured. I think all that combined is turning into me feeling more confident when I play Top 10 players like I did today."

Up next for the American is another Russian opponent in unseeded Igor Andreev, who gained the final with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 win that included a three-hour rain delay against Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi.

"This is a new experience for me," Andreev said. "I've had a good preparation this season and I'm just trying to grow in my game. I just have to keep playing the same way I have been this week and give 100 percent."

It will be the first outdoor hardcourt final for Andreev, who last year won titles at Moscow, Palermo and Valencia. Blake won titles last year at New Haven and Stockholm.

The 22-year-old Andreev leads Blake 2-0 in their career meetings.

The doubles final will be (4) Santoro/Zimonjic (d. (1) Bryan/Bryan in the semis) vs. unseeded Czechs Cermak/Friedl (d. Knowle/Melzer).

Nieminen Stands in Baby Gorans Way in ATP Auckland Final

No. 5-seed Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic again displayed his newfound confidence Friday at the ATP stop in Auckland, punishing unseeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 6-1 to gain his fifth career final.

"The score may look easy but it was a very tough match," Ancic said. "First set we had a break, a re-break and a break again. In the second set as well he has some break points and I managed to save them. I think he played some really good tennis. I was happy with the execution of my game plan. I was pleased with the way I played with my aggression."

Ancic was cheered on by a large Croatian contingent in Auckland, support he will need in the championship match to reverse past nervous choking efforts that have led to a 1-3 career record in finals.

In the final Ancic will face No. 7 seed Jarrko Nieminen, who outlasted No. 6 Olivier Rochus 7-6 in the third.

Nieminen won his only career meeting with Ancic last year at Munich on clay.

The doubles final will be (1) Aspelin/Perry (d. Rochus/Rochus in the semis) vs. Pavel/Wassen (d. Vik/Zib).

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