Seles set for Hingis final

Hingis beat Seles in the Australian Open semi-final

Click here for semi-final results

Monica Seles set up a rematch with Martina Hingis after a tough three-set victory over Anna Kournikova in the semi-finals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

Seles, who lost to Hingis at the Australian Open last week, recovered from a break down in the final set to come through 6-3 3-6 6-3.

Hingis had earlier reached her third final in a row by brushing aside Italy's Silvia Farina Elia in straight sets.

Kournikova, who suffered a disappointing first-round defeat in Melbourne, looked in sight of victory when she edged 2-0 ahead in the final set.

Kournikova has lost five out of six against Seles

But third seed Seles fought back to level at 2-2 and staved off a break point at 30-40 in the seventh game to go 4-3 up.

She then turned on the power to force the Russian into four straight errors and claim the crucial break.

"On this surface, you just have to go for it and that's what I tried to do and my opponent tried to do today," said Seles.

"And today, I just won more important points."

It was Kournikova's fifth defeat in six matches against Seles, but she declared herself satisfied with her performance.

"Monica was just stronger mentally," she said.

"I think that I have nothing to be disappointed about.

I've been working on my game for three months, so it's nice it's paying off

Martina Hingis

"I am playing much better than I did two weeks ago and at the beginning of the year.

"I'm really happy that finally I'm starting to find my form, play confident and go for my shots."

Top seed Hingis needed just 60 minutes to reach her sixth Tokyo final in a row with a 6-0 6-4 victory.

Farina Elia put up a fight in the second set, hitting some lightning service return winners and charging to the net to threaten her opponent.

The veteran Italian twice went a break up to lead 1-0 and then 4-3, but that was all she could muster.

Confidence

Hingis, who won in Tokyo in 1997, 1999 and 2000, gave her just three more points in the next three games and closed out the match with a forehand winner.

The Swiss former world number one got the better of Seles in a three-set semi-final in Melbourne last week before losing to Jennifer Capriati in the final.

And she is gaining in confidence as she continues her comeback from a three-month lay-off with an ankle injury.

"I've been working on it (my game) for three months, so it's nice it's paying off," said Hingis.

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Pan Pacific Open results (semi-finals):

1-Martina Hingis (Swi) bt 5-Silvia Farina Elia (Ita) 6-3, 6-2
3-Monica Seles (USA) bt Anna Kournikova (Rus) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

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