Seles Is Back in the Swing of Things

Tennis is a game of strategy, strokes and strength. Whatever Monica Seles may have lost in those areas during her truncated career, she has retained a resiliency that has been honed by her life’s many setbacks.

During her victory over Lindsay Davenport Sunday in the final of the Acura Classic at the Manhattan Country Club, Seles showed she has regained another component of the game that brought her nine Grand Slam tournament titles and the No. 1 ranking: fearlessness.

It’s a characteristic that had long been associated with Seles, until she was stabbed in the back during a match in April of 1993. Resiliency brought her back to the tour and, slowly, to her current ranking of No. 3. Learning to roll with life’s punches--especially the low blows--brought Seles to Sunday’s 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory and her first title in a year.

“I’m happy that I fought for each point and I was aggressive out there,” said Seles, who won $79,000 and the title at Manhattan Beach for the third time. She was playing in her third tournament in a row and had lost in the finals last week at La Costa.

“For me, these last three weeks have been important. I could feel myself getting better every day.”

Davenport, who defeated top-seeded Martina Hingis in the semifinal here, will improve to No. 5 today. Her power from the baseline Sunday found a greedy receptor in Seles, who returned the ball with strength of her own.

Seles had played Davenport only once, defeating her last year. Seles resolved that to win against Davenport, the defending Manhattan Beach champion, she would have to be bold, to take risks and to press every advantage.

One point was emblematic of how, when she’s in sync, the present Seles borrows from the past.

With Davenport serving at 5-4 in the second set, Seles faced match point. Davenport faulted on her first serve. Her second serve was weak, and Seles, putting caution out of her mind, crushed the return cross court for a winner. Two points later Seles broke for a devastating psychological blow.

“I knew I would never get another chance like that,” Seles said of her decision to go for the winner on match point against her. “I felt, if I got a chance, I had to go for it.”

Like that of Seles, Davenport’s strategy was to drive shots deep and for the lines. Her serve, which had danced and skipped to her tune against Hingis on Saturday, was powerful but less potent Sunday. Davenport had seven aces but also four double faults. Seles, whose serve is becoming grooved, had 12 aces.

“I definitely was going for it today,” Davenport said. “I didn’t serve the ball as well as I did yesterday. My second serve probably sits up higher, for someone like Monica to cream.”

Davenport’s aggression earned her a service break to open the match, but she had increasing difficulty holding her serve. Her first service game had three break points and went to deuce five times, but she held. Serving in the sixth game, Davenport fended off two break points before Seles converted on the third.

The set went back on serve until Davenport broke to go up, 6-5, and served out the set.

Davenport was up a break in the second set when she was serving for the match. That break by Seles, and a subsequent break to win the set, deflated Davenport and ignited the sellout crowd of 4,932.

Seles had a group of vocal supporters who, she said, talked her through almost every point of the 2-hour, 11-minute match. That encouragement aided Seles in breaking Davenport twice in the third set.

Perhaps the fans saw in Seles’ performance a hint of her former assurance. Now, the tour has 16-year-old Hingis as its cheerful assassin, a role that Seles developed at a similar age.

Fearlessness, indifference to the consequences should you lose--those are the elements of Hingis’ game that have propelled her to No. 1 and kept her there. They are wicked weapons. Players see reckless shots and the sheer audacity takes their breath away.

In a profession in which high-percentage, low-risk actions are rewarded, there’s no defense against that sort of courage.

Seles has regained it. That, more than a cranked-up serve or more powerful backhand, is the thing that will bring titles back to her.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Seles in ’97

Monica Seles’ victory Sunday in the Acura Classic final at Manhattan Beach was her first championship of the year. Here’s how the former No. 1 player (now ranked No. 3) has fared this season:

Tournament: Finish

Lipton: Runner-up

Hilton Head: Runner-up

Rome: Round of 16

Madrid: Runner-up

French Open: Semifinals

Eastbourne: Quarterfinals

Wimbledon: Round of 32

Palo Alto: Quarterfinals

La Costa: Runner-up

Manhattan Beach: Champion