FULL VERSION Sabatini vs Seles 1992 Rome (Italian Language)

Описание: It was the fourth Italian Open tennis championship for Sabatini, 21, and the second time in as many years that she beat Seles in the title match.

Sabatini, who also won this tournament in 1988, 1989 and 1991, trails Seles 5-3 over their careers. Seles, the top seed, won this tournament in 1990.

'It was a very close match, decided on just a few points,' Seles said. 'She was helped by luck and also played the tough points better than I did.'

"I always play well here in Rome; the crowd always helps," Sabatini said after the 1-hour, 50-minute match. "I'm feeling stronger than I ever felt."

The victory, worth $110,000, was Sabatini's fifth in nine tournaments this year. But she had to make an adjustment in her game to secure it. Early in the match, the Argentine made the mistake of allowing Seles, the No. 1 seed, inside the baseline to launch sharply angled winners, and Seles was able to race out to a 5-2 lead.

But when Sabatini began hitting high, bouncing ground strokes that kept the 18-year-old Yugoslav back, or rushing the net, things changed. Sabatini's new tactics were good for eight points, many at key moments.

The turning point came with Seles up, 5-3, and serving for the first set. Sabatini saved three set points to break her, held service, broke Seles again and held her service again, winning the set point with a deft drop shot that caught Seles deep.

The Argentine was unable to break in the seventh game, which lasted for 23 points and finally ended with an error by Sabatini. But she broke to draw to 5-4 as Seles double-faulted for the second time.

Sabatini fought off three set points in the 10th game before holding for 5-5 and won her fifth game in a row to claim the opener 7-5.

'I don't know what happened on those three set points in the first set,' Seles said. 'She played a few shots well, I got tight and scared. This is a tough tournament, but I hope to come back and win.'

Both players slowed the pace in the second set, but Sabatini picked up the pressure by going to the net and scoring repeatedly with volleys hit far from Seles' reach.

Unforced errors continued to bedevil Seles. The Yugoslav, who had not lost a set entering the final, was broken in the ninth game, on another unforced error, to trail 5-4. Sabatini wrapped up the match in the next game, with a sizzling shot netted by Seles.

Sabatini said changing the rhythm of play and bearing down in the second set were big factors in her victory.

'But it was the public that really inspired me,' she said.

"The match was close, but Gabby just played better on the close points," said Seles, who had won five of the six tournaments she entered before Rome. ''I stopped playing my game and turned defensive. I couldn't cash in when leading."

Sabatini credited her victory to her change of strategy, but quickly added: ''You have to have the shots to be able to do so."