LOS ANGELES, 20 July 2004 — Tommy Haas defeated fellow German Nicolas Kiefer in straight sets to claim the title of the $380,000 ATP hardcourt tennis tournament here on Sunday.

Haas survived two set points in the opening set before winning the tiebreaker en route to a 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 victory.

He broke Kiefer in the third game of the second set, and held on to the advantage, winning the final game at love with a backhand winner. The victory leveled the career head-to-head between the Olympic teammates at two victories each.

Kiefer converted just one of six break opportunities, going 0-for-5 in the final set.

He grabbed the first break of the match in the third game as he took a 3-1 lead.

But Haas broke back in the eighth game.

Kiefer raced to a 5-1 lead in the tiebreaker before Haas won three points in a row. Kiefer had his first set point at 6-4 in the tiebreaker but double-faulted, leaving Haas to close out the tiebreaker with the next three points.

Haas claimed his second title of 2004. He returned early this year after missing 16 months for two shoulder surgeries. Kiefer suffered his third defeat in a final this year and took his losing streak in championship matches to six.

The match was the first all-German final since 1994, when Markus Zoecke downed Hendrik Dreekman 6-4, 6-1 in Sun City, South Africa. It was also only the second Los Angeles final to feature two unseeded players.

Davenport Edges Venus in

WTA Final at Stanford

In Stanford, California, in a riveting encounter between evenly matched foes, Lindsay Davenport was just a little bit better than fellow Californian Venus Williams in the final of the $585,000 WTA tour event on Sunday.

Davenport, the second seed, outlasted the top-seeded Williams 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) to win the title here for the third time.

“It was a lot of excitement,” Davenport said. “I felt like I totally earned the victory. Every set was so close — a few points here or a few points there.”

The third-set tiebreaker was tied at 3-3 when Davenport ripped a forehand winner down the line. Williams hit forehands into the net on the next two points to fall behind 6-3 and, after Davenport netted a backhand, Williams hit a backhand long to end the match.

“The whole time I just wanted to stay aggressive and just come through,” Davenport said of her approach in the tiebreaks.

Davenport won the title here over Williams in 1998 and 1999 before Williams returned the favor the following year. Williams also won the title here two years ago over Kim Clijsters.

Davenport, who improved to 11-12 all time in the rivalry, won $93,000 and Williams — who had won their previous six encounters — claimed $50,000. Before the final, Williams had dropped only nine games in three matches this week. Davenport had dropped 13 games.

Davenport has won nine of her 41 career singles titles in her home state, including seven in US Open warm-up events.

In the 12th game of the first set, Davenport saved four set points before winning the tiebreaker. “Normally I have a lot of breaks against her, but my returns seemed to go a millimeter out,” Williams said.

At 5-5, 30-all in the second set, Davenport was two points away from the match but lost the game, and Williams held serve to force a third set. Davenport broke in the second game of the decisive set but Williams broke back the following game. Davenport saved a break point in the 11th game but Williams held the next game to force the tiebreaker.

Williams was undone by her frequently sloppy play, committing 73 unforced errors to Davenport’s 35.