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 Japan's
Kimiko Date, ranked ninth in the world, was down a set and a break against Arantxa Sanchez
Vicario of Spain in the final of the $450,000 Toshiba Tennis Classic.
The situation didn't look good for the fourth-seeded Date as she
hung her head on the changeover.
As Sanchez Vicario served, she had three game points to hold and
go up 2-0 in the second set.
Date had lost to the Spaniard in eight
of nine meetings including the last eight in a row. Sanchez Vicario,
the tournament's top seed, looked totally in control of the match.
However, something happened. Date suddenly
found her form and rhythm. She broke serve and reeled off five consecutive
games.
Japan's top player went on to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 before 5,314 at
the La Costa Resort & Spa. In the third set, Date went on a run
in which she won 14 of 15 points.
One of the keys to her win was unforced errors. Date had a total
of 32 for the match, but only 5 in the third set.
Sanchez Vicario had 13 winners in the match, while Japan's top player
smacked 15 winners in the third set alone.
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Conchita Martinez and Gigi Fernandez won the doubles final with a 4-6, 6-3,
6-4 victory over Sanchez Vicario and Larisa Neiland, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The qualifying competition provided a peek into the future as tennis fans had a chance to
see Venus Williams in her first San Diego appearance.
The 16-year-old turned pro in October 1994 and had only played in seven professional tournaments
when she arrived at the La Costa Resort & Spa.
With a strong serve and booming groundstrokes, Williams won three qualifying matches in
straight sets, to reach the main draw.
Williams lost her first round match in the main draw to Katarina Studenikova of Slovakia,
6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
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