Serena's win denies Capriati world No. 1 spot

Third seed Serena Williams lifted her first title of the year after outplaying top seed Jennifer Capriati 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the final of the $585,000 Scottsdale Classic on Sunday.

It completed a successful return for Williams after she was sidelined for six weeks with an ankle injury, and also kept the world No. 1 ranking in the hands of elder sister Venus for a second straight week.

Capriati, displaced by Venus last Monday after seven straight weeks at No. 1, would have regained top spot in the rankings if she had won the final.

When asked if Venus now owed her, Serena replied: "I still owe her a lot of stuff. It's just one down, 20 to go.

"I'm really happy, but a win is a win," said Williams, who moved up three places in the rankings to No. 6. "I give myself a 5.5 grade (out of 10) today because I was able to focus at the end.

'But I shouldn't be too excited because this is just one tournament," added Williams, who had 37 winners -- 21 more than Capriati -- but also 68 unforced errors, 25 more than her opponent.

Capriati, beaten for only the second time in 12 matches in 2002, said: "I'm not disappointed because I'm not going to get No. 1.

"I'm more disappointed of actually just losing the match, because I had my chances and could have won.

"I can't focus on the ranking. I just have to focus on the game, match by match, then it will come. Otherwise, I'm going to feel like I'm always chasing it.

EXTRA STRESS

"It's kinda like extra stress worrying about whether I will be No. 1. It's something I'd rather not worry about."

After the two Americans battled through two sets, the intensity and shot-making picked up in the third set of a thrilling match that lasted one hour and 56 minutes.

"In the end that was the difference," said Williams, who boomed seven of her 11 aces in the final set.

"I didn't serve great and my first percentage was low, but I was able to hit some big serves when I needed them.'

Capriati, who was broken seven times in the match, including twice in the third set, agreed. "It came down to serving,' she said.

"I was able to break her serve but I couldn't hold on my own. I didn't come in with big serves. There was just not enough heat on my serve. I wasn't getting the free points.

"It was putting more pressure on me to break and taking the pressure off her. If I could have held on, it could have been different."

Williams, sporting gold shoes, an orange dress and long, golden braids, made the early service break and built a 2-1 lead when Capriati double-faulted away the last two points of the third game.

Capriati, however, fought back to 4-4 with a break in the eighth game, converting her fourth break point with a cross-court forehand winner.

Williams immediately broke back when she crushed a forehand service return winner off a 70mph first serve.

Serving for the match at 5-4, Williams rifled a 112 mph serve to complete victory.

'I decided I wasn't going to lose," she said after picking up the $93,000 first prize and the 12th title of her career.

Capriati collected a cheque for $49,500.