SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 3 (UPI) -- Jennifer Capriati and Serena Williams will meet Sunday in the second straight all-American final at the State Farm Tennis Classic.
The top-seeded Capriati rolled over Nathalie Dechy of France in just 56 minutes on Saturday, 6-2, 6-3, and Williams, the third seed, outdueled second seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
In last year's championship match, Lindsay Davenport rolled to victory over fellow American Meghann Shaughnessy. Davenport was unable to defend her title due to injury.
Capriati has not dropped a set on her way through the draw. After receiving a first-round bye, the two-time reigning Australian Open champion got past compatriot Alexandra Stevenson and Barbara Schett of Austria.
Seeking her 14th career title, Capriati also is trying to regain the No. 1 ranking from Williams' sister, Venus, who is not entered here. The 25-year-old must win the Scottsdale title to climb to the top of the WTA.
Capriati defended her Australian Open title in January, when she also extended her streak of Grand Slam semifinal appearances to five.
Williams seems to have fully recovered from the ankle injury that forced her to retire from the semifinals at Sydney and skip the Australian Open.
The 20-year-old Williams is gunning for her 12th career WTA crown. She picked up three in 2001, winning at Indian Wells, Toronto and the season-ending event in Munich.
Hingis suffered just her second defeat in 2002. She won titles at Sydney and Tokyo but lost to Capriati in the final of the Australian Open.
