A Personal Victory For Davenport
Although Lindsay Davenport didn't realize it as she played on the tennis court Saturday, she became the first American-born woman since 1982 to win the U.S. Open when she defeated Martina Hingis 6-3, 7-5.
The 22-year-old from Newport Beach, Calif., was stunned by the news.
"I didn't know," Davenport told CBS 'This Morning' Co-Anchor Jane Robelot. "When I heard that, it was mind-blowing."
After Chris Evert won her sixth Open, the title went on a world tour. Martina Navratilova, a naturalized American born in Czechoslovakia, won four in five years, interrupted by another Czech, Hana Mandlikova, in 1985.
Steffi Graf from Germany won five titles. Monica Seles, another naturalized American who was born in Yugoslavia, took two, and Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain and Martina of Switzerland won one each.
Davenport says the reaction from fans was something she would remember most.
"It was tremendous. Probably one of the things I'll never forget is when I did win, the huge roar and seeing everybody stand up," Davenport says. "They wanted an American to win it there."
The victory was especially poignant for Davenport, who had worked hard to rededicate herself to the game of tennis.
Davenport defeated Venus Williams in the Open semifinal, pushing into a Grand Slam final for the first time in her career. It was the last step on a progression that began a year ago when she lost to Hingis in the semis at the Open.
That Davenport and the one that captured the championship a year later are vastly different players. She lost 25 pounds to increase her speed and was armed with a considerable supply of confidence following a summer in which she won 14 straight matches including three hardcourt tournaments.
"What I really wanted was that, when I was done with tennis, I wanted not to look back and have regrets. I wanted to say, 'When I quit, I tried everything I could to win a Grand Slam. If it works out, great, if it doesn't, I gave it my best.'"
Besides being a high point in Davenport's career, Saturday was the birthday of the tennis star's mother.
"My whole family was there, my sisters and their husbands," recalls Davenport. "We went out to a great dinner. We sang 'Happy Birthday' a bunch of times and had a great time."
While Davenport recognizes that she is a celebrity, she is not entirely at ease with the idea of young people looking up to her.
"Any person who is in the limelight is a role model," she says. "For me, it's uncomfortable. I never set out to be number one in the world in tennis, never to went a grand slam or to be a role model. Slowly you learn that you are, no matter what you want to be. I hope I'm a good one, [that I can be] a positive role model and that kids can look up to me."/b>
Although Hingis once said she would never be beaten twice by the same person, Davenport rose to the occasion. Davenport is proud of the accomplishment.
"She's a tough opponent -- obviously number one now in the world for a year and a half," Davenport says.
While the new U.S. Open champ plans to go home to relax after her latest win, she will soon be off to Europe for more tournaments.