Kournikova Falls in Semis

C A R L S B A D, Calif., Aug. 6 -- Anna Kournikova is still searching for her first tournament victory.

Monica Seles cooled down Kournikova with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory in the semifinals of the $535,000 Acura Classic. In today’s finals, Seles will face Venus Williams, who trounced Amy Frazier6-2, 6-3 in the other semifinal. Williams has won 14 straight matches and seeking her third tournament title in a row. Seles, winner of nine Grand Slam titles, played her best matchof the week as she bounced Kournikova, who beat two top 10players to reach the semis.

Kournikova, who beat No. 2-ranked Lindsay Davenport in thesecond round, got off to a sluggish start as she had in her lasttwo matches. However, after rebounding to force a second-settiebreak, Kournikova committed six unforced errors.

‘Unbelievable Tennis’

“It was a very good second set,” Seles said. “Anna playedsome unbelievable tennis. I had to fight to get to thetiebreaker.”

The fifth-ranked Seles reeled off five consecutive games to winthe first set after Kournikova broke her serve for a 3-1 lead.

After Seles took a 4-1 lead in the second set, Kournikovarefused to go easily as he won the next three games to tie match at4-4.

Kournikova took a 1-0 lead in the tiebreak, then made onemistake after another. Perhaps the most costly came when she hit aneasy overhead shot into the net to give Seles a 3-1 lead.

“The difference was in the beginning where Monica was fightingreally good,” Kournikova said. “I was a bit tired and didn’t movewell.”

Frazier Overmatched

In the other match, Frazier, who upset top-ranked Martina Hingis in thequarterfinals, couldn’t handle Williams’ power.

“She hit the ball so hard,” Frazier said. “I was just tryingto stay in the points and she really wasn’t letting me do anything.I sort of felt a little lost at times.”

Frazier was barely competitive on a day when Williams made only46 percent of her first serves and committed 28 unforced errors.Williams did, however, hit 27 winners to just three for the26th-ranked Frazier.