Garrison Jackson conquers McNeil

Zina Garrison Jackson yesterday ended her fellow American Lori McNeil's hat-trick attempt in the DFS Women's Classic at Birmingham, and made it third time lucky for herself instead.

The two 31-year-old Texans, who used to live just a few miles apart in Houston and once shared the same coach, met yesterday afternoon in the final of the event for the third successive year with McNeil having won the previous two.

But this time Garrison Jackson turned the tables on her rival - and the tournament's top seed - who scored a famous Wimbledon victory over Steffi Graf last year. Garrison Jackson took just 70 minutes to win in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

Garrison Jackson, who will retire from the Grand Slam circuit at the end of the season, made a vital breakthrough in the seventh game when McNeil made three simple volleying errors. Then she pumped up her aggression to break service again and take the first set in 38 minutes.

McNeil's recovery looked on course when she broke immediately at the start of the second set, but then she lost her serve for 2-2 and dropped it to love two games later.

Garrison Jackson, confident and in command, took the first of two match points when McNeil netted a low volley and recaptured the title she first won in 1990.