LONDON, Dec 23: Women's tennis witnessed a change of generations in 1997 with teenager Martina Hingis establishing a Graf-like grip on the game in Steffi's absence.

Among the men, it was once again a case of Pete Sampras and the rest even if the names of the American's rivals changed from old favourites such as Becker and Agassi to Rafter, Rusedski and Bjorkman.

Sampras and Hingis dominated with five of the eight Grand Slam singles titles and more than twice the prize money of their nearest rivals.

But the clay at the French Open proved too much for both players and threw up surprise winners in Croatian Iva Majoli and Gustavo Kuerten, a Brazilian who was amazed as everyone else when he received the trophy from Bjorn Borg at Roland Garros.

The interest aroused by Kuerten and the pony-tailed Australian Pat Rafter, winner of the US Open, was some compensation for the retirement of Boris Becker, just months after Stefan Edberg stood down from the tour, and the travails of Andre Agassi.

Becker announced his retirement at Wimbledon, where he won three championships including one as a 17-year-old in 1985. He told Sampras the news seconds after being beaten in the quarter-finals on centre court.

Agassi, the world's most flamboyant player on his day, was reduced to number 122 in the rankings and playing challenger tournaments by the end of the year after a disastrous run.

``It is tough because I feel like different player and that is not good,'' Agassi said after losing to Kuerten in August. ``I don't have a good sense for a match.''

Among the women, Anna Kournikova had much the same effect on male spectators as Agassi has on female fans. At Wimbledon, where the Russian reached the last four, she excited huge interest, particularly among the tabloid newspapers.

Despite sniping from some of her rivals, Kournikova's looks and winning smile represent good news for the game as the Women's Tennis Association realised better than anyone. Their Website homepage features not Hingis but a large photo of Kournikova in full flow.

Except for 30 weeks in 1995 when Agassi took over, Sampras has been number one since September 1993 and it is clear there is no one who can mount a consistent challenge to the calm American.

However, Sampras finished the year in a wheelchair, after injuring a calf muscle as Sweden swept the United States away 5-0 in the Davis Cup final. He often complained of fatigue and gave the impression that the lack of real rivals had robbed the game of some of its magic.

``I know deep down that when my game clicks, you know, I feel at times like I'm unbeatable,''Sampras said in November. ``With the new breed, I'm still motivated but it's still very unique to walk out against Boris or Andre."Hingis had won only two tournaments before January, but she broke almost every age record in the women's game on her way to winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Her victory in Melbourne propelled her to the top of the rankings by the end of March when she ended Steffi Graf's reign, which began in mid-august 1995.The Swiss was the youngest number one, man or woman, at 16 years, six months and one day since rankings started and, barring injury, it is difficult to see anyone but Graf deposing Hingis in the near future.

``She can kill you,''said Lindsay Davenport, the world number three. ``I think she is going to continue to be very dominant. As long as she enjoys it like she is, she's going to keep winning.''Before her injury, Graf had beaten her young rival five times in six meetings. But the German missed most of the year because of a knee injury. She will return for the Australian Open in January.

Despite winning 11 titles this year and being beaten only a handful of times, Hingis was dogged by suggestions that Graf's absence had given her an easy ride. A showdown in Melbourne between the two would probably be top of Hingis's Christmas wish list.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.