Despite facing a hostile cowbell-clanging crowd, the world number one, injuries and fatigue, the two battle-hardened Fed Cup veterans were able to add the 1998 title to the ones they claimed in 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995.

``We had everything against us: The home crowd, the court surface, the world No 1,'' said French Open champion Sanchez-Vicario, who along with Martinez has led Spain to seven Fed Cup finals in the last eight years. ``It makes the trophy worth that much more.''

For the first time since 1991, the Fed Cup title was decided in the doubles, the Spaniards breezing past Swiss teenagers world No 1 Martina Hingis and Patty Schnyder 6-0, 6-2 in just 56 minutes, sending 12,000 disappointed supporters silently into the night. It was an unexpectedly speedy finish to a long day that had started 10 hours earlier with thefirst of two gripping reverse singles.

Hingis put Switzerland ahead 2-1 and into position to claim their first ever Fed Cup title when she won a two-set slugfest from Sanchez-Vicario 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. But Martinez, playing most of a three-hour-plus marathon hobbled by blisters, bravely battled Schnyder to a 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 win, forcing the tie to a decisive doubles.

While Martinez blossomed under the pressure, Schnyder, winner of five tournament titles this season, showed none of the poise that had helped lift her from 26th to number nine in the world rankings this year.

Failing to convert a key match point against Martinez -- which would have given Switzerland the title -- Schnyder was consumed with guilt, collapsing in tears after helplessly watching a high lob drop in behind her on the winning point.

``I gave all I had,'' said Schnyder. ``I tried everything. Martina won her matches but in the doubles we weren't able to win.''

Swiss team captain Melanie Molitor, Hingis' mother, believed Schnydersimply succumbed to the jitters.

Hingis, still just 17, displayed the same steely nerve as her Spanish opponents but again the question of the Swiss star's physical conditioning came into question after she required courtside attendance for cramping muscles.

In smooth acceptance of their defeat, Hingis insisted it was ``A great accomplishment for Switzerland just to reach the finals.''

Hingis' temperance may have something to do with her uncertain future in Fed Cup competition.

Hingis earlier hinted this might be her last Fed Cup campaign, the three weeks of competition difficult to cram into an already lengthy season.

Following the Spanish victory, Hingis danced around the issue of next year's nation's contest.

``This was an unbelievable Fed Cup this year,'' said Hingis, the key player in Switzerland's climb out of Fed Cup third division three years ago to a berth in the World Group final this year. ``We got better and better each time.''

``Who knows what will happen next year<\!q>? I haven'tmade up my schedule for next season.''

Henman retains title

TASHKENT: Britain'S Tim Henman retained his President's Cup crown in the ex-Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan, defeating top-seeded Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov 7-5 6-4 in just over an hour and a half.

His first Tour win of the year will not be enough to pull the 24-year-old from Oxford into the World's top 10 when the rankings are next calculated, ATP officials said, but it was an important confidence booster.

The world number 11 and British number one had to claw back from a break down in both sets of a scrappy game on a hot and humid central Asian afternoon.

In the first -- a virtually unbroken series of long, tense games -- Kafelnikov got the earlier measure of his opponent's serve, blasting a series of backhand and forehand winners from the back of the fast, hard court.

He broke the Englishman to take a 5-3 lead but gave the advantage away with woeful serving, including three double faults in the 10th game.

Henman rode his luckagain two games later, winning the set on the Russian's serve when his forehand shot clipped the top of the net and dropped cruelly out of Kafelnikov's reach.

A momentary lapse of concentration saw Henman broken to love in the second set opener. But he proved the more consistent as the game progressed, and again capitalised on a double fault when down 3-4 which gave him three break points, allowing him to level at 4-4.

That proved the end of the Russian resistance, with Henman taking the match two games later with a deft drop volley which left Kafelnikov stranded on the baseline.

For the Russian number one and crowd favourite, the feeling of being at home in Moscow's former satellite state was not enough to see him justify his seeding at the $<\!q>500,000 event.

``It's a great pity I did not win, firstly because I feel very much at home in this great city of Tashkent,'' the world number 10 told the crowd of 3,500, which included Uzbek president Islam Karimov.

Back-to-back forMantilla

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND: Felix Mantilla made it back-to-back titles at the clay-court Samsung Open today with a 6-3, 7-5 win over fellow Spaniard Albert Costa.

The number-three seed took just 88 minutes to beat Costa, the number two seed and 1996 champion. It was his first win over Costa in five matches.

Mantilla, ranked No 22 in the world, has not won a tournament on the ATP tour since his win over Carlos Moya in this event at West Hants Club last year.

The 24-year-old broke Costa's serve in the first and ninth games to take the opening set 6-3.

He broke serve again early in the second set for a 3-1 lead but Costa broke back immediately to make it 3-2. Mantilla sealed the final when he broke Costa's serve for the second time in the set in the 12th game.