Tennis Glance

Monday, April 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

By BOB GREENE

AP Sports Writer

STARS

- Martina Hingis rallied to beat Monica Seles 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) and win her sixth title this year, the Family Circle Magazine Cup, at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

- Mary Joe Fernandez teamed with Martina Hingis to win the doubles title at the Family Circle Magazine Cup, defeating Lindsay Davenport and Jana Novotna 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.

SPEAKING

"I was just hoping she didn't do the same score to me as I did to her. I liked last week a lot better." - Martina Hingis, about falling behind Monica Seles 5-0 in the first set one week after beating Seles 6-2, 6-1 to win the Lipton Championships.

"Each loss is tough. But I am definitely happier with the way I played this week." - Monica Seles, after losing to Hingis in a final for the second straight week.

"I could feel that he stepped up to another level of play. That's what made the difference. He changed the level and I couldn't." - Jan Siemerink, after losing to Andre Agassi in the decisive singles match in the United States' 4-1 Davis Cup win over the Netherlands.

"We try to put everything aside. We forget it's Davis Cup. We just have to think about our own level. If our own level is good enough, we can beat anyone in the world." - Jacco Eltingh, after teaming with Paul Haarhuis to give the Netherlands a victory in doubles over the United States in their Davis Cup match.

"It's his Davis Cup. He won it." - Thomas Muster, about teammate Gilbert Schaller, whose victory in the decisive fifth match gave Austria a 3-2 victory over Croatia.

"We'll be the underdogs, but I seriously think we have a very good chance." - Mark Philippoussis, on Australia's chances against the United States in the Davis Cup semifinals.

"I love to work with young children. They are so much fun to be around. We tried to teach them a little tennis and a little Spanish, but I know they taught us a little English during the day." - Virginia Ruano Pascual, who teamed with Gala Leon Garcia and Christina Torrens-Volero to give a one-hour clinic in tennis and Spanish in the Cartoon Network SMASH Tennis program held at the Family Circle Magazine Cup tournament.

SUFFERING STAR

Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia overcame a painful cramp to beat Austria's Thomas Muster 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 7-5 and tie their Davis Cup competition at 2-2. Ivanisevic had to retire from his first-day singles match because of a severe cramp in his left leg.

SIBLING TRIUMPH

Brothers Byron and Wayne Black teamed to give Zimbabwe a Davis Cup victory over Britain and a place in the World Group qualifying group. Byron won both of his singles and joined his brother to win the doubles over a British team missing its two biggest stars, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski.

SWIFT STARTS

Martina Hingis has won 31 consecutive matches to begin 1997, yet is still 14 matches behind three other players who were ranked No. 1. Steffi Graf began 1987 by winning her first 45 matches; Martina Navratilova was 36-0 in 1978 and 35-0 in 1983, and Chris Evert 34-0 in 1981. Graf also won her first 32 matches in both 1994 and 1995, and was 31-0 in 1989.

STREAKING SELES

Monica Seles has played only two tournaments since retiring with an injury during her first-round match at the Chase Championships in New York in November. But she has reached the final in both tournaments, losing to Martina Hingis both times - at the Lipton Championships and the Family Circle Magazine Cup.

STUDYING TENNIS

Thomas Dupre of Mississippi State and Katie Schlukebir of Stanford are top-ranked in the latest Rolex Collegiate Rankings. Dupre, a junior from France, is followed in the men's singles by his teammate, sophomore Matthieu Ballay, who also is from France. Second in the women's rankings is Karin Miller of Duke.

SCHEDULE Tournaments this week

Corel WTA Tour

$450,000 Bausch & Lomb Championships, clay, Amelia Island, Fla.

ATP Tour

$590,990 Estoril Open, clay, Estoril, Portugal

$405,000 Gold Flake Open, hardcourt, Chennai, India

$303,000 Salem Open, hardcourt, Hong Kong

Tournaments Week of April 14

Corel WTA Tour

$164,250 Japan Open, hardcourt, Tokyo

ATP Tour

$1,060,000 Japan Open '97, hardcourt, Tokyo