THIS OPEN IS WIDE OPEN; NO. 1 HINGIS WILL FACE PLENTY OF COMPETITION.

Byline: Bob Greene Associated Press 

After 13 days and seven matches in the tennis cauldron known as the U.S. Open, who will embrace the women's singles trophy on Super Saturday?

Asked that question, Lindsay Davenport cradled her face in her hand, thoughtfully paused, and announced: ``Eight players could win it and it would not be an upset.''

Never has the U.S. Open been so unpredictable.

A year ago, two teen-agers battled for the women's title at the U.S. Open, with Martina Hingis dominating Venus Williams, a surprising finalist. But the ``Year of the Teenyboppers'' has turned into a showcase for all ages.

``The surprises this year have been coming from the older players: Nathalie Tauziat, Conchita Martinez,'' said Davenport, who is ranked No. 2 in the world. ``Everything's been out of sync.''

Hingis is still No. 1, and Williams has proved that last September's performance was not a fluke. Her titles include the crown at the Lipton, a tournament that's just a shade below Grand Slam status.

Serena Williams, Venus' younger sister, has powered her way up the rankings with victories over several top players; Anna Kournikova, at 17, is dangerous, although she's coming off an injury; and 19-year-old Patty Schnyder has won five tournaments in 1998.

But it was 26-year-old Arantxa Sanchez Vicario who captured the French Open, the third of her career, and 29-year-old Jana Novotna who won Wimbledon.

The losing finalists in the year's first three Grand Slam tournaments also have made more than a couple of circuits around the Corel WTA Tour: Martinez, 26, at the Australian Open; Monica Seles, 24, at the French Open; and Tauziat, 30, at Wimbledon.

In all, eight players who have won Grand Slam tournaments will be in the 128-player field that begins play Monday, and most are given a chance to win another trophy at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Hingis may be the defending champ, but she surprisingly isn't riding the longest winning streak at the National Tennis Center going into this year's edition. That honor belongs to Steffi Graf, who hasn't lost at Flushing Meadow since the 1994 final, when she fell to Sanchez Vicario.

Graf has won her past 14 U.S. Open matches and 27 of the past 28, yet she is looking for her first victory on the new stadium court, which debuted last year.

Hingis is riding a seven-game winning streak at the National Tennis Center, but, unlike a year ago, she hasn't dominated women's tennis in 1998. She captured her second straight Australian Open title in January, her fourth Grand Slam tournament crown in five tournaments, but has not won a tournament since the Italian Open in early May.

Since then, she has lost to Kournikova, Seles, Novotna, Mary Pierce and Davenport. Earlier in the year, Venus Williams also beat Hingis.

``The competition around her has gotten better,'' Davenport said. ``Venus is much better. And (Hingis) probably lost a little intensity.''

Seles has two U.S. Open titles on her resume, but the last came six years ago before a stabbing forced her drop out of tennis at the height of her career for nearly three years. Still, she reached the U.S. Open final in 1995 and 1996, and was in the French Open title match this year.

Davenport is seeking her first major crown, although she did win the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics.

The 6-foot-2-1/2 right-hander from Newport Beach dropped 25 pounds and improved her mobility. She is coming off a successful three-tournament swing and has pulled close to Hingis in the rankings.

``My serve has improved a lot,'' Davenport said. ``My confidence is very high. The strength in my legs definitely helped my serve. Last year I thought I was in good shape. This year I feel even stronger.''

And that means she's a strong contender for the U.S. Open crown.

``If you look at the resumes, every player is kind of measured by the Grand Slams and if they have ever won a Grand Slam,'' she said. ``My expectations going in is to win it. I have as good a shot as anyone.''

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Photo

PHOTO Lindsay Davenport of Newport Beach, who is ranked No. 2 in the world, is seeking her first major championship.

Bob Child/Associated Press