CHICAGO -- Natalia Zvereva, whose tennis success has been shaped more by doubles, wasn't sure if she would ever win a singles title again.
It had been four years, and even though she's only 22, she didn't like her chances.
"It's not that I didn't believe in myself," Zvereva said Sunday after winning the Virginia Slims of Chicago, 6-3, 7-5, over Chanda Rubin. "The competition is so much better now.
"I proved myself wrong," said Zvereva, who used a steady serve and a variety of shots, including a low-to-the ground slice backhand to offset the hard ground strokes of the 17-year-old Rubin.
"She didn't like the low balls, especially to her backhand," Zvereva said. "I tried to keep the pace off. It helps a lot on a fast surface. A lot of girls hit balls deep, flat and hard. Sometimes it's not wise to hit it harder."
Zvereva also won the doubles title with partner Gigi Fernandez, defeating Manon Bollegraf and Martina Navratilova, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
It was the first time in her six-year pro career that Zvereva won both the singles and doubles titles on the same day.
"This is the biggest day of my career. I've been very successful in doubles, but it will not take a back seat to singles."
Her all-time earnings jumped over the $3.4 million mark. She has earned $161,477 this year.
Martin finishes the job
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Todd Martin finished what he started, winning the Kroger-St. Jude International tennis championship.
"This year has started off better than I ever could have imagined," Martin said after beating Brad Gilbert, 6-4, 7-5, in his first tournament after losing in the finals of last month's Australian Open.
"I'm just happy to get through a final. It's been since last May, and I've had plenty of chances . . . It's nice to finish the job."
Martin, ranked ninth in the world, won his first title last May at Coral Springs and then lost in four finals, including falling to Pete Sampras last month in the year's first Grand Slam event.
Sunday's victory came at the site of his breakthrough performance in 1993. He started the year ranked 87th in the world and reached his first final in Memphis, where he lost to then-No. 1 Jim Courier.
Martin won $110,500 and 260 ATP Tour points with the victory.
Becker ends drought
MILAN, Italy -- Defending champion Boris Becker used his greatest weapon -- a hard serve -- to break a one-year drought with a victory over Petr Korda that gave the German the Muratti Time indoor title.
Becker, who won the tournament for the fourth time, served 13 aces in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory. It was worth $112,500 from a purse of $800,000.
"All week I've played badly in the second set after playing well in the first," Becker said.
Becker, 26, is hoping to regain a spot among the top 10 players in the world. Becker, now ranked 13th, fell out of that elite group in 1993 for the first time in eight years.
He said the victory was "particularly satisfying."
"I return here after many things have changed in my life," he said.
He was idle recently after the birth of his son.
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