After back-to-back embarrassing displays at the French Open and Wimbledon, Hingis completed an impressive return to the No. 1 ranking as she overwhelmed Williams, 6-4, 6-0, in today's final of the $520,000 TIG Tennis Classic.

The second seed from Switzerland did not drop a set all week en route to her WTA Tour-leading fifth title of the year, 24th of her career and second at this event in three years. She earned $80,000 for the victory.

On Monday, Hingis will reclaim the top spot in the WTA rankings from American Lindsay Davenport, whom the fourth-seeded Williams defeated in the semifinals.

After the players exchanged breaks in the first four games of the match, Hingis moved into position to serve out the set as she broke for a 5-4 lead. Hingis took the set as Williams netted a backhand volley.

As she has does often in the past, Williams fell apart in the second set as Hingis displayed brilliant play from the baseline and well-timed approaches to the net. The American teenager failed to hold serve in her final four service games as Hingis eventually served out her seventh win in 10 meetings with Williams.

The 18-year-old Hingis was booed off the court after she repeatedly challenged calls during her three-set loss to Steffi Graf in the final at Roland Garros. She followed that effort in Paris with a surprising 6-2, 6-0 loss to Australian teenager Jelena Dokic in the first round at the All-England Club. This was her first tournament since her setback in London.

Williams was denied her fifth title of 1999 for the second straight week. She lost to Davenport in the final of last week's Bank of the West Classic. Ironically, it was Williams who helped Hingis reclaim the No. 1 ranking by beating Davenport on Saturday.

Williams suffered just her eighth loss in 50 matches this season and fell to 21-5 on hard courts. She lost for the eighth time in 15 career singles finals, including a setback to Hingis in the 1997 U.S. Open final.