NEW YORK (AP) -- Defending champion Martina Hingis blunted the power of Venus Williams and beat her 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) Saturday to reach the title match of the Chase Championships for the third time in four years.

Hingis will play the winner of the semifinal between second-seeded Lindsay Davenport, the runner-up last year, and No. 6 Nathalie Tauziat.

Hingis lost to Steffi Graf in the 1996 Championships.

With the victory, the 19-year-old from Switzerland kept alive a unique record against Williams. In six meetings this year, Hingis won all three played in the United States, Williams won the three matches played in Europe.

Williams displayed her power game from the opening serve -- a 113 mph shot that was long. Also long was her fastest serve of the day, one clocked at 119 mph. And even though she had three double-faults in the opening game of the match, she held serve.

If Williams relied on her power, Hingis was the counterpuncher, changing speeds and spins while using the entire court.

Hingis controlled the points, and the world's top player pulled off the first break of service.

Williams staved off the first break point in the third game with a backhand crosscourt volley. But her fourth double-fault gave Hingis another break point. This time, Hingis cashed in, taking the net and punching a volley into the corner.

Williams thought she had pulled even in the next game when, at 30-40, she whipped what looked like a backhand service return winner. But the ball was called long, bringing a protest from Williams, before Hingis won the next two points for a 3-1 lead.

The eighth game of the opening set produced some of the most dramatic tennis of the tournament, although seven of 16 points ended with unforced errors.

With Hingis serving, Williams reached break point at 30-40, hoping to put the set back on serve. Instead, she sailed a backhand long. She reached break point again when she ended a long rally with a backhand that skipped off the far baseline. A backhand volley that was wide took them back to deuce again.

Twice more Williams had the ad point. Each time they went back to deuce.

Then it was Hingis' turn to take the advantage. She hit a backhand down the line that Williams not only got to, but rifled a forehand crosscourt winner. Deuce again, for the fifth time in the game.

But Hingis won the next two points to hold, then held again two games later to take the first set.

On a roll, she broke Williams to begin the second set, again coming up a winner on the majority of the long-range battles in which the two engaged.

In one exchange, both players wound up at the net. Hingis tried to lob over the lanky, 6-foot-1 Williams, who soared into the air to hit a backhand overhead volley.

Hingis, with her quick reflexes, snapped a backhand down the line that zipped past a startled Williams.

When Williams buried a backhand into the net on the next point, Hingis appeared to be set for a quick victory.

Williams, however, refused to go away easily.

After taking an injury timeout and having her neck massaged by the WTA Tour trainer, Williams continued the fight. Then, in the sixth game, she finally broke Hingis' serve.

The two then battled into the tiebreak, where the consistency and toughness of Hingis prevailed.

The winner of Sunday's best-of-3-sets final will earn $500,000. For reaching the semifinals, Williams collected $125,000.