But after drug and legal problems put a temporary halt to her tennis career, Capriati could put a stamp on her comeback Saturday when she vies for her first major against three-time champion Martina Hingis in the Australian Open women's final.

Seeded 12th, Capriati moved into her first career Grand Slam final Thursday by upending defending champion and fellow American Lindsay Davenport in straight sets.

Capriati has proven during her two weeks at Melbourne that her semifinal showing here last year was no fluke, and that she is ready to reclaim her status as one of the world's top players. Her last two matches have proven that she once again is a force in women's tennis, and is ready to secure her first major.

Against four-time champion Monica Seles in the quarterfinals, Capriati fought back after dropping the first set and handed Seles just her second loss in 39 matches at the Australian Open.

Capriati followed up her win over Seles with a dazzling display of aggressive tennis in her semifinal win over Davenport, avenging a semifinal loss to her compatriot last year.

"I think I've always believed in myself," Capriati said. "In this tournament, from the beginning, all of a sudden this confidence came over me. I just felt really good about my game."

Capriati has dropped just two sets en route to the final and will vie for her 10th career singles title on Saturday.

Capriati's troubled past has been well-documented, bursting on the tennis scene at the age of 14, becoming the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist at the 1990 French Open and reaching the Wimbledon and U.S. Open semifinals the following year. She also captured the Olympic gold medal at Barcelona in 1992, which she claims is the highlight of her career.

But her career took a downward spiral as she was arrested for marijuana possession and shoplifting and removed herself from the tennis circuit for more than two years before returning in 1996. She went on to capture her first singles titles in six years with two tournament wins in 1999 and another last year.

"Let's talk about the now and today, just the future," said Capriati, now 24. "That's just past history. I think that monkey's been off my back for a while now."

Hingis also enters Saturday's final on a roll, having pulled off a sweep of the Williams sisters in the last two rounds in dissimilar fashion.

In the quarterfinals, Hingis went the distance against Serena Williams before prevailing, 8-6, in the third set. It was a far different story in the semifinals against Venus, as Hingis handed the reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion the worst loss of her professional career with a 6-1, 6-1 rout.

Hingis defeated the Williams sisters in consecutive matches for the first time at the same tournament.

On Saturday, Hingis will vie for her fourth Australian Open title in five years and sixth major overall. She lost to Davenport in last year's final.

"I am thrilled to get through to the finals here again," Hingis said. "This is the fifth consecutive year being in the finals and every time it's been a different opponent. It's a challenge which I don't want to lose. I'm not going to underestimate her (Capriati), that's for sure."

Hingis is the first female to reach the Australian Open final five straight years since Evonne Goolagong Cawley did it six straight years from 1971-76. The 20-year-old from Switzerland will try to secure her 37th career singles title and second this year on Saturday.

After leading her country to the Hopman Cup title in her first event of the year, Hingis took the title at Sydney the week before the Australian Open. She is unbeaten in 14 matches this season.

Capriati has never beaten Hingis in five career meetings. In their last encounter, Hingis prevailed in the semifinals at Zurich, 6-3, 6-2, in October.

"I think I have to be a bit more patient and be a bit more aggressive and not let her dictate the points," Capriati said of playing Hingis. "I think it's just important that I play my game. I'm just going to keep focusing like I have been up to this point."

On Thursday, No. 15 Arnaud Clement earned the right to face defending champion Andre Agassi in the men's final after rallying from a two-set deficit to defeat close friend and fellow Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean.