Switzerland's Martina Hingis was unable to complete a hat-trick of Pan Pacific Open titles on Sunday when she lost in the final of the Tokyo event to arch-rival Lindsay Davenport.

Hingis was looking to become the first person to win the $1.2 million dollar tournament for three years in a row. But after taking the first set on a tie-break she then saw the match slip out of her hands, eventually losing 7-6, 4-6, 2-6.

Although the defeat will not affect Hingis's standing at the top of the world rankings, it did help the American world number two stretch her lead over the Swiss player in head to head encounters.

Davenport has now won 13 of her matches against Hingis with Hingis beating Davenport 11 times.

Sunday's match was Hingis's third singles final in a row this season. After her doubles success with Roger Federer in the Hopman Cup, she won the Sydney Open but then lost out to Jennifer Capriati in the final of the Australian Open.

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