EARNIE GRAFTON / Union-Tribune Top-seeded Gabi DeSimone stays focused en route to her grueling title victory in three sets.

After surviving two match points in an extended tiebreaker, after playing 2½ hours of grueling tennis, Cathedral Catholic sophomore Gabi DeSimone followed a winning forehand shot by getting down on the court and raising both arms in celebration of a repeat singles championship.

The top-seeded DeSimone outlasted San Marcos junior Lacey Smyth 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9-7) in the San Diego Section girls final yesterday at the Barnes Tennis Center in an afternoon match that ended under the lights.

“This match could have gone either way,” said DeSimone, who was forced into the tiebreaker after holding a 5-2 lead in the third set. “At the end, I was looking at some (supporters), and I said to myself, 'All right, I can do this.'I could give it one more point.”

Earlier, in the doubles final, a new champion was crowned as sisters Elena and Sophia Najera-Salas of La Jolla Country Day recorded a 6-3, 6-1 victory over defending champions Mimi Hamling and Jessica Kwan of Torrey Pines.

The singles match reached epic status after Smyth survived a match point and ultimately prevailed in a 14-point game for the first of three winning games that evened the third set at 5-5.

“I had to believe in myself, or otherwise it was over,” said the second-seeded Smyth, who also reached the final two years ago. “It was so close. It was a test of nerves.”

DeSimone, who had lost only three games in four other playoff matches, set up an opportunity next year to tie the section record of three career singles titles, set by La Jolla Country Day's Alexandra Stephenson (1995-97).

“This (title) is unbelievable for me,” said DeSimone, who overcame 15 double faults. “There was more pressure this year as the defending champion.”

DeSimone had a string break in one racket and then went with a worn backup until her mother delivered another to start the second set.

“In the first set, she came out firing, and I couldn't get into my offensive mood,” said DeSimone, who beat Smyth in three sets in last year's semifinals. “But in the second set, I came out really well.”

The third-seeded Najera-Salas sisters combined in doubles for the postseason at the suggestion of Elena, a junior, who wanted to play together with her freshman sibling during their high school days.

After dropping the first game, the sisters took the next five to establish control against the top-seeded team of Torrey Pines seniors.

“We just wanted to play our game,” Elena said. “We wanted to be aggressive and take it to them.”

Kwan was denied in her bid to be part of three consecutive doubles titles. Two years ago, she combined with older sister Rebecca to win the crown.

“We made a lot of errors and never really got into it this time,” Kwan said. “We were off, and they were playing really well.”