| | Associated Press
MONTREAL -- As the thundering serves and groundstrokes flew
past a helpless Amy Frazier on Friday, Serena Williams knew she was
"in a zone."
"Remember this date because I'll probably never say this again -- I'm satisfied with how I played," Williams said after her 6-0,
6-1 quarterfinal victory over the 16th-seeded Frazier in the du
Maurier Open.
|  | | Martina Hingis improved to 11-0 against Sandrine Testude with a three-set victory on Friday. She now faces Conchita Martinez in the semifinals. |
"I didn't make many errors. I didn't hit too hard, too crazy.
Whatever she did, I was ready for it. It all came together today."
Williams could recall only twice before being as sharp -- for one
set of a match against sister Venus in Munich, Germany, last year
and again in Miami against what she called "some player."
This match was even easier than her two-set third-round win over
Anna Kournikova on Thursday, which she had described as "slightly
close." And it seems that when Williams is hot, there's little her
opponent can do.
"If I didn't hit a perfect shot, she'd hit a winner," said
Frazier, who nonetheless was hesitant, as many at du Maurier
Stadium have, to concede the tournament to Williams.
"All the top players are powerful, quick and strong," Frazier
said.
Top players are all that's left in the $1.08 million event.
In the semifinals, Williams will play No. 7 Arantxa
Sanchez-Vicario, and top-seeded Martina Hingis will face No. 3
Conchita Martinez.
Hingis survived a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 battle with No. 8 Sandrine
Testud, Martinez beat Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 6-2, 6-4, and
Sanchez Vicario defeated Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva 6-1, 6-4.
Hingis is 11-0 against Testud, including a trio of three-set
wins in the du Maurier.
"I've always had that little edge over her," Hingis said.
"The physique was also a factor in the third set, because she came
out strong in the first set but then the match slowed down."
Hingis has an 8-3 record against Martinez, but lost in their
last meeting at this year's German Open.
Martinez crept almost unnoticed into the semifinals.
She had a first-round bye, got past Anne Miller in three sets in
the second round and won a third-round walkover Thursday when Julie
Halard-Decugis withdrew with a lower back injury.
"A dream? No," said Martinez, 28, who has climbed back to
sixth in world rankings after two weak seasons. "It's pretty real.
"It was weird not playing in the third round because Julie got
injured, but I'm playing good tennis. I thought I played a good
match."
For the second straight day, Williams delighted the crowd by
doing her postmatch on-court interviews in French.
When reporters asked about the warm reception her remarks
received, she said: "I don't think anyone expected me to speak
French," she said. "I'm American. No American has ever learned
another language."
Her victory extended the Williams family streak to 28
consecutive wins against all opponents except one another. Between
them, Serena and Venus have won four straight tournaments,
beginning with Wimbledon. Venus sat out the du Maurier. | |
ALSO SEE
Friday's results
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