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Men's Tennis
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Women's Tennis
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| Thursday, August 23 |
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| Capriati advances before rain suspends play Associated Press | |||
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Jennifer Capriati improved on her
inconsistent serves and overpowered Jelena Dokic 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday
to reach the semifinals of the Pilot Pen tournament.
Capriati, the No. 2 seed, served up 10 aces, including three in
a row at more than 100 mph. Although she missed many of her first
serves, she recorded just five double-faults compared to 13 on
Wednesday.
"I think I definitely served a lot better today and made up for
yesterday, for sure. I'm real happy about it," she said.
Her improved serve, combined with her strength and experience,
did in Dokic, who is ranked 14th.
"Our games are very similar. I think she's physically a little
bit stronger, and mentally also," Dokic said.
Dokic kept attacking Capriati's backhand. The players pushed
each other from corner to corner all match.
Capriati said she was more prepared Thursday than the day
before, when she dropped the first set of her match with German
Anke Huber 0-6. She fought back to win the match, 0-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Dokic, of Yugoslavia, said Capriati's strength and conditioning
made the difference.
Rain forced postponement of Thursday's other scheduled
quarterfinal match between defending Pilot Pen champ Venus Williams
and Justine Henin. That match was rescheduled for Friday afternoon,
and Capriati will play the winner in a night match on Friday.
No. 4 seed Kim Clijsters also advanced to the semifinals with a
6-2, 6-2 win over Nathalie Tauziat of France. The 18-year-old
Belgian broke Tauziat five times with her athletic play. She also
showed a lot of confidence in her serve, scoring with two
second-serve aces.
"I do that quite often," she said. "All the players expect
the second serve to go for a safer second serve and always expect
to get a kick serve to the backhand."
Clijsters advanced to play top-seeded Lindsay Davenport in
Friday's semifinal.
Tauziat, who will be 34 in October, said she is retiring from
singles play at the end of the season.
"I think it is time to stay home and have a quiet life,"
Tauziat said.
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ALSO SEE Davenport rolls, Capriati rallies at Pilot Pen Thursday's results | |
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