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What a thrill, the way things have lined up at THE PACIFIC LIFE OPEN in Indian Wells. The womens semi-finals are set, with LINDSAY DAVENPORT taking on NATALIE DECHY and JUSTIN HENIN-HARDENNE playing ANASTASIA MYSKINA. LINDSAY'S recovering from foot surgery and is looking fine despite the time off. She has yet to lose a set in this tournament, and got by qualifier GISELA DULKO rather easily Wednesday 6-3, 6-2. LINDSAY hasn't faced a top player here, beating MARA SANTAGELO, SAMANTHA STOSUR, MEGHAN SHAUGHNESSY and DULKO to get to the semis. DECHY, seeded 19th, took out 3 seeds along her path to the 5th round, beating SHENAY PERRY and then 10th seed ANN SMASHNOVA-PISTOLES, 6th seed VERA ZVONAREVA, and 15th seed FABIOLA ZULUAGA. DECHY has lost just 1 set in her 4 matches. HENIN-HARDENNE was severely tested by young and rising Russian SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA, but finally won 6-5, 7-5. KUZNETSOVA found herself down 4-0 before she got her warm ups off, but settled into the match, and actually outplayed the womens number 1 from there out, but just couldn't finish JUSTIN off when she had the chances. She is the only player to have beaten HENIN-HARDENNE this year, and it looked like it would happen again. SVETLANA has a powerful serve, and deep hard strokes. She was unfazed with JUSTIN'S game once she shook off the nerves. But HENIN-HARDENNE got through a difficult phase where her serve was shaky, and overcame a warning from the chair about receiving coaching assistance from the stands, to get the win. Look for KUZNETSOVA to really make a showing this year. She is improving rapidly, and has already risen to number 12 in the world. Her game is well suited for WIMBLEDON, where she reached the quarterfinals last year. On the men's side, which has been the fan draw this time around here, one semi-final is set, and it is a dream match up between ANDRE AGASSI, seeded 5th, and the world's number 1 ROGER FEDERER, who everyone agrees is playing head and shoulders above the rest of the field right now. FEDERER made JUAN IGNACIO CHELA look like a child, beating him easily 6-2, 6-1. The match promised more, as CHELA, another young, quick South American, bounced 2-time defending champion LLEYTON HEWITT from this tournament in the 3rd round, and had little trouble beating TOMMY HAAS 6-4, 6-2. But after FEDERER settled down from some uncharacteristic sloppy play at the start, the match fell into his capable hands. FEDERER has been making it look easy over the last 10 months, and he is 21-1 in 2004. He claimed to the media that he is not unbeatable, "No, because I know there's very dangerous players out there. Just because I won a lot of matches this year and I only lost one, that doesn't make me feel like I'm unbeatable. I go out there every match with the same attitude. That this will be a difficult match, try your best, fight hard, and hopefully you can win. Handle yourself correctly out there, kind of enjoy it. That's what I'm doing. When I can play like I did today, you know, that is a lot of pleasure for me.” But few were buying it. He did admit that his serve was broken by CHELA, the first time it has happened in this tournament. He is quite comfortable in the press room, revealing some personal aspects of his time in the desert. It turns out he likes tooling around in the heat in his convertible, and his girlfriend has been dragging him around shopping during his time off. He admitted he has spent some hours at the outlet stores. He also spoke of the time long ago when he was a ballboy running around trying to get autographs from players, saying ROUSET was hard to get, but he got it. Meanwhile, the only player to beat FEDERER, earlier this year in Rotterdam in straight sets, is TIM HENMAN, who is still alive in this tournament. He will face ANDY RODDICK today. RODDICK has been serving like a demon, though he needed 3 sets to get past NICOLAS ESCUDE Wednesday night. AGASSI kept his date with FEDERER with a masterful performance last night against GUILLERMO CORIA . CORIA is ranked number 4 in the world, and has the quickness and the full range of shots to equal ANDRE'S game, but the master took the young protege to school winning the entertaining match with an ace, 6-4, 7-5. ANDRE came into the net 25 times and made the most of it, winning 18 points with some impressive vollies. In the other men's quarterfinal to be played today, unseeded JAMES BLAKE will face unseeded, 23-year old IRAKIL LABADZE from Tbilisi, Georgia. BLAKE is trying to impress DAVIS CUP coach PATRICK McENROE, as he will be naming the team probably just as soon as this tournament is over. Before THE PACIFIC LIFE consensus was that MARDY FISH would be the last spot, but BLAKE with his fine showing here may just upset that notion. BLAKE beat RADEK STEPANEK, then took out fellow DAVIS CUP competitor and 26th seed ROBBY GINEPRI, as well as 33rd seed GASTON GAUDIO, and TAYLOR DENT to get to the quarterfinals. Bring on the tennis! |
 It is probably JUSTIN HENIN-HARDENNE'S year to claim THE PACIFIC LIFE OPEN. She is playing the best tennis, and is coming off her third Grand Slam, the 2004 AUSTRALIAN OPEN. She has only been beaten once this year. But the woman who beat her, an up and coming Russian with a powerful build, SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA stand in the way of JUSTIN reaching the semi-finals. KUZNETSOVA, an 18 year-old from St. Petersburg, has been playing on the tour for 4 years, and last year made it to the quarter-finals at WIMBLEDON. She has played doubles with MARTINA NAVRATILOVA, and has10 titles to go along with 2 single titles. But 2 weeks ago in Doha, Qatar, SVETLANA made the move to the upper tier, beating JUSTIN 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 in the semis there. She lost in the finals there to fellow country woman, ANASTASIA MYSKINA, now number 5 in the world, who is still alive and has a shot to win this tounament.HENIN-HARDENNE and KUZNETSOVA square off today in a rematch for the number 1 player in womens tennis, and another shot to solidify her move in the upper echelon for another young Russian. Meanwhile, MYSKINA dispatched of the other youngster hailing from Siberia, MARIA SHARAPOVA. SHARAPOVA was taken to 3 sets by the upstart 14-year old SESIL KARATANCHEVA, but she eventually won that 3rd round match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Her glory was brief as she lost to MYSKINA the very next day in a rout, 6-2, 6-1. So MYSKINA faces veteran CONCHITA MARTINEZ, in the other quarter-final match in this bracket. On the bottom half of the draw, LINSAY DAVENPORT plays qualifier GISELA DULKO from Argentina. DULKO dismissed the number 7 seed in the 3rd round rather handily, 6-3, 6-3. She then eliminated MELISSA IRVIN in the 4th round, in straight sets that both went to tiebreaks. In the other womens quarter-final, FABIOLA ZULUAGA, from Columbia, and the number 15 seed will play NATALIE DECHY from France. DECHY, seeded 19 here at THE PACIFIC LIFE OPEN, has played this tournament 4 other times, never getting beyond the 4th round. The womens semi-finals will be played Saturday, with the final Friday at noon. |
 She has never won here, but she couldn't have picked a better time to play in the desert. The PACIFIC LIFE OPEN is underway at Indian wells in Southern California, and JUSTIN HENIN-HARDENNE appears to be in the right place at the right time. Her game is peaking, coming off grand slam wins at the AUSTRALIAN OPEN in January and the US OPEN last August. While the talk of this tournament last year was the WILLIAMS' sisters, particularly SERENA WILLIAMS, this year it is JUSTIN time. SERENA and VENUS have taken a bit of a hiatus, both recovering from injuries, and the total domination of the sport. HENIN-HARDENNE'S only other recent rival, KIM CLIJSTERS, the two-time defending champion here at Indian Wells, was forced to withdraw because of a wrist injury (per injury report-"left wrist bone bruise and tendonitis") that apparently occurred during her first match victory over ANGELIKA ROESCH.
Well, maybe not so fast. This tournament has a reputation for launching the careers of some young talent, especially on the womens side. Two years ago, an unseasoned DANIELA HANTUCHOVA, at the age of 16 swept through the field, with impressive victories over HENIN-HARDENNE, then without the HARDENNE and MARTINA HINGIS, who has since retired. It was her first WTA tournament win and she went on to be ranked as high as number 5 on the tour, before coming back down to earth. DANIELA lost in the first round here last week to former Stanford star MELISSA IRVIN.
 But no matter. This year, 16 year-old, and 16th seeded MARIA SHARAPOVA, who was the 14-year old darling 2 years ago when DANIELA had her coming out, has a shot at climbing into the spotlight. She'll have to spank this year's 14-year old darling, SESIL KARATANCHEVA. The two play in a much anticipated match this morning. SESIL energized the media on Saturday with her rambunctious press conference, where she promised to kick SHARAPOVA'S "butt off".The 14-year has been turning heads since she got here. In her first session with the press she said she wanted to be the youngest winner ever. When told JENNIFER CAPRIATI had her beat already by a few months, the brash Bulgarian said she would do it anyway. On Saturday, after the youngster had just beaten MAGUI SERNA in a  close 3-set match, she strode into the press room wearing a T-shirt sporting the prediction, "knock-out". Or was it an observation. The girl has got some kind of spunk for 14. She went on to weave a story line whereby she was supposed to have played MARIA two weeks ago in a visit to NICK BOLLETTIERI'S tennis camp in Florida. Apparently SHARAPOVA was there and the two were going to play, but as SESIL put it: "The day when we were supposed to play, two hours before the match, my agent comes and he goes, 'She called it off.' I'm like 'Why did she call the match off?' 'Because you said you were going to kick her ass off.' I'm like,'You know what, it's my business who I'm telling I'm going to kick his ass off or not. If I said it, I meant it, and I'm not sorry about it. If she's too scared to come on the court, her problem' She can't call it off this time that's for sure!" This girl should be a publicist, or a fight promoter. Actually she said in the very same press conference "I like the word 'knock-out'. You just go there, knock them out of the ring. Okay. Just knock them out of the ring...Those boxing things. My dad teaches me how to box." Wow!
Who cares if any of it is true. To hear SHARAPOVA put it, it's probably not. "I didn't have a match scheduled with her. I thought when I came to the academy I thought I would play a few of the Bollettieri girls to get a few matches in, but I didn't schedule a time with her or anything, no...I've never known her before, so I don't know. I've never even thought about her in my life."
The sharks, smelling fresh blood in the water, an event that doesn't happen often in the finely-tuned world of professional tennis, tried to bait SHARAPOVA, but she would have none of it. "This is a business. All I care about is when I go on the court and when I perform. And that's what I'm all about." SHARAPOVA, in a sly reference to the media training SESIL will no doubt be enrolled in, went on, "I think there's a lot of WTA Tour staff, and there are a lot of programs and media training. I'm sure, because she is young, she's just come on the tour. I mean they have a program where they teach about everything. I sure she will, I wouldn't worry about it." Proof of the media training at work. When asked about SESIL'S use of the expression "kick your ass", SHARAPOVA again responded with aplomb, "Well, you know, I mean, like I said, she's a young player. You know sometimes that's just what happens. I mean like I said, it doesn't bother me at all. I know who I am inside of me. I just can't wait until Monday just to play. She doesn't really bother me at all." This from the wise, old, 16-year's young Russian girl. Amazing!   It's great theater, and it's another coming out in the making. Whoever wins this match will have a buzz of media attention, and a whole lot of confidence going into round 4 where they'll probably meet another Russian, ANASTASIA MYSKINA, who has quietly scaled herself into the 5th best in the world. If either SESIL or MARIA could get by the 4th round, they'll probably have an easier seed to get thought to the finals, against, HENIN-HARDENNE? We'll have to see.And that is the beauty of THE PACIFIC LIFE OPEN. It's not the same old top 8 seeds, though they usually are here. Not even getting to the desert were SERENA WILLIAMS, VENUS WILLIAMS, JENNIFER CAPRIATI, AMELIE MAURESMO and MONICA SELES. That coupled with the loss of CLIJSTERS, leaves the field wide open, for a newcomer to break out and kick some ass off. Or maybe it really is JUSTIN time, here at THE PACIFIC LIFE OPEN.
The PACIFIC LIFE OPEN tennis tournament runs through Sunday March 21, 2004. For ticket information, check out http://www.iwtg.net/tickets/ |
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RODDICK and SAFIN REMATCH HIGHLIGHTS EARLY MEN'S ACTION/ NAVRATILOVA TO PLAY DOUBLES 3.15.04 By: Memo Meños |
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The men's tennis here at THE PACIFIC LIFEOPEN usually takes a backseat to the womens' matches. The men's field is not usually as large, by comparison, and the draw doesn't always attract all of the top players. But not so this year.
The field was expanded to 96, and play was extended into a second week, and perhaps as a result, the men are here. JAUN CARLOS FERRERO was forced to withdraw before play started, with a case of chicken pox. But the world's number 1 is here, ROGER FEDERER. As are ANDY RODDICK and ANDRE AGASSI.
In a surprisingly strong third-round match, RODDICK and MARAT SAFIN will play today, in a rematch from the quarterfinal match at the Australian Open where SAFIN eliminated RODDICK in 5 sets. SAFIN went on to beat AGASSI in the semis before losing to FEDERER in the finals. He is unseeded in this tournament because of lack of play due to a wrist injury, but SAFIN obviously has the game to beat anyone here.
Some other players to watch are GUILLERMO CORIA, the number 4 seed from Argentina. He had a fine tournament last year, at the old age of 17. He is back, looking a bit more mature, and a bit more fit. He's been seen running laps around the tennis complex, known as the INDIAN WELLS TENNIS GARDEN, and a beautiful one it is. He could meet AGASSI in the quarterfinals, where FEDERER and 2-time defending champion LLEYTON HEWITT could meet. With JAUN CARLOS FERRERO out, SAFIN could be the toughest match RODDICK faces on his way to a final showdown with any of the above mentioned.
 In the doubles, 47-year old MARTINA NAVRATILOVA is entered with LISA RAYMOND, and the duo have the number 3 seed. NAVRATILOVA is a legend in the sport, but seems like a real old timer out on the practice courts with the likes of the young Russian and Bulgarian girls, some 30 years her junior. MARTINA has won 167 singles titles, the most in tennis history, and 173 doubles titles. She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles in her career, 31 Grand Slam doubles titles and 9 Grand Slam mixed titles, including one at the 2003 Australian Open with ALEXANDER PAES which made her the oldest Grand Slam champion ever, then at the age of 46.
Even with all of those accomplishments, MARTINA is all too eager to accommodate fans who line up for autographs as she leaves the practice courts. And unlike her younger colleagues who pause to grant a handful of signature requests, MARTINA, ever the champion, stays on to sign them all. And there are still quite a few fans, even the youngsters, who wait in line to get a NAVRATILOVA signature.
It's quite a sight. |
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