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Davenport downs Capriati Defending champ moves on to face Seles
Posted: Monday July 03, 2000 03:44 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -- Defending champion Lindsay Davenport battered fellow American Jennifer Capriati 6-3, 6-3 on Monday to march into the Wimbledon quarterfinals. "That felt like the best I have played in months," Davenport said after her 62-minute win. "I like my chances of out-hitting other players." Fellow American and sixth seed Seles stands between Davenport and a place in the semis after Seles beat ninth-seeded Spaniard Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 6-3, 6-4. Although Davenport is hitting the ball so well, she will be taking nothing for granted. "I've definitely got my work cut out tomorrow but you want good match-ups and good rivalries out there. I am looking forward to it." "If on Tuesday I hit my groundstrokes as well as I did today, and if I serve well, then I will have a really great chance. "I've been getting a lot of depth and power, and that is what you need against Monica. "Certainly I have to serve well. I hope I don't have to hit too many second serves tomorrow because if I do then it is going to be a long day," said Davenport. The clash was a repeat of the Australian Open semifinal earlier this year. Davenport won that 6-2, 7-6. On Centre Court, Davenport was in no mood to give Capriati a chance to beat her for the first time since 1997. Having won the toss, Capriati showed her attacking colors by choosing to serve but was broken in the opening game after some solid returns from the world number two. Davenport looked far more comfortable than in previous matches and easily held before Capriati got on the scoreboard for the first time with big groundstrokes and deep serves. The second seed had to fight off three break points in the sixth game before holding for 4-2 as Capriati tightened up her game. Capriati held for 3-4 but from Davenport moved up a gear and secured the first set 6-3 in 29 minutes. Capriati, who became the youngest seed in Grand Slam history 10 years ago as a 14-year-old here, had time to reflect on that first set as play was held up for 20 minutes because of rain and came out for the second set hitting the ball even harder. But whatever she threw at Davenport, the 24-year-old gave back with interest. Davenport thumped groundstrokes all around the court and Capriati -- a Wimbledon semifinalist in 1991 aged 15 -- began to tire. Her groundstrokes lost their venom as she chased the ball from side to side and her serve lost its consistency. Davenport, much better grooved than at the start of the Championships, anticipated better than her opponent and barely put a foot wrong in the second set. She raced into a 5-0 lead before Capriati found some inspiration. Capriati finally held serve and then capped it by breaking the champion's serve for 2-5. She held for 3-5 as Davenport, close to victory, began to wobble. The champion's serve came to her rescue, however, and four heavy deliveries helped her seal victory 6-3, 6-3 in 62 minutes. "I was hitting the ball really well. I felt a lot better on my serve and also on my groundstrokes," she said afterwards. "I mean, when your serve is going well, you have the confidence to really hit your shots ... really go for them."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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