|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|||
EVENTS
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|
Business as usual Davenport ousts Kournikova in straight sets
Updated: Tuesday January 23, 2001 6:07 AM
MELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Lindsay Davenport overwhelmed Anna Kournikova 6-4, 6-2 with a near-faultless display of serving at the Australian Open on Tuesday to progress to her 11th semifinal in 14 grand slams. Defending champion Davenport, the second seed from the United States, won in just 65 minutes. Kournikova, the Russian eighth seed whose hopes of capturing her first senior singles title at a grand slam event were dashed once more, could not live with Davenport's first serve. The 24-year-old won 93 per cent of points when her first serve found the target, a consistency that rescued her as Kournikova carved out three break points throughout the contest -- all to no avail. Davenport faces compatriot Jennifer Capriati in the last four, after Capriati surprised fourth seed Monica Seles earlier Tuesday. Davenport has won five of the 11 semifinals she has played since reaching the last four at the U.S. Open in 1997. She will be favorite again at Melbourne Park, and she declared herself happy with her lot, despite continued interest in her physical shape. Davenport is 1.89 meters (6ft 2 in) tall and weighs 79 kilograms (175 lbs). Coping with the pressure "At first I didn't think it was that big an issue, but people here seem to be really into it," Davenport said. "I've never fooled anyone -- I know I'm not the fastest or skinniest person out there. "But I know my game and I've worked very hard, and if that's not good enough for some people, so be it. "If this is what people try and knock me down with, I can take it. "I'm the one in the semifinals, with a couple of grand slams (Davenport has three grand slam titles to her name), winning tournaments." Davenport is also coping admirably with the pressure of being expected to succeed at each major. "I never grow tired of being in the semifinals," she said. "It would have been a huge disappointment to have lost in the quarterfinals. "But it's a great feeling to be expected to win. It's business as usual for me. I'm here to win it, and the semifinals is at least where I should be." Davenport said she felt Kournikova needed to acquire greater consistency to make her breakthrough at a grand slam event. The Russian had only made it past the fourth round once in 15 previous grand slam appearances, reaching the 1997 Wimbledon semifinals. Kournikova, 19, agreed. "I need to work on consistency and also get experience of playing big matches," she said. "But I play aggressive and there is no reason to change anything when it is going well. "I will win (a grand slam). You cannot predict when, but if I keep working hard my game will come together."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
