At a loss

Capriati as surprised as anyone by fourth-round loss

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) -- Jennifer Capriati joined Venus Williams on the French Open scrap heap on Sunday after she was beaten, like her fellow American, by a young Russian.

On the same day that third seed Williams fell, Capriati was beaten in the fourth round 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 by Nadia Petrova.

Seeded seventh this year, the 2001 champion was overpowered by 20-year-old Petrova on Court 1 in her earliest Grand Slam exit for three years.

The defeat left Capriati stunned.

"You know, I thought I had pretty good chances in this tournament," she said. "It goes to show, you never know.

"Of course I am very disappointed. I've just been working so hard.

"But she's definitely a good player and a dangerous player and when she's on, she's on."

Capriati had beaten Petrova earlier this month on a similar surface in Rome, but the Russian changed her tactics in the French capital.

"I think she had a pretty good, different strategy out there," Capriati said.

"I think she was not trying to hit too many winners ... just hitting her normal flat shots. I think she added a lot of spin to her balls, so different than in Rome."

Capriati said Petrova could go on to win the tournament if she continued playing in the same vein.

But she would not be drawn on whether Russia could dominate women's tennis in the future.

"I have no idea," she said. "I don't really care."

 

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