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Russian meets Swiss Miss Kournikova advances at Advanta Championships
Updated: Friday November 10, 2000 1:30 AM
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) -- Julie Halard-Decugis of France had a surprisingly easy time with Jennifer Capriati, winning 6-4, 6-1 Thursday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Advanta Championships. Halard-Decugis, ranked 18th in the world, used the entire court and seemed to tire her Florida foe. "That's my game; I'd much rather make her run than me," Halard-Decugis said, laughing. Capriati, ranked 13th in the world and seeded eighth, had words with the chair umpire numerous times throughout the match and refused to shake hands with her afterward. She became the first seeded player to lose in the tournament. Some of the frustration may have been due to her opponent, who has now beaten her the last two times they have played. "She was really on tonight and didn't make many errors," Capriati said of Halard-Decugis. "Tonight she did everything really well." In the last doubles match of the night, Alexandra Fusai and Nathalie Tauziat, seeded fourth, defeated Petra Rampre and Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4, 6-2. During the afternoon session, sixth-seeded Anna Kournikova, still seeking the first singles title of her career, beat Australian Nicole Pratt 6-0, 6-2. The 19-year-old Russian needed just 48 minutes to win the second-round match. Kournikova later teamed with Martina Hingis to win their doubles match, defeating Conchita Martinez and Patricia Turbine 6-1, 6-1 in 42 minutes. Against Pratt, Kournikova breezed through the first two games of the first set in just three minutes en route to sweeping all six games. The Russian right-hander ran her streak to eight straight games before Pratt rallied to level the second set 2-2. Pratt, however, never won another game as Kournikova recorded her third victory in as many meetings with the Australian. "She didn't come back," Kournikova said of losing two games in the second set. "I just needed to take a rest and get back. It is very difficult to maintain the level of play when you win 6-0 and then take the first two games of the next set." Kournikova, who defeated qualifier Mashona Washington 6-2, 6-0 in the opening round, will meet Hingis in Friday's quarterfinals. Hingis has defeated Kournikova in nine of their 10 meetings, the last time 6-3, 6-1 in Moscow last month. "The more I play, the more confident I have become this season," Kournikova said. "I felt that I could go out there and enjoy myself today. As far as playing against Martina, we'll see what happens." In another match, fourth-seeded Nathalie Tauziat of France held off Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 7-5, 6-4 in a match that lasted 88 minutes. "It was a solid match, but it really wasn't very good," said Tauziat. "I want to stay in the top 10. It's difficult." Ninth-seeded Chanda Rubin was forced to retire against Holly Parkinson due to tendinitis in her left knee.
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