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Fine tuning Capriati seeks to match talent with fitness
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Jennifer Capriati reckons she can hit the ball better than any of the top female players, it's just a lack of "immaculate condition" that has stopped her winning a Grand Slam title. Capriati started fine-tuning for next week's Australian Open with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 first-round win Monday against Russian Tatiana Panova at the Adidas International. A swirling wind inside the Sydney International Tennis Center -- tennis venue for last year's Sydney Olympics -- played havoc with her serve in the second set, while the temperature was more stifling than she'd expected. "It was tough to find a rhythm, even with my shots," said the world No. 14. "But I'm happy with the way I pulled things together in the third set." Capriati admitted she's not as fit right now as she was here last year, when she lost in the second round before reaching the Australian Open semifinals the following week. A series of leg and elbow injuries hampered her progress later in 2000, but the 24-year-old Capriati says she's back on course to match it with the likes of Venus and Serena Williams. "I can hit the ball better than any of those players but I have to be able to get to the ball," Capriati said. "I need to be in immaculate physical condition. "I'm not quite there physically but I still have this week to go and I think ... by the time Melbourne comes along, I'll be feeling really good." Capriati, who had a well documented break from the game after becoming the youngest ever Grand Slam semifinalist when she reached the French Open semis as a 14-year-old in 1990, is on tour with her father as coach. The American was touring with Harry Solomon this time last year but the pair split in March and Capriati's father, Stefano, again took over as coach and mentor. "Tennis wise I'm playing a lot better than I was last year... I have a little more variety in my game," she said. "I've evolved with the game. I've always been a power player, but I think now it's double what it used to be." In other women's first-round matches Monday, Barbara Schett of Austria swept Gala Leon Garcia of Spain 6-2, 6-4, while U.S. pair Brie Rippner and Lisa Raymond both advanced. Rippner defeated Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-0 6-7 (4), 6-3, and Raymond erased Nadedja Petrova of Russia 6-2, 6-1. In the men's draw, No. 6 seed Sebastien Grosjean of France defeated Australian Richard Fromberg 7-6 (3), 6-2, while No. 8 seed Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco was ousted by Italian Gianluca Pozzi 7-5, 6-4. Top seeded Magnus Norman is scheduled to meet Romanian Andrei Pavel on Tuesday, while defending titlist and No. 2 seed Lleyton Hewitt opens Tuesday against Australian Davis Cup teammate Wayne Arthurs.
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