09 settembre 2003
US Open
When Serena and Venus Williams play a Grand Slam the allure of watching
their procession to the final is lost to many, starved of variety in the
women's game. The U.S. Open may have finished with its first all-Belgian
final and it's first married champion since 1980, but for one American the
theatrics of a late-night semi-final performance mean little in a career
running out of gas.
For Jennifer Capriati her whole world caved in around her as she squandered
the chance of adding to her Australian and French Open crowns against a
cramping Justine Henin-Hardenne, the eventual champion in three magnificent sets.
Two years ago, Capriati held eight match points on her serve over the elder
Williams sister in the Key Biscayne final and still managed to lose.
But this latest Flushing Meadows defeat - her best chance of U.S. Open glory
in 12 years - will plague her for the rest of her career.
The lightweight Belgian may have proved to be an escape artists par
excellence in the women's match of the tournament on Friday, but for the
27-year-old , the chances of further glory at majors seems to have slipped away.
Having added a first title of 2003 in the week before the US Open, the
Californian's procession to the last four was full of the running forehand
winners and Jimmy Connors bravado that were so characteristic of former glories.
On ten occasions Capriati was within two points of the match. Henin-Hardenne
was in an awful abyss as she started to cramp while serving at 2-5 down in
the final set, eventually coming back in brilliant fashion to win the tiebreak.
The match was reminiscent of her 1991 semi-final when , at
just 15-years of age, Capriati lost to the new champion-to-be Monica Seles
6-3, 3-6, 7-6.
But in the 2003 vintage, the memory of that epic - part of the Women's
Tennis Association 15 classic matches of the open era - was lost on her as
she battered every ball from the baseline against a Belgian who won the
crucial points at the net.
Golden greats Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and
Chris Evert also feature, but they have long since retired from competitive
singles play, having blazed a trail for modern day counterparts who pick up
the big bucks.
Capriati may well be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in
Newport, Rhode Island in years to come, but the memories of her best chance
to reach her first 'home' final will stay with her as will her hopes of a
three-Grand Slam haul.
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