Fish Ready to Take Over for Sampras, Rubin Rolls Over Capriati on the Lawns

ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW
Is Mardy Fish ready to take over the American grasscourt duties for the pseudo-retired Pete Sampras? The No. 8 seed looked the part Friday in Nottingham, choking the first set tiebreak but showing mettle in winning the next two sets for his second ATP final on the year. He will face homecountry favorite Greg Rusedski, who stopped the run of qualifier Hicham Arazi. "Mardy Fish is going to be a tough proposition," said Rusedski, who will play Fish for the first time in a tour match. "I practiced with him in March before I hurt my knee and he's another good player, returns pretty well, hits the ball from the ground well, has a big serve so whoever wins through, it's going to be a difficult match." The doubles final will be contested between (1)Bryan/Bryan and (3)Eagle/Palmer.

No. 3 Sjeng Schalken (d. (6)Robredo) and unseeded "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter kept the Dutch dream alive Friday in 's-Hertogenbosch, sliding into the semis along with (7)Clement (d. Vicente 6-0 in the third) and unseeded Jan Vacek, who ousted top-seeded Jiri Novak in straight sets. It is the first semi of the year for Schalken and Vacek. "He [Novak] had to win, that was my advantage," Vacek said. "He also doesn't like to play
on grass too much. Before the match I knew I had a chance, I'm really
satisfied with the match. Last year I made a lot of points in Wimbledon so I had a lot of pressure on me here." The semis will be (3)Schalken vs. Sluiter (first meeting) in an all-Dutch match-up, and Vacek vs. (7)Clement (the Frenchman leads 1-0).

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
In Eastbourne Friday, (2)Chanda Rubin saved two match points in the second set to beat (3)Jennifer Capriati in a three-set thriller, setting up the final against unseeded former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who beat Silvia Farina Elia in straight sets for her first grasscourt final since 1994 Wimbledon. "Chanda just really played well on those two (match) points," Capriati said. "She just went for broke and all of a sudden she was a completely different player." Martinez leads the head-to-head with Rubin 9-2. The doubles final will feature (2)Davenport/Raymond vs. (4)Hantuchova/Rubin.

In 's-Hertogenbosch Friday, the Waffle Prophesy was realized when (1)Clijsters (d. Rittner) and (2)Henin-Hardenne (d. (5)Petrova) advanced to set up the second all-Belgian final on the WTA Tour within the last two weeks. In the doubles final, Petrova/Pierce will face (3)Dementieva/Krasnoroutskaya.

2003 TENNIS-X TOP TITLE CHOKERS (Singles)
Players on the ATP and WTA Tours with more losses than wins in tournament finals in 2003. Can Kim Clijsters move herself off the list with a non-choke in 's-Hertogenbosch? (minimum two runner-up efforts, through June 16, 2003):

Position/Player/W-L in finals:
1T. Monica Seles (USA) 0-2
1T. Karolina Sprem (CRO) 0-2
3. Lindsey Davenport (USA) 1-3
4T. Guillermo Coria (ARG) 1-2
4T. Agustin Calleri (ARG) 1-2
4T. Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) 1-2
7. Kim Clijsters (BEL) 3-4

TOUR NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Chanda Rubin has never successfully defended a title in her 12-year career...Martina Navratilova was the last player to successfully defend the title in Eastbourne in 1991...The Bryan twins will climb to No. 1 Monday on the ATP Team Rankings...The parade of Wimbledon withdrawals thus far include Anna Kournikova, Monica Seles, Mariana Diaz-Olivia, Anne Kremer, Tatiana Panova, Sarah Taylor, Amelie Mauresmo, Pete Sampras, Tommy Haas, Thomas Johansson, Goran Ivanisevic, Marcelo Rios, Richard Krajicek, Carlos Moya, Al Costa, Alex Corretja, Magnus Norman and Marat Safin...Got to love the Wimbledon Minister of Info for the details given for player pull-outs. "Marat Safin (RUS) has withdrawn from the men's singles, due to a consecutive hand injury." Huh?...Weather here at the CHampionships -- Tennis-X.com is on-site -- is pleasent and warm...Speaking of weather, as best we can tell rain did not suspend play once during the first 28 days of Slam play this year (knock on wood).