Guga vs. El Aynaoui Highlights Long Island Today; Davenport Marches on in New Haven

ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW
Top-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan (d. Sargsian) advanced into the quarters at Long Island Thursday, joined by a motley crew that included Juan Ignacio Chela (d. O.Rochus), wildcard Nicolas Kiefer (d. Saretta), and qualifier Jeff "Don't Call Me Jim" Morrison (d. Youzhny). "Last year it was amazing to win here," Srichaphan said. "Since then I have won two more tournaments, but I will always remember this tournament because it was my first. It feels good to be back on these courts."

Today's quarterfinal line-up is Chela vs. (WC)Kiefer (first meeting), (1)Srichaphan vs. (Q)Morrison (the American leads 2-0), (7)El Aynaoui vs. (2)Kuerten (Guga leads 2-0), and Nieminen vs. Blake (first meeting). "Jeff (Morrison) is playing really well right now," Srichaphan said. "I lost to him the last two times we played, but that was a while ago. I have improved quite a bit since then, but that does not mean it won't be a tough match tomorrow. I definitely will need to focus and bring my best game of tennis in order to win."

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport continued to make the best of her cake draw at New Haven Thursday, spanking unseeded Magui "Don't Call Me Maggie" Serna to reach the semifinals. Also advancing were (2)Mauresmo (d. (8)Sugiyama), (3)Capriati (d. Pistolesi 6-1 in the third, her second consecutive three-set win), and unseeded Elena Dementieva (d. (Q)Black). Capriati broke Pistolesi's 12-match winning streak, and is playing her first tour event since Stanford after suffering a right pectoral strain that forced her withdrawal from Toronto. "Sometimes it's a real test of your patience, your will to win out there, especially in the hot conditions," said Chunky Jen, who is trying to win her first title since January 2002. "It could be easy to give every shot and just go for it, whether it goes in or not." Oops, we thought that was what you WERE doing, our bad. Rallies, right.

Today's semis feature Davenport vs. Dementieva (Davenport leads 6-3, Dementieva won last meeting on clay), and Capriati vs. Mauresmo (Mauresmo leads 5-3, winning last meeting on clay). "I've always had tough matches with her (Dementieva)," Davenport said. "I think we've had a pretty even record, lost to her earlier this year on clay. But she's a very difficult opponent. She's very quick and athletic -- she hits the ball very hard off both sides and she runs down a lot of balls. At the same time I think her forehand is a very big weapon for her -- she likes to run around it a lot. It's an opponent I've always had close matches with for whatever reason."

NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Pete Sampras has finally caved, and US Open officials announced there will be a special press conference Monday night at the Open where Pete will finally, officially, announce his retirement from professional tennis, along with a "special ceremony" where they will shoot him out of a cannon or something...Tim Henman is still praying one more of the 32 seeds pulls before the start of the US Open so he will be re-drawn and not have to face No. 4 seed Andy Roddick in the opening round; No. 26 seed Marat Safin pulled from the Open draw (wrist), as did Guillermo Canas (wrist)...In the year that Lleyton Hewitt purposely cut down his schedule in order to be ready for the slams, he sure looks lackluster, as if he couldn't give a rat, and hasn't reached a slam quarterfinal all year...This week Andy Roddick made coach Brad Gilbert puke while on a sky dive with him, A-Rod collecting on a bet for winning the TMS-Cincinnati: "It was miserable," Gilbert said. "The jumpsuit was uncomfortable and it was hot. I was just breathing hard. The last six minutes were the worst six minutes of my life. Once we got down to the ground, I got heavy motion sickness and I laid down for 20 minutes. Andy said that was the first time he saw me not saying a thing. I was sweating profusely. I was in the car for about 500 yards and then I had to pull over. I just lost it." That should happen once a week if it will shut him up...U.N. Undersecretary General Shashi Tharoor welcomed all to the US Open draw ceremony and quickly credited tennis legend and U.N. Messenger of Peace Vijay Amritraj with proposing the idea of holding the event at the U.N. "For me, to be able to bring both the game of tennis and the international aspect of what the United Nations stands for together on this very special memorable day for us in tennis is really a special moment for me," Amritraj said. Glad the U.N. is serving some purpose...Why were Lleyton Hewitt and Kim Clijsters watching a men's qualifying match the other day between Cecil Mamiit and Jaochim Johansson? How bored are they? Not going to learn to win again watching that, Lleyton...Leander Paes is in stable condition in Orlando, taken to the hospital on Sunday after suffering from headaches. A hospital statement released on Thursday said: "Still awaiting results of numerous tests, his doctors are treating him with antibiotics for a possible brain abscess. While not yet proven in Leander's situation, one rather common infection in India causing such a brain lesion is cysticercus granuloma, caused by the larval form of a tapeworm. He is no longer experiencing headaches and his vision is normal. Leander remains in excellent spirits and is physically active." Hey doc, get this worm out of my head so I can get back to the doubles court...Michael Chang took time out from losing at the TD Waterhouse Cup to serve lunch to 250 disadvantaged people at a Long Island soup kitchen on Monday. Chang spent more than an hour interacting with some of the patrons at the Mary Brennan INN, one of 44 Long Island soup kitchens run by the Interfaith Nutrition Network, a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization. "I try to take advantage of various opportunities like this," Chang said. "As my career winds down, I really hope that I will have more time to be involved and continue to have an impact on the communities where I live."...Top 20 players Anastasia Myskina and Ai Sugiyama tried their hand at bartending in New Haven during the Michelob Ultra "Media Happy Hour," prostituting the tournament's presenting sponsor, with tips (as in money, not advice, like "Less foam and more beer, keep your day job") from patrons going to the Connecticut Muscular Dystrophy Association...Gustavo Kuerten's last three ATP titles have come on hardcourts, imagine that...Andy Roddick, James Blake and doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan head the U.S. Davis Cup team picked Thursday for next month's World Group playoff against Slovakia. The Bryan brothers make their D-Cup debut, while Mardy Fish and Brian Vahaly were put on the squad as back-ups for the Sept. 19-21 clash. The winner will return to the World Group, while the loser falls into regional qualifying hell...Speaking of hell, Brad Gilbert, who like Visa is everywhere you don't want him to be, on pupil Andy Roddick: "He has got an unbelievable serve and a huge forehand...what I call a 'surf and turf'." ...Anna Kournikova was on Fox News Friday morning talking bras and breasts. We kid you not. Anna will also join USA Network for the US Open as an entertainment reporter...The US Open this year has expanded the old Grandstand Court -- now called Stadium 3 -- adding more seats on the Stadium 2 side of the court.