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French Players in All Three ATP Semis Today, Russian Women Capturing MoscowPosted on October 5, 2003 ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW When you're an oft-injured player and things are going well and you're healthy, the last thing you want to do is anger the Injury Gods by shooting your mouth off in post-match conferences about how well things are going and how great you feel. That's what No. 5 seed Mark Philippoussis learned Friday in Tokyo, retiring in the first set against Cyril Saulnier after waking up with a stiff neck. "I woke up, went to the bathroom and ended up sleeping on my stomach, and I woke up the wrong way," said Flipper, who was riding a consecutive match win streak after last week winning the Shanghai title. "I had my practice and it hurt. It wasn't too bad. I went out, played my match and the more I served, the worse it got. It just got stiffer and the pain got worse. It'll probably be around for two days at most. I think by tomorrow I could even play, but the day you do it, you can't do anything. I'm going back home to Melbourne for a week now and then some training in Madrid." The other three seeds in quarterfinal action rolled in (1)Schuettler (d. Draper), (2)Grosjean (d. (8)Gambill), and (3)Srichaphan (edged (7)Lee in three sets). "This is the first semifinal of my career, and I've done a good job this week," said the unseeded Saulnier of France. "I wasn't sure about playing here, because I was playing with a hamstring injury, but each day it improved. It's going to be a tough match tomorrow with Rainer, probably a lot of running. I played him in London years ago and I beat him." Two Americans, the defending champion, and a guy who hasn't seen a semi for two years rolled into the semifinals at Moscow Friday. Sargis Sargsian, who hadn't reached this level since 2001, ousted the last of the seeds in (2)Calleri to lead the charge, and was joined by Dent (d. Rosset), Spadea (d. Koubek in three after fighting off two match points), and the defending champ Mathieu (d. Andreev in three). "It was a good match for me. Rosset plays a very similar game. My second round match was against more of a baseliner, so this was a match-up of big serves," said Dent, who looks forward to facing Mathieu. "He's the defending champion and is playing well. He has a really fluid backhand."
Today's Semifinals: Tokyo: (1)Schuettler vs. Saulnier, and (2)Grosjean vs. (3)Srichaphan. "Last time I played (Grosjean) was in Sydney two years ago," Srichaphan said. "At that time, he was No. 6 in the world. I'd just played the final in Chennai and flew over to Australia and played a great match. I won that match. Just like I said, it's tough for the guy with the higher ranking to go out there and play the guy who maybe he hasn't seen play. At that time, I had nothing to lose too. If I'm playing him tomorrow, it's a tough match. I'm looking forward to a good match." Moscow: In the all-unseeded semis, Spadea vs. Sargsian (first meeting), Mathieu vs. Dent (first meeting). Metz: (4)Clement vs. (5)Santoro in an all-French match-up (Santoro leads 2-0), and Pavel vs. (3)Gonzalez (first meeting). WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW Russians (3)Dementieva (d. Schiavone) and (4)Myskina (d. Daniilidou) are one match away from realizing an all-Russian final in Moscow, on Friday pummeling the opposition in dropping only fives games between them to reach the semifinals. Also into the semis were (2)Mauresmo (d. Russian (7)Zvonareva in three), and the unseeded Pistolesi (d. Bovina), stopping a potential all-Russian semifinals. "Of course, it will be interesting to play Elena here, especially because she will probably also play singles matches in Fed Cup," said Mauresmo, who was beaten by the Russian in their last match in August. "I lost to her in Toronto and here, of course, it will be doubly tough because the crowd will be pulling for her." A Russian has never won the Kremlin Cup title. The doubles final will be (4)Petrova/Shaughnessy against Russian wildcards Myskina/Zvonareva, who in the semis ousted top-seeded Kuznetsova/Navratilova in three sets. RECORD WEEK FOR FRENCH ASK THE ANGRY INTERN Q: Dear Angry Intern: A: Before I answer I'd like to say it sucks working here. Never accept an internship that has "free donuts" in its job posting. I've got skills, I should be at ESPN. Anna Kournikova is so popular, to answer your question, because she's hot. That answer your question? It's not brain surgery. And now that the WTA has figured out the formula, look for more skin and tighter tops in 2004. Skin to win baby, that's the ticket, soon they'll be playing naked. The WTA says it "doesn't promote sex," but you know the score -- again, not brain surgery. If the WTA is telling the truth, then why is new WTA CEO Larry Scott trying to roll back the rule that doesn't allow teen hotties to play a full tournament schedule? Answer: Because he wants the Ashley Harkleroads and Maria Sharapovas out there, no matter how young they are, because hotties make headlines, and are always saying stupid stuff or having fights with their fathers or crying on court or shoplifting. Anna set the new WTA Tour marketing standard, now we're all just along for the soft porn ride. NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS |
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Andrei Pavel continued his comeback roll from injury Friday at Metz, taking out top-seeded Tommy Robredo 6-1 in the third in the only upset on the day. Others advancing into the semis were (3)Gonzalez (d. Ferrer), (4)Clement (d. (Q)Petzschner), and (5)Santoro (d. Popp in three). "After Bercy (TMS-Paris) last year I took some rest and had a very bad winter," said Pavel of his time off the tour. "I caught two bad viruses then started practicing again but injured my back. It got worse and worse and in Miami I decided to stop. Then I injured my wrist...I was finally able to hit the ball again at the end of July. When I returned to the ATP circuit in Palermo last week I was so excited." The doubles final will be an all-French affair in Llodra/Santoro vs. Benneteau/Mahut.