Venus Gets Worked in WTA Dubai Quarterfinals

Posted on February 28, 2004

Unseeded 18-year-old Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, best known as Martina Navratilova's doubles partner last year, put herself on the map Thursday at Dubai with an easy straight-set win over No. 2 seed Venus Williams. Williams blamed the loss on a lack of preparation.

"It's very difficult to play an event of this caliber against players who have trained and been out there practicing," Williams said. "After Tokyo I just hit for a couple of hours in London, and here about an hour each day, and it's not enough to be ready. But I know that I'll be okay, I'm really in good spirits." Such good spirits that Williams threw out a warning to her fellow players: "I just feel like now is the time if you want to get me, you should. By the time I get to Nasdaq (Miami) that time will be over." Williams has played three tournaments thus far in 2004 without reaching a final. Venus, who attempted to get a doubles wildcard with Elmo, was passed over by the Sesame Street doubles expert for the Cookie Monster.

In the other quarterfinals, American Meghann Shaughnessy upset (4)Anastasia Myskina in three sets, (5)Ai Sugiyama rolled Eleni Daniilidou, and (1)Justine Henin-Hardenne had no problems against an injured (8)Conchita Martinez. "It's never easy to play against somebody who is injured and is not moving that well," Henin-Hardenne said. "Conchita is always a problem for a lot of players. She doesn't give any rhythm and I just tried to stay focused on every ball."

Today's shaky semifinal line-up is (5)Sugiyama vs. Kuznetsova (first meeting), and (1)Henin-Hardenne vs. Shaughnessy (H-H leads 2-0). Chalk up another title for the world No. 1.

Two more seeds were knocked out prior to the quarterfinals in Bogota Thursday in (5)Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues (l. to Colombian homegirl Castano 7-6 in the third) and (8)Melinda "Our Favorite Supplement" Czink (l. to Conchita "Not That Conchita" Martinez Granados 7-6 in the third). Others into the quarters were (1)Fabiola "The Fabulous One" Zuluaga (fed (Q)Bondarenko the double bagel), (3)Emilie Loit (d. (WC)Dominguez Lino in three), Slovak (6)Ludmilla Cervanova (d. (WC)Falcon 6-1 in the third), and another unfortunately-named Slovak in Lubomira Kurhajcova (d. Marrero in three). The Slovaks need to tone it down -- would you rather go through life with "Jane" or "Lubomira"?

On court today in the quarters are Martinez Granados vs. Loit, The Fabulous One vs. Castano in an all-Colombian, Popadic vs. Sanchez Lorenzo, and Lub Kurhajcova vs. Lud Cervanova.

ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW
Three seeds were ejected Thursday at Marseille, including (2)Guillermo Coria (l. to three-time champ (Q)Rosset), (6)Al Costa (l. to Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty 7-6 in the third), and (8)Marat Safin (l. to Bjorkman).

"I was really keen to meet him as it was the first time," said the semi-retired No. 122-ranked Rosset, currently the Swiss Davis Cup captain. "You don't meet Top 10 guys in Challengers these days. The fact that he was returning from playing on clay helped for sure but I took lots of risks on his serve and it paid off. I had been looking for moments like this for some time. It's hard at my age to keep the motivation, but I have great fun in the tournaments I enjoy. That's the case in France and especially in Marseille, a town in which I haven't lost many matches."

Other winners on the day were (4)Max "The Beast" Mirnyi (d. (WC)Saulnier), (5)Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez (d. Nieminen), (7)Arnaud Clement (d. O.Rochus in two tiebreaks), fast-rising Swede Robin Soderling (d. Carraz), and Spain's Al Martin (d. Sargsian).

Today's quarterfinal action is comprised of The Dominator vs. (4)The Beast (tied 1-1 in meetings), Soderling vs. (5)Gonzalez (first meeting), (7)Clement vs. A.Martin (Clement leads 2-1), and Bjorkman vs. (Q)Rosset (Swiss leads 2-0).

The Costa do Sauipe title is looking like former No. 1 and French Open champ Gustavo Kuerten's for the taking, with the No. 3 seed moving into the semifinals Thursday with a 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over hot-handed Argentine veteran Franco "The Squirrel" Squillari.

"The match started in a very weird way," said the skin-headed Guga. "I felt better in the middle of the second set with my game and started to play well again thanks to the crowd. Squillari played a fantastic match with an impressive game but I managed to overcome the situation and win the match. I will try everything tomorrow to play again a final here at home."

Joining Guga in the semis was one other seed in (4)Agustin Calleri (d. (8)Chela in three), and two un-seeds in Peru's Luis "Me So" Horna (d. Blanco), and Argentine Jose Acasuso (d. Behrend after losing the first set 6-0). Friday's semifinals will be (4)Calleri vs. Me So (Calleri leads the series 1-0, not including two challenger-level wins), and Acasuso vs. (3)Kuerten (Guga leads 1-0). "If I play against Guga it is going to be a very difficult match," Acasuso said. "He is a great player and playing at home. I hope I can beat him and take the revenge from the final in Buenos Aires a couple of years ago."

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
From ATP
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a special visit to the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy last Tuesday afternoon. President Clinton toured the model charter school, designed to foster innovation and excellence in education, and visited a sixth grade class when the students were discussing a Civil Rights project and conducted an informal question and answer session with the students in the auditorium. "Later in life, you'll be glad that you've worked hard," President Clinton told the students. "Education is vital to your success, and it will help you prepare for the future. Education gives you values and knowledge which, in turn, allows you to make good choices." When asked by a student what it was like to be President, he added: "It's hard work, and you try to make the right decisions for future generations. I enjoyed being the President of the United States, even on the tough days. The key is that you have to find a job that you truly love, that inspires you, and that will make all the difference." Designed to improve educational opportunities in Las Vegas, Agassi Prep currently welcomes socio-economically challenged youth in grades 3-7, with grades K-2 and 8-12 opening through 2008. Located at the corner of J-Street and West Lake Mead Boulevard in West Las Vegas, it is situated within a mile of the 25,000-square-foot Boys & Girls Club, built by the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation (AACF) in 1997. To date, the AACF has raised more than $36.1 million for local charities and causes that benefit at-risk children in Nevada.
 
UPCOMING EVENTS
Next week -- ATP Dubai/ATP Acapulco/ATP Scottdale
Next week -- WTA Doha/WTA Acapulco
Mar. 8 -- ATP Masters Series-Indian Wells (two weeks)
Mar. 8 -- WTA Indian Wells (two weeks)
Mar. 22 -- ATP Masters Series-Miami (two weeks)
Mar. 22 -- WTA Miami (two weeks)
Apr. 5 -- Davis Cup World Group QF
Apr. 5 -- WTA Amelia Island/WTA Casablanca

NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Venus Williams has won just four matches in three tournaments this year...The ATP has posted the results of their drug test program for 2003 on its website, with an ATP spokeswoman Thursday saying it was proof that the organization had "nothing to hide."...Will Serena Williams pull from the WTA Doha event next week? Did John McEnroe fly into horse-steroid-fueled rages? Are all Argentines on the juice? Does a Spaniard like clay? Discuss...Oh wait, late-breaking news -- Serena Williams has withdrawn from next week's Qatar Open because of illness, the WTA said on Thursday. "I am really disappointed that I won't be playing Doha...I have been battling the 'flu for several days and am not quite 100 percent well yet. The good news is that the knee is feeling great and I feel I am back in championship form. I'm anxious to resume playing and looking forward to getting back on court and seeing my fans." Seems like the knee has been feeling great for quite a while, yet no matches...Last week at the Andrezieux Challenger, Frenchman Gregory Carraz hit 50 aces during a three-tiebreak match...Justine Henin-Hardenne has won 12 matches in a row.