Serena, Henin-Hardenne Advancing Toward Showdown at Amelia Island

Posted on April 10, 2004

For those wishing to see Serena tested by her toughest opponent on her weakest surface, Thursday was a good day as both the younger Williams sister and world No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne advanced closer to a Sunday meeting on the dirt at Amelia Island.

Serena was briefly tested in a 6-1, 7-5 win over Croatian riser Karolina Sprem, while Henin-Hardenne had to fight back from a set down against No. 16 seed and former champion Conchita Martinez, eventually coming out on top 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Seven-and-a-half seeds advanced into the quarterfinals in eight matches Thursday, with other winners including (3)Amelie Mauresmo looking like her back problems are (literally) behind her (d. Strycova), Russians (7)Nadia Petrova (d. Mandula) and (8)Vera Zvonareva (d. (12)Schnyder), (9)Paola Suarez with the upset (d. (6)Sugiyama), and (10)Silvia Farina Elia (d. Kostanic). Play was suspended due to rain with (4)Lindsay Davenport leading Aussie Alicia Molik 6-4, 5-5.

Friday's quarterfinals will be (3)Mauresmo vs. (10)Farina Elia, (1)Henin-Hardenne vs. (8)Zvonareva, (4)Davenport vs. Molik (to finish Davenport leading 6-4, 5-5), (9)Suarez vs. (4)Davenport or Molik, and (7)Petrova vs. (2)Serena.

Some gripping action at the WTA stop in Casablanca Thursday -- if you're from Slovakia, or in the sun on stadium court, baked on mood-altering substances. Two Slovaks advanced into the quarterfinals in (4)Ludmila Cervanova (d. Birnerova) and (7)Lubomira Kurhajcova (d. Flavia "Of Yesterday" Pennetta) -- more "ovas" than you can shake a widebody at.

Also into the quarters were unseeded defending champ Rita "Ain't It" Grande (d. (WC)Mouhtassine), and Polish qualifier Marta Domachowska (d. Leon Garcia, who retired after the first set with a right hip injury).

On court Friday in the quarters are Loit vs. Marrero, Camerin vs. Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, Grande vs. Kurhajcova, and Domachowska vs. Cervanova.

DAVIS CUP WORLD GROUP QF MATCH-UPS

Sweden at U.S.
Friday: Mardy Fish (USA) vs. Jonas Bjorkman (SWE), Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Thomas Enqvist (SWE)
Saturday: Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) vs. Bjorkman/Thomas Johansson (SWE)
Sunday: Roddick (USA) vs. Bjorkman (SWE), Fish (USA) vs. Enqvist (SWE)

Argentina at Belarus
Friday: Vladimir Voltchkov (BLR) vs. Agustin Calleri (ARG), Max Mirnyi (BLR) vs. Guillermo Canas (ARG)
Saturday: Mirnyi/Voltchkov (BLR) vs. Lucas Arnold/Calleri (ARG)
Sunday: Mirnyi (BLR) vs. Calleri (ARG), Voltchkov (BLR) vs. Canas (ARG)

France at Switzerland
Friday: Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Nicolas Escude (FRA), Ivo Heuberger (SUI) vs. Arnaud Clement (FRA)
Saturday: Federer/Yves Allergro (SUI) vs. Escude/Michael Llodra (FRA)
Sunday: Federer (SUI) vs. Clement (FRA), Heuberger (SUI) vs. Escude (FRA)

Netherlands at Spain
Friday: Carlos Moya (ESP) vs. Martin Verkerk (NED), Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs. Raemon Sluiter (NED)
Saturday: Rafael Nadal/Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. John van Lottum/Verkerk (NED)
Sunday: Ferrero (ESP) vs. Verkerk (NED), Moya (ESP) vs. Sluiter (NED)

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NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
The Swiss will go with Ivo "I Used to Date Hingis" Heuberger in the No. 2 singles spot this weekend against France instead of Michel Kratochvil, who has played sparingly this year due to injury...The Dutch threw a curve at the Spaniards in the Davis Cup match this weekend on the red dirt in Mallorca, subbing "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter in the No. 2 singles spot instead of Sjeng Schalken...Britain's new Davis Cup captain Jeremy "Master" Bates is pumped to be on board, even with the Brits sloughing away in zonal competition: "It's a terrific honor and privilege to be Davis Cup captain. I've been involved with the team for 10 years as a player and three years as a coach. To be captain is the ultimate -- it's a challenge and an honor that you can never say no to. There's only one real team competition in men's professional tennis and that's the Davis Cup. It has brought top players to their knees and lower ranked players the matches of their lives." Well said. Bates was 27-24 during his playing days in representing Britain in Davis Cup...As expected, but still surprisingly, Slovakia left three-time 2004 titlist Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty out of the Davis Cup singles line-up after the South Africans rolled out a soft grasscourt for their tie. The Slovaks will go with "The Karols," Karol "Baby Cat" Kucera and Karol "Not the Artist Known as" Beck in the singles, and probably The Dominator in doubles...Greg Rusedski was left out of the singles mix for Britain's zonal match-up against Luxembourg this weekend, but will partner Tim Henman in the doubles. Henman and Arvind "Let's Forget About Ecuador" Parmar will take the court in singles. Rusedski had questioned his own fitness level in singles prior to the line-up announcement...Swedish D-Cup captain Mats Wilander brought the smack once the Davis Cup draw was made with the U.S.: "If anything, I would say in my eyes Mardy Fish would be the guy who is the most green out there out of the singles players. I think it's possibly a little disadvantage to go out first and play the first match if you haven't played too many Davis Cup matches." Nice jab Mats...Arvind Parmar has the chance to earn Davis Cup redemption against Luxembourg tomorrow for his heinous loss in 2000, the last time he took to the court in a live rubber for Britain. In that match, perhaps Britain's all-time worst Davis Cup moment, Parmar led 17-year-old Ecuadorian Giovanni Lapentti two sets to love (on grass) before crumbling to hand Ecuador the tie...Andre Agassi says that the current crop of young Americans can be such best buds because Andy Roddick is good, and the rest suck: "I came along in a generation where me, (Michael) Chang, (Jim) Courier, Pete (Sampras), we're fighting for No. 1 in the world. I think that got in the way of us having the fellowship that we really could have shared -- the enjoyment we could have shared."...Mardy Fish says Andy Roddick is just one of the boys, despite the big titles and former No. 1 ranking: "He throws everything away. You know you throw all of his tournament wins and US Open titles out and he's just your friend and your teammate for that week. He's awesome. It's no different for him or James (Blake) or Taylor (Dent) or anyone else. He hits better than anyone else, and it's all a team. It's the same for the Bryan brothers."...Bob and Mike Bryan are 2-0 career for the U.S. Davis Cup team, and have yet to drop a set...The latest issue of Tennis Magazine in the U.S. says that the Stuttgart Masters-Series event was moved to the U.S.? Doh! Stone...Mardy Fish has a 1-2 career Davis Cup singles record, kind of odd him getting the start this weekend over Robby Ginepri, who is 2-0 after his February debut this year. Used to be you win, you're in...We're two days from Serena vs. Henin-Hardenne at Amelia Island.