Fourth Time a Charm as Mauresmo Outlasts Capriati to Win RomePosted on May 16, 2004  In a Sunday classic, No. 2 seed Amelie Mauresmo overcame a set deficit and saved a match point to outlast Jennifer Capriati 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(6) and finally capture the Telecom Italia title in Rome, Italy. Mauresmo had finished runner-up in Rome on three prior occasions."It was fourth time lucky," said Mauresmo after the 2-hour, 30-minute thriller. "It was a very difficult match. I had the sense that the match changed at the beginning of the second set when I came out more aggressively, but it could have gone either way."
After splitting the first two sets, the outcome hung in the balance as Mauresmo saved a Capriati match point in the 10th game of the third set to force the deciding tiebreak. After squandering a match point at 6-5 in the breaker, Mauresmo earned the title after a Capriati backhand went long.
With her title last week in Berlin, Mauresmo has now won nine consecutive matches making the Frenchwomen one of the favorites to win in Paris. And with it will surely come the added pressure for success at Roland Garros.
"Obviously, it has done a great deal for my confidence and I couldn't ask for more going into a Grand Slam," added Mauresmo who collected $189,000 for the win. "This is my second success in a row. Next week I'm going to continue to train and hope everything goes well at Roland Garros." Capriati was appearing in her first WTA final of the year after upsetting top seed Serena Williams in the semifinals on Saturday.
"I had my chances, but I have to say that Amelie deserved it," said Capriati, who was appearing in her first Rome final. "We both gave it all we got." |
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