Venus, Davenport Remain on Collision Course at StanfordPosted on July 17, 2004
In the final match of the evening, Williams, the 2000 and 2002 champion, outclassed No.5 seed Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi 6-0, 6-3, for her 17th win in 20 matches at Stanford. "Obviously, I played well but I think that a lot of it was that she wasn't ready," said Williams of her quarterfinal opponent. "On the hard courts, she doesn't really have time to play the game that she wants to." In the semifinals, Williams takes on fellow American and No.6 seed Amy Frazier. While Williams boasts a 4-0 record against the 31-year-old, their last match in this event was a nail-biter with Venus winning 7-6 in the third set. "It was definitely epic," recalled Williams. "I remember it being a tough match but a fun one." Frazier is aiming for her first finals appearance in this event, having played every edition of the Stanford event, starting in 1997, and every year of its predecessor in Oakland from 1990 to 1996. On Friday, Frazier upset No.3 seed Patty Schnyder 6-3, 7-6(4), and relished the opportunity to take on Venus again. "Venus is so tough to play," said Frazier. "She does everything so well; she hits deep, serves well. I try not to think about that too much and just try to play my game." In the bottom half of the draw, Davenport will take on No.8 seed Maria Vento-Kabchi. Davenport struggled to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, over American lucky loser Mashona Washington, who secured a direct entry spot in the US Open with her impressive quarterfinal run. "She really surprised me with the way she came out there, played really well and was very aggressive," said Davenport. "She didn't give me many errors except in the third set where I also picked up my game. I think she's more successful when she's more aggressive." Washington, the younger sister of former Wimbledon finalist Malivai Washington, was pleased with her efforts this week, which will see her break into the Top 100 for the first time at age 28. Davenport’s semifinal opponent, Vento-Kabchi is through to the semifinals here for the second year in a row. While she was seeded No.8 in this year's event, the 30-year-old Venezuelan was a 132nd-ranked qualifier this time last year, defeating Nadia Petrova and Jelena Dokic en route to her first-ever Tier II semifinal. On Friday, she upset No.4 seed Francsesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4, 6-1, and said she was looking forward to playing Davenport. ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW “Every match is important out there,” said Agassi afterward. “It was a high quality match. I got off to a great start, hitting the ball well. He really played well to get back in the set and win it. He should have won the second, and I ended up winning it. It was one of those matches were neither one of us could quite close it out. He ultimately got it done in the end. It’s disappointing. But I got three matches in here, plus a tough one. That’s a step forward.” Haas overcame a 5-1 first set deficit before clinching it in a tie-break, and the German twice served for the match in the second set at 5-4 and again at 6-5, only to see the American break straight back to force another tie-break. Haas then led 6-4 and double faulted on his first match point before The Boss put away a smash to save the second. The 34-yer-old Agassi eventually forced a third set with a backhand pass, much to the delight of the packed Stadium Court at the UCLA Tennis Center. But Haas kept his nerve and kept on his game in the third set, breaking in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead, and this time, the German served out the match to seal his place in his second semifinal of the year. “Being down 1-5, I was just trying to hold my serve there and trying to feel a bit more comfortable with my strokes going into the second set,” Haas said. “Before I knew it was five-all, and my confidence level got back up by playing some pretty strong tennis. From then on it was a good match.” Haas, who missed all of last year with a right shoulder injury, was pleased with his effort and the fact that he’s playing tennis again. “This is what it’s all about right there,” said Haas, who is seeking his second title of year following Houston. “Playing in front of 7,500 people, in a night match against Andre Agassi, what else can you ask for as a professional tennis player. Being away for so long, this was worth all the rehab right there. There were points where I didn’t know if I was going to come back, and there were times that I didn’t really feel like doing rehab anymore because I was sick and tired of it. There are other beautiful things in life as well, but my passion and my love is tennis. It proved it again tonight.” Added Agassi: “We’ve had some great matches. I was confident going out there. He stepped up his game in the third and I didn’t. Ultimately that made the difference. I haven’t had too many matches lately, and that probably cost me the first set and the third.” Haas will now face Frenchman Cyril Saulnier, who edged out third-seeded American Mardy Fish. Serving 5-4, Saulnier seemed to be trying to choke in the second set failing to covert his first match point after missing an easy forehand. Fish broke for 5-5 and regained his momentum working his way to eight set point opportunities. But Fish couldn’t convert and it was Saulnier closing the match out in another tiebreaker, 7-6(6), 7-6(7), and advance to his second consecutive ATP semifinal after Newport last week. “It’s frustrating, but this is the first tournament back on hardcourts after Wimbledon,” the Fish said. “Normally I get off to a slow start. I’m happy to get a few matches under my belt heading into some of the bigger tournaments, especially the Super 9 and the US Open, and the Olympics.” Also advancing was Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer, who ended Greg Rusedski’s seven-match winning streak with an impressive 6-1, 6-4 victory. Kiefer, a finalist earlier this year in Memphis and Scottsdale, broke the Briton’s formidable serve twice in the opening set and at 4-4 in the second before sealing victory in exactly an hour with his sixth ace of the match. In the semifinals, Kiefer will meet American wildcard Jeff Morrison. The “Battleship” Morrison advanced to his first ATP semifinal with a 6-3, 6-4, victory over South Africa’s Wesley Moodie “Blues”. With Fish and Agassi, the last two remaining seeds, ousted, the tournament has no seeds in the final four for the first time since 1973. In the doubles semifinals today its (WC) Lee/Phillips vs (2) Arthurs/Hanley and (1) Bryan/Bryan vs (3) Erlich/Ram. Over to the dirt circuit, in Stuttgart No. 11 seed David Ferrer saved three match points to overcome fellow Spaniard Rafter Nadal. The 18-year-old Nadal had Ferrer on the ropes in the third set, sercing 5-4, 40-, but the “The Prodigy” couldn’t close it. Ferrer then seized control winning the final four games to win in 2 hours, 26 minutes. French Champion Gaston Gaudio, who now gets Ferrer, had an easier time coasting 6-4, 6-3, over No. 5 seed Jiri Novak. Also. No. 15 seed Nikolay Davydenko advanced to his second semifinals of the season by recording a first career win over No.12 seed Albert Costa, 6-3, 6-4. The 23-year-old Russian, who won the title in Munich (d. Martin Verkerk) earlier this year, will face Guillermo Canas, who defeated Radek “There goes the tournament” Stepanek in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, to advance to his third Stuttgart semifinal in three tries. In the doubles semifinals, it’s Schuettler/Youzhny vs Aspelin/Perry; and, Arnold/Garcia vs Novak/Stepanek. In Amersfoort (it this event on TV anywhere in the U.S.?), the Dutch fans will be going crazy as both Martin “Berserk” Verkerk and Dennis Van Scheppingen face of all people, Chileans! Verkerk advanced after surviving the rain and three sets to beat Spaniard David Sanchez, 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-4, while Van Scheppingen trashed No. 7 seed Alberto Martin, 6-4, 6-2. In the semifinals, Verkerk gets defending champion Nicolas Massu, who remains a perfect 8-0 in Amersfoort following a 6-2, 6-3, triumph over Tomas Behrend. Van Scheppingen will meets Massu’s countryman Fernando Gonzalez who defeated rising Russian Igor Andreev. 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Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport remain on-track for a much-anticipated collision in the finals at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, California. The tournament's No.1 and No.2 seeds both won quarterfinal matches on Friday, Williams in a lot easier fashion than her fellow American and former world No.1.