Potential All-American Dream or All-Russian Nightmare for USTA at US Open

Posted on September 10, 2004

The US Open will either get its dream all-American final, a nightmare all-Russian final, or something in between today when No. 5 Lindsay Davenport faces No. 9 Svetlana Kuznetsova, and No. 8 Jennifer Capriati takes on No. 6 Elena Dementieva.

Kuznetsova is trying to become the third different Russian to reach a slam singles final this year, and Dementieva prefers not to see another Russian on the other side of the net in the final.

"If I'm going to be in the final, I don't want to meet a Russian again," Dementieva said with a chuckle. "I like this American-Russian fight. Here's it's more interesting to play against American players."

The 19-year-old Kuznetsova is debuting in her first slam semi, and has not lost a set.

Capriati will try and shake off her choke from last year in the semis against Justine Henin-Hardenne.

"(Winning) is a pretty high priority right now," Capriati said. "It would be a dream come true."

Martina Navratilova's US Open run ended Thursday night with a mixed doubles semifinal loss to Alicia Molik and Todd Woodbridge in a third-set super-tiebreak, unique in the mixed draw.
"This might be my last US Open or it might not," Navratilova said. "I'm not definite, one way or another." Navratilova lost in the women's doubles with Lisa Raymond in the quarterfinals.

Doubles winners were No. 1 seeds Paola Suarez/Virginia Ruano Pascual (d. No. 6 Janette Husarova/Conchita Martinez in a quarterfinal match), and No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova/Elena Likhovtseva (d. No. 12 Barbara Schett/Patty Schnyder in the semis).