Davenport Crushes Karatantcheva at Indian Wells
Posted on March 13, 2005The hype was world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport against precocious and talented Bulgarian teen Sesil Karatantcheva, who last year at Indian Wells said she was going to kick Maria Sharapova's butt before losing to the Russian in three set.
This year Karatantcheva took a low-key approach, saying she had matured since last year's event and refused to lay down any predictions in facing the world No. 1.
Perhaps she should have retained some of that fire.
Instead of the confidence-filled Bulgarian facing the No. 1, replacing her was an intimidated 15-year-old with stage fright, and it turned into just another routine win for the top-seeded American who rolled 6-3, 6-2.
"I was just a little bit nervous," Karatantcheva said. "In fact, I got more nervous once I led at 2-1 (in the first set). It was like, 'Holy crap, I'm leading. What the hell is wrong here?' It was a shock for me. I really never had this experience before. So, I really didn't know what to do with the lead."
For Davenport it wasn't the first time this year on babysitting duty.
"Gosh, that's twice this year I've had to play 15-year-olds that are pretty good actually," Davenport said. "Gosh, 15 is awfully young."
Youngsters actually delivering the goods Saturday at Indian Wells were a threesome of 16-year-olds in American wildcard Jessica Kirkland (d. (22) Bartoli 0-and-1), Ukraine wildcard Viktoriya Kutuzova (d. (15) Pennetta in three), and Czech Nicole Vaidisova (d. (11) Karolina Sprem 6-1 in the third).
30-year-old American Jill Craybas also logged an upset with a straight-set win over (30) Elena Likhovtseva.
Other seeded winners on the day were (3) Maria Sharapova (d. (WC) Haynes), (6) Nadia Petrova (d. (Q) Ant. Serra Zanetti 0-and-1), (7) Nathalie Dechy (d. French countrywoman Loit in three), (13) Daniela Hantuchova (d. Anne Kremer in three), (17) Amy "Joltin' Joe" Frazier (d. (WC) Daja Bedanova in three), (19) Fabiola Zuluaga (d. Sanchez Lorenzo), (20) Mary Pierce (d. Cervanova from a set down), (25) Dinara Safina (d. Lee-Waters), (27) Meghann Shaughnessy (d. American contrywoman (Q) Uberoi), (29) Sam Stosur (d. Cho), and (31) Lisa Raymond (d. (LL) A.Bondarenko in three).
"The first match is never easy. You don't know what to expect," Sharapova said after cruising by the American qualifier Haynes. "I don't play against too many girls ranked ahead of me because I am No. 3 in the world, so they have nothing to lose."
Sunday's schedule in IW is (30) Linetskaya vs. (2) Mauresmo, Clijsters vs. Chakvetadze, Beltrame vs. (4) Dementieva, (5) Kuznetsova vs. (32) Vento-Kabchi, (23) Martinez vs. (WC) Jamea Jackson, (14) Tatiana Golovin vs. (Q) Diaz-Oliva, (Q) Kirilenko vs. (28) Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, and (24) Benesova vs. (Q) Fujiwara (JPN).
This year Karatantcheva took a low-key approach, saying she had matured since last year's event and refused to lay down any predictions in facing the world No. 1.
Perhaps she should have retained some of that fire.
Instead of the confidence-filled Bulgarian facing the No. 1, replacing her was an intimidated 15-year-old with stage fright, and it turned into just another routine win for the top-seeded American who rolled 6-3, 6-2.
"I was just a little bit nervous," Karatantcheva said. "In fact, I got more nervous once I led at 2-1 (in the first set). It was like, 'Holy crap, I'm leading. What the hell is wrong here?' It was a shock for me. I really never had this experience before. So, I really didn't know what to do with the lead."
For Davenport it wasn't the first time this year on babysitting duty.
"Gosh, that's twice this year I've had to play 15-year-olds that are pretty good actually," Davenport said. "Gosh, 15 is awfully young."
Youngsters actually delivering the goods Saturday at Indian Wells were a threesome of 16-year-olds in American wildcard Jessica Kirkland (d. (22) Bartoli 0-and-1), Ukraine wildcard Viktoriya Kutuzova (d. (15) Pennetta in three), and Czech Nicole Vaidisova (d. (11) Karolina Sprem 6-1 in the third).
30-year-old American Jill Craybas also logged an upset with a straight-set win over (30) Elena Likhovtseva.
Other seeded winners on the day were (3) Maria Sharapova (d. (WC) Haynes), (6) Nadia Petrova (d. (Q) Ant. Serra Zanetti 0-and-1), (7) Nathalie Dechy (d. French countrywoman Loit in three), (13) Daniela Hantuchova (d. Anne Kremer in three), (17) Amy "Joltin' Joe" Frazier (d. (WC) Daja Bedanova in three), (19) Fabiola Zuluaga (d. Sanchez Lorenzo), (20) Mary Pierce (d. Cervanova from a set down), (25) Dinara Safina (d. Lee-Waters), (27) Meghann Shaughnessy (d. American contrywoman (Q) Uberoi), (29) Sam Stosur (d. Cho), and (31) Lisa Raymond (d. (LL) A.Bondarenko in three).
"The first match is never easy. You don't know what to expect," Sharapova said after cruising by the American qualifier Haynes. "I don't play against too many girls ranked ahead of me because I am No. 3 in the world, so they have nothing to lose."
Sunday's schedule in IW is (30) Linetskaya vs. (2) Mauresmo, Clijsters vs. Chakvetadze, Beltrame vs. (4) Dementieva, (5) Kuznetsova vs. (32) Vento-Kabchi, (23) Martinez vs. (WC) Jamea Jackson, (14) Tatiana Golovin vs. (Q) Diaz-Oliva, (Q) Kirilenko vs. (28) Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, and (24) Benesova vs. (Q) Fujiwara (JPN).