Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova clash for a dream Olympic women’s gold medal match.

“Last year I didn’t have many chances to win,” Kvitova said. “Serena played so well. I was young and didn’t think I could beat her. I don’t know what was different, because today I felt I could win.”

Schiavone beat France’s own Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-3, mixing up her game to confound the two-hander who committed 18 unforced errors to 11 winners.

Notes: Four-time champ Fernando Gonzalez is missing with injury; draw looks like the Argentine Open, with seeds Nalbandian (vs. Barlocq) and Monaco (vs. M.Gonzalez) facing tricky all-ARG openers with practice partner countrymen; Bellucci beat Monaci in last year’s final; in addition to Gonzo winning the event four times, other notable past winners are French Open champ Gustavo Kuerten (2000) and French runners-up Guillermo Coria (2001) and Alberto Berasategui (1994).

“I am wanting to celebrate this win now and not talk about the past,” said Zvonareva, who last year exited the Open in a sobbing, racquet-smashing fit.

“All the things he would have had to cover up, just logistically — how did he manage to do it? He must constantly be changing phones to cover up his tracks.” From one playa to another — big ups! Whoot Whoot! “I experienced basically the same thing,” Becker said, “and can sympathize with him.”

“I think the special part [is] winning for the first time as a dad. It’s a great thing. Gets me going emotionally a little bit, because I know it’s been a wonderful summer,” Federer said. “I really had the feeling today I could mix it up the way I wanted to. That then gives me a lot of confidence. I was playing great from the beginning to the end.”

Cilic will take on Blake in the first reverse singles on Sunday, and Karlovic is scheduled to face Fish in the final singles, the U.S. needing to sweep the day to advance to the semifinals against either Argentina or the Czech Republic.

Blake is 1-4 on clay in live-rubber Davis Cup singles matches during his career.

“It’s always interesting with them around, I’ll tell you that,” McEnroe said, to laughter from the press corp. “Where they are, hilarity ensues most times, in a good way. I get a kick out of watching them practice. Even when they’re on the practice court, they start fighting with each other, I just think it’s hilarious. They always add a certain dynamic to the matches. On top of that, they’re the No. 1 team in the world. That’s always something that you want to have on your side.”