Davenport Beats Back Mauresmo at Amelia Island for Second Title

Posted on April 13, 2004

Lindsay Davenport won her second title of the year Sunday at the WTA stop in Amelia Island, beating Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 6-4 in a battle of former champions on the green dirt.

"I came out with the game plan of trying to be aggressive and dictating the points and not getting into a lot of long rallies," Davenport said. "And I thought I did that fairly well. Whenever I got a short ball, I would hit it deep and try to keep her on the run."

It was Davenport's second Amelia Island tournament after a 1997 win, while Mauresmo claimed the championship in 2001. It was also the 40th career title for Davenport, the 10th player in the Open Era to win 40 or more titles.

Davenport improved her 2004 win-loss record to 20-2, while Mauresmo fell to 11-1.

"Overall, this was a very good comeback for me," said Mauresmo, who returned to the tour after recovering from a back injury. "I'm just a little bit disappointed but this kind of week is good. I just want to keep improving my game and working hard and trying to come back to the level where I was before the injury."

In the doubles final, the Russian/American tandem of Nadia Petrova/Meghann Shaughnessy outlasted the Swiss/Australian duo of Myriam Casanova/Alicia Molik 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 for their second consecutive title after Miami.

Top seed Emilie Loit of France won her first career WTA Tour title Sunday in Casablanca, easily defeating No. 4 seed Ludmila Cervanova 6-2, 6-2. The 24-year-old had reached the semifinals six times during her career but had never reached a final until her first appearance at Casablanca.

Cervanova was also playing in her first career WTA Tour singles final. In the Saturday doubles final, the top-seeded team of Frenchwomen Marion Bartoli/Emilie Loit beat the Belgium/Slovak combo of Els Callens/Katarina Srebotnik 6-4, 6-2 for their first title as a team.

DAVIS CUP WORLD GROUP QUARTERFINALS

U.S. d. Sweden 4-1
Andy Roddick clinched the tie for the U.S. in the first singles match Sunday, taming Swede Jonas Bjorkman 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-0. On match point A-Rod created a new world record when he popped a serve at 152 miles per hour. "I felt great out there in the third set. I wasn't even thinking," Roddick said. "It was just kind of like my instincts took over. It just felt amazing. That's as clean as I've felt on the tennis court in a long time...maybe ever. It's only a handful of times where you feel like whatever shot you're trying is working." In the dead-rubber singles, Mardy Fish defeated Thomas Johansson 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Belarus d. Argentina 5-0
Belarus added insult to injury on Sunday, with Max "The Beast" Mirnyi beating doubles specialist (way for Argentina to show their disdain for the Sunday dead rubbers) Lucas Arnold 6-1, 6-2, and Vladimir Voltchkov edging rising Argentine Juan Monaco 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Advancing to its first-ever Davis Cup semifinals, Belarus will face the U.S. in the semis. "Beating Germany last year gave the team a lot of confidence," Mirnyi said. "Despite that, when I saw the draw...Russia and then Argentina, I just hoped that we wouldn't lose 5-0. Happily, that never happened and now we are hoping to create another surprise."

France d. Switzerland 3-2
As expected, Switzerland had no chance after dropping the critical Saturday doubles. Roger Federer gave the Swiss a brief hope Sunday after cruising past Arnaud Clement 6-2, 7-5, 6-4, but Swiss Michel Kratochvil, who has been injured for much of 2004, failed to produce the heroics in a 7-6(3), 6-4, 7-6(6) loss to a scary-looking shaved-headed Nicolas Escude. Now France faces the arduous task of playing away at Spain in the semifinals.

Spain d. Netherlands 4-1
The Dutch made a run of it Sunday, with John Van Lottum and Martin Verkerk rallying to win the rain-delayed doubles over the Spanish pair of Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal/Tommy Robredo 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Dutchman Martin Verkerk then ran up a two-sets-to-one lead over reigning French Open champ Juan Carlos Ferrero before eventually succumbing 6-4, 6-7(5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 to give Spain the deciding point. With the win the Spaniards earn home ground against France in the semifinals.

WTA PREVIEWS
Eight of the Top 10 players take to the dirt in Charleston this week, including five current or former No. 1s in Justine Henin-Hardenne, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, and Jennifer Capriati. Other seeds among the Top 8 include Amelia Island runner-up Amelie Mauresmo, and Russians Elena Dementieva and Nadia Petrova. First round match-ups of interest are (15)Nathalie Dechy vs. Croatian riser Karolina Sprem, and wildcard Martina Navratilova vs. Amy "Joltin' Joe" Frazier. Per usual, the real fireworks won't begin until the quarterfinals, with potential match-ups including (1)H-H vs. Capriati, (4)Venus vs. (5)Davenport, (3)Mauresmo vs. (6)Dementieva, and (2)Serena vs. (8)Petrova. Other wildcards in the draw went to Swiss Marie-Gayanay Mikaelian, Alexandra "Dr. A" Stevenson, and Kelly McCain. In last year's final, (2)H-H ousted (1)Serena 6-3, 6-4. On the dirt Monday are Sprem vs. Dechy, Raymond vs. Randriantefy, Martinez vs. Sun, Weingartner vs. Schnyder, Medina Garrigues vs. Black, Reeves vs. Granville, Sanchez Lorenzo vs. Ruano Pascual, Perebiynis vs. Kostanic, Beltrame vs. Zheng, Mikaelian vs. Zuluaga, Tanasugarn vs. Ashley, and Parra vs. McCain.

No Top 30 players in sight this week in Estoril, where Russian Elena Bovina leads a motley crew of seeds including Alicia Molik, Emilie Loit, Denisa "Hanging" Chladkova. Barbara "As If I Gave a" Schett, Iveta Benesova, Katarina Srebotnik, and Marion Bartoli. Wildcard Iva Majoli faces (1)Bovina in the opening round. In last year's final, (2)Magui "Don't Call Me Maggie" Serna beat German qualifier Julia Schruff. On court Monday are Kleinova vs. Cohen-Aloro, Garbin vs. Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, Pennetta vs. Svensson, and Sucha vs. Ondraskova.

ATP PREVIEWS
Fresh off his Davis Cup triumph, Andy Roddick leads a host of young American on the red dirt this week at Houston. Joining A-Rod among the top seeds are Davis Cup compatriot Mardy Fish, Taylor Dent, James Blake, Andrei Pavel, Robby Ginepri, Luis "Me So" Horna and Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer. First round match-ups of note are (6)Ginepri vs. former No. 2-ranked Tommy Haas, and (2)Fish vs. fellow American Alex Bogomolov, Jr. In last year's final, (1)Andre Agassi outlasted (2)Roddick in three sets. Former champs in the field this year are Roddick (2002-01) and Thomas Enqvist (1995). The top half of the draw is a lay-up for Roddick, with Blake, Ginepri, Fish, Haas, and Pavel in the bottom half. On court today on the dirt are (WC)Odesnik vs. (4)Blake in an all-American, Vassallo Arguello vs. (WC)T.Martin, (3)Dent vs. Franco "The Squirrel" Squillari, (WC)Vahaly vs. (7)Luis "Me So" Horna, and Alexander "My Serve Has" Popp vs. Behrend in an all-German match-up.

An odd mix of veterans and "B"-level dirtballers fight it out this week in Estoril, the tournament which each year unofficially marks the beginning of the claycourt season. Rainer Schuettler continues his horrendous season (2-7 win-loss) as the top seed, joined by Nicolas Massu, Agustin Calleri, Tommy Robredo, Juan Ignacio Chela, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi, Gaston Gaudio, and former No. 1 Marat Safin. Opening round matches of interest are (5)Chela vs. (WC)Guillermo Canas in an all-Argentine battle, (8)Safin vs. the crafty Frenchman Cyril Saulnier, Goran Ivanisevic vs. Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal (a BAD draw for the shoulder-plagued Goran), and (2)Massu vs. French teen Richard Gasquet. In last year's final, Nikolay Davydenko straight-setted Agustin Calleri in the all-unseeded headline killer. Davydenko is the only defending champ in the field this year, with all the Spaniards in Valencia this week. On court Monday in Estoril are Stepanek vs. Davydenko, Dupuis vs. Ascione in an all-French match-up, and Boutter vs. Olivier "All We Need is Just a Little" Patience in another all-French.

The Spaniards are out en force this week in Valencia, with seven taking up eight of the seeded spots. Juan Carlos Ferrero, back from a month off with the smallpox, heads the field with Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, Ivan "A-Rod Fan Club President" Ljubicic, "Brother" Al Costa, David Sanchez, Al Martin, David Ferrer, and Ruben Hidelgo Ramirez. Tough first round match-ups are (7)Ferrer vs. Giovanni "Little Bro" Lapentti, (4)Costa vs. "Julio &" Galo Blanco in an all-Spanish match-up, and (5)Sanchez vs. Corretja in another all-Spanish. On court Monday in Valencia will be Verdasco vs. Portas in an all-Spanish match-up, (3)Ljubicic vs. (WC)Garcia-Lopez, (5)D.Sanchez vs. Corretja in an all-Spanish, and (WC)Burniol vs. Vacek.

ATP HOUSTON/U.S. CLAYCOURTS MULTIPLE CHAMPIONS (Open Era)
The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships were previously held in Indianapolis (1969-87), Charleston, South Carolina (1988-89), Kiawah Island, South Carolina (1990), Charlotte (1991-93), Birmingham, Alabama (1994), Pinehurst, North Carolina (1995-96) and Orlando, Florida (1997-2000). Four Americans or U.S. teams have won the U.S. Claycourts more than once:

4--Jimmy Connors, USA (1979-78,'76,'74)
3--Manuel Orantes, ESP (1977,'75,'73)
2--Andre Agassi, USA (2003,'88)
2--Jose Luis Clerc, ARG (1981-80)
2--Kevin Curren/Steve Denton, RSA/USA (1981-80)
2--Ken Flach/Robert Seguso, USA (1985-84)
2--Zeljko Franulovic, CRO (1971,'69)
2--Andres Gomez, ECU (1986,'84)
2--Andy Roddick, USA (2002-01)

FREE TENNIS-X E-NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to the FREE Tennis-X daily e-newsletter, click on the logo on the top right of the page at www.tennis-x.com.

NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Over half the players in the draw at the ATP stop in Valencia this week are Spanish...Valencia is the return for Juan Carlos Ferrero, who missed the Masters Series stops in Indian Wells and Miami with the smallpox...Could the ATP Houston website be weaker? How about putting up the past champions?...Hey WTA Tour, here's a unique concept: have your tournament preview notes available for the media BEFORE Monday, hence the term "preview." On the night before the event begins, "Please check back soon!" on your website doesn't cut it...Top seed Rainer Schuettler is 0-2 career in Estoril, and 2-7 in 2004...ATP CEO Mark Miles was featured in the premiere episode of "Tennis Insiders" on The Tennis Channel. Miles joined all-time great Rod Laver, Indian Wells Tournament Director Charlie Pasarell, and journalist Matt Cronin on a panel discussing the current and future direction of men's tennis. Among the issues the panel discussed were the state of the game, the length of the season, Davis Cup and other team events and anti-doping...Marcelo Rios lost in the second round of the San Luis Potosi Challenger last week...Swedish Davis Cup captain Mats Wilander, damning Andy Roddick with faint praise: "He's improved his backhand a lot. He's improved everything. Not that he's gone backwards, by any means, but after the US Open, I really thought he was going to get up there and, not dominate, but be the guy to beat. To me, what it looks like Andy is doing, which is what impresses me, is that he's decided he's not losing any more matches to anyone that's not good enough to beat him. That's the first big step in a tennis player's career to figure out a way where you don't lose to guys you shouldn't lose to. (But) he has to make sure that he doesn't stay with that style the whole time, 'cause then he's never going to beat the best player in the world, which is (Roger) Federer."...The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships is one of the oldest tournaments held in the United States, trailing only the US Open for top honor. Held since 1910, the tournament was played in several different locations, including River Forest, Ill. from 1935 to 1954. Indianapolis, Ind. was home to the championships for 22 straight years from 1969 through 1987. Prior to the tournament's relocation to its current home in Houston, the tournament made stops in Charleston, S.C., Kiawah Island, S.C., Charlotte, Birmingham, Ala., Pinehurst, N.C. and was played at Disney's Wide World of Sports Tennis Complex in Orlando, Fla. from 1997 to 2000.