THE SCOOP: US Open, DAY 4

Olympic heroes fizzle at Open
Only 2 of 8 semifinalists left: Myskina, Massu, Fish, Dent go down

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Russian youngster Anna Chakvetadze took out Roland Garros champ Anastasia Myskina.

FROM THE US OPEN – The Olympics were a boon to tennis … until the US Open. Now it appears that that having the Olympics so close to the Open could be disaster for America's Grand Slam. As of Thursday, only two of the eight semifinalists in Athens are left in the competition – Justine Henin-Hardenne and Amelie Mauresmo – and both of them are struggling.

In the men's draw, it was good bye to Chilean glory and so long to the young US hopefuls. Fernando Gonzalez didn't even last until the second round and on Thursday, silver medallist Mardy Fish gagged a five-setter to Michael Tabara; gold medallist Nicolas Massu bravely went down in a five-hour, nine-minute riot to Sargis Sargsian and then semifinalist Taylor Dent lost a tight four-setter to Paul Henri Mathieu.

On the women's side, promising Australian and bronze medallist Alicia Molik went down in a heap of unforced errors to Daniela Hantuchova on Wednesday. But perhaps the worst of all was Roland Garros winner and Olympic semifinalist Anastasia Myskina's sorry 7-6, 6-3 loss to 17-year-old Russian Anna Chakvetadze on Thursday. Myskina, who had frightfully choked away a 5-1 lead in the third set against Henin-Hardenne in the Olympic semis, was a shadow of herself.

"When I was here the first days, I was still crying about the match against Justine," Myskina said. "So it's still in my mind. When I came here, I was still thinking about it. But if you are here, you have to think about the US Open. Maybe that was my mistake, still thinking about Athens."

She also left her physical tank dry in Athens. Maybe it was a matter of lack on inspiration, but one of the sport's sleekest mover looked like she has thrown her running shoes into the iron rails of the Unisphere before she can on court.

"I had nothing," Myskina said. "Completely nothing. I didn't want to fight. I didn't want to run. I didn't want to do anything. It's not an excuse and not a good thing."

FISH FIZZLES IN ANOTHER SLAM
Fish wouldn't blame his loss on an Olympic hangover and why should he, really? He was a huge favorite coming into the contest against the journeyman Tabara and never showed any of the confidence that he allegedly gained in Athens. All the improvement and spunk he showed during the Olympics was apparently left somewhere over the Atlantic because for the third this year at Slam and every year of his career, he came up short at a major.

Mardy Fish goes down ã literally ã in his four-set defeat by Michal Tabara.

Fred & Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne battles another illness: a cold.

"I haven't done too well at any of the Slams," said Fish. "I'm starting to really think about it. The only thing I'm missing is a big tournament. I felt this was my year to do well here. This is the sophomore year. I'm kind of taking my lumps."

Dent played far better in his 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 loss to Mathieu, but the result was the same - no young Americans save for Roddick and Agassi in the third round of the US Open. Additionally, only three of 17 American men remain. Dent wouldn't blame the Olympics either, saying he wished he could, but at least in Athens he was able to close out matches until the semifinals. Here, he was outplayed when it counted most.

So instead of Andy being able to party deep into the weekend with his peer group, only two other Americans remain: 34-year-old Andre Agassi and 30-year-old Vince Spadea. "I think we're coming along nicely," said an oblivious Dent of the young Americans. "Probably not as fast as everybody wants us to come along. We're all improving, not just at the rate that Andy did."

ANOTHER LONG MATCH FOR MASSU, BUT A LOSS
Massu didn't know what in the living hell out on Court 11 happened to him against Sargsian. He wouldn't blame an Olympic hangover either, but the loss of he and Gonzalez left the tournament without two very colorful Chileans. Massu said he played like crap all night long and lost control of temper, earning himself a game penalty on his serve in the fourth set. He was furious with the umpire for that, but angrier that at no time in the five-hour sweat feast, could he climb into the zone that made him Chile's only gold medallist.

"I played bad. I played five hours and waiting to play good and I didn't," he said. "I kept waiting to feel better and it didn't happen. I cannot believe in five hours that I couldn't feel the ball. What was happening to me?"

Maybe a post-Olympics jinx, and maybe not. Henin-Hardenne and Mauresmo are still in tournament, but barely. Mauresmo played terribly in a three-set win on Wednesday and on Thursday, Henin-Hardenne sniffled her way to a three-set victory over Tippy Obziler, who kept coaxing her into unforced errors.

Justine, who just came back to the tour at the Olympics after taking most of four months off due to a debilitating virus, is now suffering from a cold, which she's amazingly taking antibiotics for. When isn't she taking pills? Her body may not survive the fortnight and she sees that clearly.

"I see the players who have performed well at the Olympics are having problems at this tournament," Henin-Hardenne said. "I don't know if it's a coincidence or not. It's not easy coming from Athens. It's really tough conditions – a big tournament at the Olympics and then a week later you are at a Grand Slam. That's a lot of pressure."

But if anyone can survive a hangover it's Henin-Hardenne, who will down 12 pitchers of Bloody Mary's if you tell her that it will give her a fighting chance to return to US Open bar on the final Saturday.

"Justine's a tough girl," Myskina said. "It's going to be tough for her against any of the top players, but I think she's going to be okay."

As long as the jinx disappears.