Mauresmo closes in on No. 1 Amelie to play Serena, Myskina to face
Sharapova
By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net
Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA
Amelie Mauresmo aims for No.
1.
FROM THE WTA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LA –
Amelie Mauresmo has become the pillar
of French tennis. None of France's much hyped males have done much
in 2004 and there are a few promising young teenage girls who haven't
accomplished a whole heck of a lot either.
Mauresmo is the best player in her country and the leader of her
Fed Cup team. After she tripped up the red-hot Maria Sharapova 7-5,
6-4 on Saturday, she's darn close to the year-end No. 1 ranking.
Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport was often spectacular in her 3-6, 7-5,
6-1 win over Serena Williams, but it wasn't quite enough to get
her into the semis.
When third-ranked Anastasia Myskina plastered Elena Dementieva 6-3,
6-3, Davenport's fate was sealed. Davenport ended round robin play
with a 2-1 record, identical to Williams'. But Williams and Myskina
both edged Davenport in the round robin tiebreaker, winning five
sets to Davenport's four.
Mauresmo can now take over the year-end top ranking, but only if
she wins the tournament. That's a tall order, considering she'll
have to take down Serena, whom she's never beaten, on Sunday and
then defeat the winner of the Myskina-Sharapova contest. But, she's
been strong on all week long. Just ask the baby Russians, two of
them who are Slam champs. She clocked Vera Zvonareva, blew out Svetlana
Kuznetsova and then wore out Sharapova 7-5, 6-4.
"If she wins this tournament, she deserves it," said Davenport.
"You come in and win all three matches, that's a great accomplishment.
Amelie is the best player not to win a Grand Slam who is competing
now. I respect Amelie a lot because she makes no secret of what
troubles her. She'll say, 'Mentally, I broke down.' She's very honest
and open to what she needs to work on and how the pressure gets
to her. I think that's a healthy way of dealing with it and one
she can overcome. She has a lot of game."
Told of Davenport's comments, Mauresmo said she's an up-front
person who lays her career on the line for all to see.
"There's nothing to hide," she said. "When you see
someone not playing her best at a critical moment, you can see what's
happening. Everyone sees what's going on. I'm trying to deal with
things and I'm getting better and better at it."
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