Capriati teaches Angelique tennis lesson
Capriati teaches Angelique tennis lesson
Agencies, Hong Kong
World number two Jennifer Capriati blasted past rising Indonesian
star Angelique Widjaja, to take her place in the semifinals of
the Hong Kong Ladies Challenge on Thursday.
Capriati, the French and Australian Open champion, proved far
too strong for the talented 17-year-old 2001 junior Wimbledon
champion, speeding to a 6-0, 6-1 win in just 34 minutes.
The American saved three break points in the opening game and
that was as good as it got for Angelique as Capriati blitzed the
young Indonesian with a devastating display of power tennis to
sweep through the opening set in just 15 minutes.
Capriati also had kind words for her young opponent, who
claimed her first WTA title in her first tournament in Bali last
season.
"Angelique is very talented. She's got a lot of potential. I
think I just played really well tonight. Hopefully it was a good
experience for her too."
Angelique said: "She's good and I think that she's very
consistent. It's very tough to play against her. It's OK to lose.
I played not bad today."
She added that there was a huge difference playing junior
tennis and the muscular Capriati, adding she could learn from the
American's "mental (strength), technique and tactics."
In Auckland, New Zealand, a tired but determined Anna
Kournikova came from a set and 4-1 down Thursday to beat Swiss
Emmanuelle Gagliardi and reach the semifinals of the ASB Bank
Classic women's tennis tournament.
Kournikova, ranked 74 in the world, overcame searing heat and
a lack of tough in recent matches to beat 69th-ranked and
unseeded Gagliardi 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. She will face Israel's Anna
Smashnova in Friday's semifinals.
There were moments, particularly on service, when Kournikova
seemed to be favoring her previously injured left foot, though
she covered the court with reasonable freedom.
Kournikova saw her world ranking plummet from eight last year
when she spent eight months off the circuit with a stress
fracture but said she was not troubled by the injury during the
game but had to dig deep to overcome her spirited Swiss opponent.
In Adelaide, Australia, Mark Philippoussis, who has lost 10
kilograms (22 pounds), appears to be missing none of his power
after beating fifth seed Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands at the
Australian hardcourt tennis championships.
Philippoussis breezed through the first set 6-0, then took the
second 6-3 in only slightly less dominant style, winning eight of
the last nine points to close out the match at Memorial Drive.
Ranked 106th after an enforced absence for knee surgery,
Philippoussis said he felt confident and well-prepared for the
rest of the Australian season after working with fitness coach
Brett Stephens to strengthen his legs and lose weight.
"I put in the work before I got here and that's the
difference, when you have worked hard and when you have put in
the hours, you know you're going to play well," he said.