Elena Dementieva continued her mastery over Amelie Mauresmo in the US Open, spoiling an opportunity for the French star to seize the number-one ranking and beating her for the second time this year in a Grand Slam.
”I was dying for every point out there,” said Dementieva. ”I am very happy. It was tough to win especially with an injury.”
Three-time Grand Slam winner Jennifer Capriati rallied to beat third-seeded countrywoman Serena Williams in their controversial quarterfinal match and Andy Roddick won his fourth consecutive straight-set match, cruising past Spain’s Tommy Robredo.
Serena’s older sister and two-time former Open champion Venus also lost this week, dropping her fourth-round match to Lindsay Davenport.
It is the earliest double exit to date for the Williams sisters at the US Open, which was once their personal playground.
Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt also advanced on Tuesday, easily beating Karol Beck 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, in a fourth-round encounter that extended his consecutive winning streak to 14 matches.
It was another heartbreaking loss for France’s Mauresmo, who was also eliminated from the French Open by Dementieva. The top three women’s seeds have now been eliminated.
With a win, Mauresmo would have taken over the world number-one ranking from top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne, who was knocked out on Monday by another rising young Russian star — Nadia Petrova.
The 22-year-old Dementieva, who is seeded sixth, advances to the semifinals where she will meet Capriati.
Dementieva hit 41 winners as she had to fight through a thigh injury and stomach problem in the two-hour-40-minute match.
She said she never considered throwing in the towel but she did receive medical treatment from the trainer in between service breaks.
Asked how she fought through the pain, Dementieva said: ”Because I’m Russian. I like all these struggles.”
Dementieva wore a black ribbon on her shirt to honour those killed in the Russian hostage massacre last week.
Mauresmo’s hopes for number one now rest on Davenport’s fate at Flushing Meadows. Davenport must win the tournament in order to take the number-one position, otherwise it will go to Mauresmo.
The 25-year-old Mauresmo, who hit three aces and nine double faults, is the highest-ranked player without a Grand Slam title.
”I feel I lost the match,” Mauresmo said. ”The disappointment is so big.”
Serena Williams was on the wrong end of the some questionable calls in a sloppily played three-set match with Capriati.
Williams argued often with chair umpire Mariana Alves as Capriati was able to take advantage on four questionable calls in the final set.
The most obvious took place with Williams serving in the first game of the third set when the ball landed in but was ultimately called out by Alves. Television replays showed it was clearly in.
Capriati went on to win the game, breaking Williams’s serve to begin the deciding set.
Williams broke back in the next game but Capriati took two of the final three games to clinch the victory.
”I am very upset and bitter right now,” Williams said. ”I feel angry, cheated and robbed.”
Williams then levelled her guns at Alves, of Portugal.
”I guess she went temporarily insane. I’m out of the tournament now. I guess that lady wanted me to be out of the tournament.”
Even Capriati admitted some of the calls were dubious, but she added a win is a win.
”I have had so many calls go against me,” Capriati said. ”I deserve to get a call once in awhile.”
Williams fired five aces but she couldn’t overcome 57 double faults.
Following the match, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced that Alves will not do any more umpiring in the tournament.
”A mistake was made and I have discussed the call with chair umpire Ms Alves,” said tournament referee Brian Earley. ”She is not scheduled to officiate another match during the 2004 US Open.”
The USTA said it is experimenting with instant replay this year with the idea of instituting it at a later date.
”The USTA continues to explore video-replay technology as a future aid to officials,” Earley said.
Fourth seed Hewitt now meets Germany’s Tommy Haas, who beat Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 7-6 (8/6), 6-1, 7-5 for a place in the last four.
Hewitt, the 2001 US Open champion, is on course to face defending champion Roddick in the semifinals.
Roddick fired 11 aces and slammed 36 winners en route to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 fourth-round win over Spain’s Robredo.
This was his seventh consecutive win over 18th-seeded Robredo as he has had a comfortable path to the Open quarterfinals, having faced two 18-year-olds and no one in the top 15.
”I could have won every match in five sets and still be in the same place I am now,” Roddick said. — Sapa-AFP