In a match that never lived up to expectations, two-time defending champion Serena Williams crushed a listless Jennifer Capriati 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday to advance to the Wimbledon semifinals.
Williams and Capriati have built up one of the best rivalries in women’s tennis, but this centre-court match was completely one-sided.
With Capriati having trouble just keeping the ball in the court, Williams swept through the match in 45 minutes. The 13 000-capacity centre-court stadium was one-third empty and guests in the Royal Box barely had time to settle in their seats before it was all over.
The most animated point of the match was the last one — with Williams tumbling on a stretch forehand volley that Capriati couldn’t reach.
Williams, who will face either Amelie Mauresmo or Paula Suarez in the semis, said she was ”very surprised” at the ease of her victory.
”I was really focused coming out, I knew what I wanted to do,” she said. ”I had some goals. I know when I play Jen, I have to play really tough, she’s an amazing fighter. I can’t let up on her at all.”
Williams, who has lost only 17 games in five matches, is closing in on becoming the third woman in 35 years to win three straight titles.
”I’ve been thinking about that since the start of the tournament,” she said. ”I’m really excited.”
This was the first time in six Grand Slam meetings between Williams and Capriati that the match didn’t go three sets.
Williams has now beaten Capriati 10 times in 16 matches.
Capriati had won the last two, including a three-setter in the French Open quarterfinals a month ago. At Wimbledon, Capriati won in three sets in the 2001 quarterfinals and Williams prevailed in three in the 2003 quarters.
After Capriati held serve to open the match, Williams won eight straight games to go up 6-1, 2-0. In her only lapse, Williams served consecutive double-faults to drop serve. But she then won eight straight points to go up 4-1. Serving at 30-0 in the next game, Capriati made four straight unforced errors to make it 5-1.
Williams, down 15-40, saved two break points in the next game and won the last four points of the match.
The stat sheet made ugly reading for Capriati: she had 17 unforced errors and only five winners. Williams had 15 winners and 14 errors. — Sapa-AP