Mary Pierce took a moment to absorb what was happening on centre court, because she knew that one day it would make a beautiful memory.
The crowd was chanting ”Ma-ry”. She was beating top-ranked Lindsay Davenport in the French Open quarterfinals. And all the while, she felt some magic was on her side.
When she won — in a mere one hour and 21 minutes — she could barely believe it.
”I’m really shocked,” a beaming Pierce said. ”I beat the number one in two sets.”
Pierce’s 6-3, 6-2 win over Davenport on Tuesday ushered her into her first grand-slam semifinal since winning Roland Garros in 2000.
Getting back to this stage at the French Open hasn’t been easy for Pierce, who struggled for years to regain her form after a series of injuries. She wanted to savour it.
”I took a moment out there on court,” said Pierce, who was raised in Florida but claims French citizenship. She glanced at the scoreboard and the speedometer registering her service speed. She allowed herself to revel in a distraction.
”I just said, ‘This is going to make for good memories later on in my life.’ So I just really wanted to appreciate that moment,” she said.
Justine Henin-Hardenne thought much the same thing in her 6-4, 6-2 quarterfinal win over number two Maria Sharapova.
It was the 22nd consecutive win on clay for Henin-Hardenne, the 2003 champion and 10th seed. And it was further proof of the Belgian’s comeback from illness and injury.
”My game is probably better than it has ever been,” said Henin-Hardenne, who returned in March from a seven-month layoff because of a blood virus and knee injury. The absence has given her a new perspective on tennis.
”I feel very lucky I can play, and each shot I hit, it’s just such a great pleasure,” Henin-Hardenne said. ”I enjoy every single moment, each point.”
Henin-Hardenne faces seventh-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia in the semifinals on Thursday. Petrova advanced by beating 17-year-old Serb Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-2.
Pierce will play another Russian, Elena Likhovtseva, who advanced to a grand-slam semifinal for the first time in her 12-year career by beating 15-year-old Sesil Karatantcheva 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Likhovtseva, seeded 16th, has never been beyond the third round before in 10 previous appearances at Roland Garros.
”I’m ready for a challenge. I’m ready for a fight,” said Pierce, who showed a lot of fight in her win over Davenport.
Pierce raced to a 4-0 lead, ripping winners that even caught her by surprise.
”They were just going in,” Pierce said. ”I even shanked a ball and it just went deep for a winner. I was like, ‘Wow, OK, this is my day. Take advantage of this.”’
She overcame shaky moments, aided by a sluggish and error-prone Davenport. The American hit a mere 15 winners with 23 unforced errors and six double faults.
For Davenport, the last American in the tournament, it was another year of coming up short at the only major event she has yet to win.
”I never got into the rhythm of ever controlling a point,” said Davenport, who at times didn’t bother to chase Pierce’s winners into the corners.
”They weren’t inside the line and they weren’t even close to being out; they were right on the white part,” Davenport said. ”She hit a tonne of white lines.”
Pierce herself said she didn’t expect to get this far.
”I’m still in,” Pierce said, smiling. ”You just never know.” — Sapa-AP