SLICING UP THE WOMEN'S QUARTERS

Daniela vs. Venus, Serena vs. Meghann
The Hingis update

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Siggi Bucher

A quick view of Tuesday's women's quarterfinals: Both No. 2 Venus Williams and No. 7 Daniela Hantuchova have a tremendous amount to win and lose in this contest. Venus hasn't found her Olympian level since the '01 U.S. Open and Hantuchova is near the top of the proverbial barb-wire fence of women's tennis, wondering whether she should put a pair of gloves on and inch her way over, or grab the spiked metal and leap to the ground. It's a tough call against Venus, who has at times shanked her way out of significant matches but has at other times dares her foes to play powerball with her and sledgehammers them into the cement. The way I see it, the woman who plays the most fearsome defense and swoops in the best second serves wins.

I hate to state the obvious, but sometimes the obvious obviously needs to be stated: a tough three-set loss for Fed Cup queen Dani won't satisfy her, and Venus will go into virtual hiding should she lose.

In another quarter between Justine Henin-Hardenne and Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual isn't that intriguing. A spry Justine has too many weapons for the gritty Spaniard, a member of the world's No. 1 ranked doubles duo who is playing with much more passion than her partner, the underachieving Argentine Paola Suarez is these days. But should Justine be feeling the effects for her three-hour-plus win over Lindsay Davenport in the fourth round, an upset is not out the question.

Let's give our props to Justine, who has lost more than a handful of three-set sweat fests in her career. To be able to win a match like that after you fell down serving with left leg cramps was simply spectacular and showed tremendous fortitude. Henin-Hardenne's leaping inside-out forehand return of serve winner on match point will go down as the gutsiest shot of the 2003 until someone beats it.

Thursday's women's' quarters will be just as enticing, because anyone who has seen Meghann Shaughnessy play a fair amount knows that Arizonan can threaten anyone when she's locked in. However, if Serena Williams serves well, Meghann will be left shaking her first at herself.

The tennis wonk contest of the quarters will be between Kim Clijsters and No. 8 Anastasia Myskina of Russia. Clijsters is the significant favorite in this match, which probably means Myskina will take her to three sets and lose. Myskina is gritty and very talented, but like most of the Russian women, hasn't yet shown the composure of an elite player.

The Hingis update

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

According to the Swiss paper Sonntags Blick, Martina Hingis is physically ready to train through an initial pain barrier and resume her career.

Zurich surgeon Heinz Buehlmann said that Hingis' ankle, which he operated on last May, was not healed but is workable. The doctor said Hingis is suffering with inflammation of her left foot.

"From a medical point of view a comeback would be no problem, but Martina would have to grit her teeth," Buehlmann said. "She would have to be prepared for some pain. I know Martina very well. I know from the past that she can come back. But whether she wants that, I do not know."

Hingis hasn't set a date for her comeback and recently told tennisreporters.net that if her situation doesn't improve, she could retire and added that merely reaching the quarters and semis of major tournaments wouldn't satisfy her.

"I don't think that would be good enough for me because I know I'm better than that," said Hingis, who won three Australian Open titles, one Wimbledon and one U.S. Open, but hasn't won a Grand Slam in three years. "The players are getting better and this year I was okay at a certain level, but not good enough for the top. When you are used to being at the top, that's tough."

The former No. 1 came back to the tour in August after spending three months off the tour rehabilitating her right ankle, but failed to win a title and in October, was crushed by Nadia Petrova in Moscow and Elena Dementieva in Filderstadt. She then decided that her comeback was premature because she couldn't stand losing to players she once could control like a puppeteer.

Now, the Swiss is unsure when and whether she wants to come back.

"I haven't set a timetable," said Hingis. "I'm not going to put my self under pressure right now. I'm taking it one step at a time. I've been trying to clear my head and doing things I like to do – running, biking and horseback riding. But I've been taking things slow and easy. I've been playing tennis with Mom and friends two or three times a week … but no hard practices. There's less stress and pressure. Since I first picked up a racket it was one-way direction. Now I actually enjoy not having a schedule."