FEVER PITCH FOR AMERICAN

Jennifer is the talk of Wimbledon … and world

By Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

Capriati fever is everywhere these days now that the 25-year-old American has won the first two legs of the coveted Grand Slam – the Australian Open in January and the French Open earlier this month.

Instead of looking ahead to how Capriati might fare at Wimbledon – taking the trophy would put her in position to seal the Grand Slam at the U.S. Open in September – how about a few memories from the past.

Chris Evert remembers Capriati from back when she was six-years-old and the tennis prodigy had a coach who was very close to Evert's heart.

"It's pretty amazing for me to think about how long I have known Jennifer Capriati and that she's now 25-years-old," said Evert, during the recent French Open. "I first remember Jennifer when my dad (Jimmy Evert) was coaching her at Holiday Park – that's where I learned to play, too – and she was with him from when she was six through until 10."

Evert on occasion practiced with the 10-year-old Capriati and can recall being impressed with the maturity of the young Capriati's game – she went for her shots, she went for the lines and she knew how to dictate points.

Since Capriati was always billed as the "new" Chris Evert when she joined the tour, it is somewhat interesting to note that 1990 was an important year for both of these stars. It was the year that Capriati first played professionally and also the year that Evert retired, moving on to her new life that would eventually include becoming a soccer mom to three sons to soccer and being the driving force behind the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton, Fl.

Evert is encouraged to see the old Capriati from youthful days within the new self-assured adult Capriati.

"You knew back then it was fun for her and I always thought she'd come back to tennis after she took that break," Evert said. "And what's great is that you can see now that she is having fun again playing tennis."

Another person who bonded with Capriati early on was the WTA Tour's Jim Fuhse, who first encountered the teen when she played the Lipton Championships in Miami, the second tournament of her career. The week before the Lipton Championships, Capriati had her professional unveiling at the Virginia Slims of Florida where she went all the way to the final before losing to Gabriela Sabatini.

"She was like a big, fun kid," Fuhse remembers vividly. "She was so outgoing, enjoying going anywhere and finding everything fun. I remember thinking she was the purest tennis talent I had ever seen."

Almost immediately, Fuhse became a valued friend to the entire Capriati clan, most especially to Jennifer herself, who leaned on him for guidance in this totally new world she had joined.

One thing that Capriati took a fancy to about Fuhse was the watch he sported and even at 14, she cleverly devised a way to make it her very own.

"I wore an MTV award show watch, one with the spaceman on the face and the big M and Jennifer just loved it," Fuhse recalls. "I made a deal with her that when she won her first tournament I'd give her the watch. When I went on court to get her after she won the tournament in Puerto Rico (October 1990), she saw me and said, �Give me the watch.' I told her I would give it to her later but she insisted, "Give it to me now' and she put it right on.

"Back then, she was always enthusiastic about everything and I'm glad to see that Jennifer is back."