US Open, DAY 8

Petrova knocks Henin-Hardenne out of No. 1 ranking
Lindsay scatters Venus; Agassi to meet Federer

By Ron Cioffi & Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

Art Seitz

Henin-Hardenne: No. 1 no more.

FROM THE US OPEN – In one of the most desultory performances for a defending champion in US Open history, a powerless Justine Henin-Hardenne was sent scurrying out of the US Open 6-3, 6-2 Monday by Russian Nadia Petrova, losing her No. 1 ranking in the process.

Henin-Hardenne’s loss open the ranking door wide open to second seed Amelie Mauresmo and fifth seed Lindsay Davenport, who broke Venus Williams’ forehand in half in a 7-5, 6-4 fourth round victory.

The Henin-Hardennen who outlasted Jennifer Capriati in a 2003 semifinal classic and bullied Kim Clijsters in the final was nowhere to be found, committing a slew of weak kneed unforced errors. For her part, the 14th seeded Petrova pulled off the biggest victory of her career, ridding herself of her choking demons by serving huge and taking over the net. Henin-Hardenne was slow to the ball, often couldn’t lift her famed one-handed backhand over the net and frequently dumped forehands into the cords. She committed a whopping 30 errors and couldn’t figure a way to unnerve the normally nervy Russian.

"I’m not at my best level," said Henin-Hardenne, who added that she has yet to fully recover from the virus that took her off the tour for most of the past six months. "Physically that’s for sure," I need t play more matches. During the whole tournament, I was feeling less energy. It took a lot of energy to come here from Greece after the Olympics. But you have to come back. I never was strong and powerful like I was in the past. But I’m sure it’s going to come back soon."

It was the earliest loss for a defending US Champ since ’95, when Arantxa Sanchez Vicario feel to Mary Joe Fernandez. It was the earliest exit for a number one since’ 73, when Billie Jean King retired due to heat against Julie Heldman. Without so much as a wave to the crowd that supported her last year, a depressed Henin-Hardenne raced off Ashe Stadium.

"It’s a little frustrating to finish a tournament like that," she said. "But I have to accept what happened and its going to take a few days to understand what happened."

For Petrova, who had an awful summer coming into the US Open, the victory was a revelation. At the Olympics, she had a talk with herself, addressing the inner critic that told her she needed to be perfect in every match.

"In the matches, I was very critical of myself," said Petrova. "I had to give myself a little time to take it easy. I had to keep doping things in practice and do it in the match and the success would come. …I’m learning to handle myself and to be a better player, what to do on the important points. It’s the next step in my career. Now I can stand up in front of any player and play free."

Davenport Punishs Slumping VEnus
Venus didn’t play freely at all in her loss to the consistent, directed Davenport. The owner of what was once the most feared serves in women’s tennis, she can’t seem to find consistency, authority or dominance that made her a four-time Slam winner. Her forehand was an absolute mess, as Davenport riddled it for 22 unforced errors.

Williams served only three aces and dumped in five double faults with a second serve that become a weakness opponents are more than willing to feast upon. "I think the thing that hurt me the most today would be a little bit of my consistency, Venus said. "My serve wasn’t where it normally is. My second serves were quite fast, normally in the 90s. But my first serve was not as normal as it should be.

Williams described her frustrating year in which she reached only one Slam quarterfinal at Roland Garros: "I’m really disappointed at all this year’s Grand Slams. But, I’ve learned that I’m in the position that I’m in is not necessarily my fault. I’ve learned that I can’t be hard on myself. I have to take my time and realize that it’s just a matter of time before I’m playing my best," she said,
The match was relatively predictable until the last, 24-point game in which Williams had her only break points – five to be exact – and Davenport needed a fifth match point to close out the victory. The stadium rocked at the prospect that Williams could inch her way to a third set, but Davenport bombed a service winner down the tee to close out the contest.

"I’m not necessarily going for winners but I’m going for a an aggressive shot and to make a play. I’m not very comfortable just like sitting back and hoping the next person will miss. Ultimately, that’s not how you win," Venus said.

Ron Cioffi/TR.net

Davenport takes out Venus.

Self-doubt, lack of confidence and injuries have cracked Venus’ championship aura. No one in the locker room is quivering with fear to face the elder Williams sister, who’s Slam record this year is 12-4, not a bad result for a No. 25 player, but hardly what is expected from one of the game’s megastars.
That’s not to take anything away from Davenport, the phoenix of the women’s game. She continued her torrid summer play by doing everything she needed to do.

Davenport used an aggressive and passive style on different points in the climatic game. "I came up with some good serves and good forehand winners to set it up. But then, wrongly so, I was then waiting for her to make the error. You probably shouldn’t play like that, but she was giving me so many errors, it’s hard to go for shots and miss them," she said.

Now Davenport holds a 13-12 lead in their rivalry and can go into her quarterfinal against Shinobu Asagoe knowing that if she win her second Open, she can tie her great rival with four Slam crowns. Asagoe upset No. 33 Eleni Daniilidou and reached her first Slam quarter with a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 victory.

An injured right groin contributed to the demise of Mary Pierce, who was soundly defeated by Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (5), 6-2. The ninth-seeded Russian dominated with her forehand and takes a big head of steam into her quarterfinal match-up with countrywoman Petrova.

It was a bizarre day on the men’s side but fans have to be thrilled with the outcome. Two-time champ Andre Agassi secured a showdown with top seed Roger Federer when he blasted Sargis Sargsian 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Federer received a walk over into the quarterfinals when Andrei Pavel pulled out with a herniated disc. Tim Henman won his third five setter when he took down Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (4), 3-0. Kiefer tore a tendon in his chronically hurt wrist and called it quits. Henman will play No. 22 Dominik Hrbaty, who came back from two sets down to plaster Belgian Olivier Rochus 2-6, 3-6, 6-3 6-4 6-0.