Lindsay Brimming with Confidence

Davenport sears Serena; to go for 2nd California triple
Williams: ‘It’s the second time I’ve tried to commit suicide out there’

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA

Davenport is on a 9-match win streak.

FROM THE JPMORGAN CHASE OPEN IN CARSON, CALIF. – Maybe she needed to kick herself in the shorts or maybe someone else did. Whatever the case, since falling miserably and hurt in the fourth round of Roland Garros to Elena Dementieva, a now healthy Lindsay Davenport has played the best tennis of anyone on tour over the past five weeks and is now a serious threat to win her second "California Triple" and go on to New York and win her second US Open crown.

In her 6-1, 6-3 devastation of top seed Serena Williams to win her fourth JPMorgan Chase Open title Sunday, Davenport played as consistent and heady of a match against an elite player than she has in four years. She was more powerful, accurate, smarter and actually moved better than the once fleet number one.

She came into the contest with a 2-9 record against Serena and immediately looked like it was she who had dominated the rivalry. She was in complete control of the first set and every time she was threatened in the second set, tightened her game into a sailor’s knot. And, just like she did against Venus last week at Stanford, she showed a lot more confidence on the monumental points.

"I’ve had a tough time playing the Williams than last four years," said Davenport, who only committed 12 unforced errors to 29 from Williams. "Going out and playing good tennis and being able to withstand two full weeks of tennis against good players is great. I’m building and want to keep the momentum going."

If Serena had managed to win any of her three break points in the match's final game, the contest could have turned around, but she doesn’t have complete strength in her legs yet, is vulnerable on her forehand side and isn’t returning with confidence. Predictably, she was sickened by her performance.
"I played like a nightmare," William said. "I tried to commit suicide out there. I pretty much killed myself. I had a awful, horrendous, terrible, miserable and horrible day."

On the first break point in the final game, Davenport forced Serena into a forehand error. On the second one, she cracked a 109-serve and then took a sitter and rifled a backhand down the line. But it was the third break point that mattered most and illustrated where they both are with their games, when in the longest rally of the match, Davenport hung with Serena in an exhausting rally and finally cut Serena’s legs out from under with a hard forehand. A tired Serena ended up doing a split on the baking court and committed a forehand error. The match was over two points later when she couldn’t lift a backhand over the net.

"I feel like the last 10 months I’ve been building a stronger base physically, can withstand the power and run down some balls," said Davenport, who is now traveling with a trainer, Todd Norman, and a physical therapist, Laura Eby said. "I have a lot of inner confidence now."

Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA

Serena is slipping, slipping.

SERENA TOO DEFENSIVE
Serena has won only one title since returning to the tour in March after eight and half months off due to a knee injury. Three weeks ago, she was body-slammed in the Wimbledon final by 17-year-old Maria Sharapova, who she could meet in the Carlsbad semis next week. On Sunday at Carson, Serena experienced déjà vu.

"It was the second time I’ve committed suicide this year," Williams said. "I've got to stop playing 1,000 feet behind the baseline and move up to the ball. I've got to get serious."

Davenport moved up to No. 4 in the rankings behind Amelie Mauresmo and the two disabled Belgians. The 28-year-old Laguna Beach resident loves her hardcourts and will attempt go for her second "California Triple" in Carlsbad. The last time she pulled off the feat in 1998, she went on to win the US Open title. She simply cannot be counted out of two-peating.

"I have one more to go before I match 1998. The most important thing for me is to stay healthy," said Davenport, who recently suffered a knee injury at the French Open and is know traveling with a physical trainer and physical therapist. "1998 was a fantastic run and I feel like I am in the same position I was then, but I still have five weeks to go before the US Open. I’ve learned that a lot can change in five weeks." Davenport leads the US Open series.

RODDick repeats
Back on his beloved Indy, hard courts, Andy Roddick is repeated as champion by crushing Nicolas Kiefer 6-2, 6-3.

The second-ranked American is the first man since 1991-92 winner Pete Sampras to repeat. Boris Becker is the only other multiple champion at Indianapolis. "I'm the low man on that totem pole," Roddick said. "It's pretty humbling." Guillermo Canas won Croatia. … Anabel Medina Garringues beat Flavia Pennetta 6-4 6-4 to win Palermo.