THE SCOOP: TUESDAY, AUGUST 21

Can Mauresmo step up in New York?

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

No player in the past five years – save for Croatian party girl Iva Majoli – has showed more promise and then fizzled faster than France's Amelie Mauresmo, who clubbed her way to the 1999 Australian Open final before being repelled by Martina Hingis.

Yet for all her talent and incredible physique, Mauresmo has been a sorry spectacle at the Slams since that time, partially due to injuries and partly due to her poor mental game on big occasions. Her loss to Jana Kandarr in the first round of '01 Roland Garros this year was one of the most painful
matches to watch this year, as the French country girl was so nervous that she couldn't keep a ball in the court. She came into the tournament the tour's hottest players on clay and left it as its coldest.

Now the No. 7 ranked Mauresmo has another chance to pick up her career in New
York, but there aren't too many reasons why her fans she could too excited,
She was whacked 6-3 6-3, last week in Toronto by Anke Huber, who somehow
outmoved the sandy haired jock.

Mauresmo claims that she is more mature now. "I'm a different person now,
more calm," she said. However, we have yet to see evidence of that in her
mental game, as she is still far too impatient with her groundies and mix up
her serve nearly enough.

The 21-year-old is a sweet person with eye-catching game who has the weapons
to match up with anyone, so it would be a delight for fans to see her trade
blows with a Williams sisters sometimes in the second week of New York. Given
that there's no pressure from the fans back in hypercritical Paris, there's
few reasons why Mauresmo shouldn't put on a good show at the Open. Save for
her lack of self-belief.

SERENA CLOSES THE DOOR
You have to love Serena Williams' effort in Toronto, as Little Sis' hung in
there and overcame her choking demons. Serena was in a pickle against Monica
Seles in the semis, who she had blown six match points against in Manhattan Beach. In Toronto, she had five match points in the second set of her semi against Seles, but couldn't convert. But she came back in the third set and stomped the veteran.

In the final, she overcame her nemesis, Jennifer Capriati, 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-3,
and didn't display any of the histrionics that he did at Wimbledon and
maintained her cool when it counted most. That's darn good news going into
the Open.

"She didn't slow down at all or act if she was sick," Capriati
said. "She was constantly the same player out there … . But it's one thing for
her to win here and another a Grand Slam. That's a whole different ball game,
a different level. There's more pressure."

Serena knows that more than anyone. "It's a good win for me but if I have to
play Jennifer at the Open, this match will be behind us. This will be a match
of the past."

Last year, Serena came into the Open just as hot and fizzled in the quarters
against Davenport. This year, the muscular all-courter said she needs to step
it up.

"I'm only playing at about 50 percent right now," said '99 U.S. Open champ
Serena. "All my strokes could be better. But that's what's always great
about me, that I can improve. … I really want to win the Open. I'm going home
to work hard and do everything just right so I don't have to struggle in New
York."

The No. 10-ranked Serena was not only happy to get over on Jennifer, but
added that she was especially happy to participate in 'Venus Aid 2001.' "I
needed the win because I'm trying to help Venus with her ranking," Serena
said of her No. 4-ranked big sister, who has her eyes on Martin Hingis' No. 1
spot, as does No. 2 Capriati. "I talked to her and I haven't been helping her
and she's been helping me. I kind of did it for her."

But what will Serena do for V should they meet at the Open? "That's what
people want to see and they'll have to wait," she said.