ONE WIN AWAY FROM FIRST TROPHY SINCE '02 AUSSIE OPEN

Capriati tries to break her slump

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

© Mark Lyons

FROM THE BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC IN STANFORD – Since she's a fixture in the second week of every Grand Slam, it's hard at first look to realize that Jennifer Capriati is descending down the charts. But the 26-year-old is mired in her deepest slump since she returned to the tour in 1998 after a long self-imposed exile.

The three-time Grand Slam champion hasn't won a title in 18 months and although she's ranked No. 7 and recently gave top-ranked Serena Williams her toughest battle at Wimbledon, she hasn't beaten a top-five player this season and has lost a remarkable 10 three-set matches in 2003.

On Saturday, the third seeded Capriati battled past qualifier Maria Vento-Kabchi, 6-4, 6-4 and reached her first $685,000 Bank of the West Classic final … and only her second final of the year. On Sunday, she'll face the winner of the semifinal between second-seed Kim Clijsters and Francesca Schiavone.

She needs a title very badly and very soon. Capriati talks a lot about how she still has the ability to retake the No. 1 ranking, but it's impossible to do so when top-ranked Serena, second-ranked Clijsters, third-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne, fourth-ranked Venus Williams and fifth-ranked Lindsay Davenport have all had her number this year.

"I have to not think this is the final and it's my big chance and put all that extra pressure on myself," said Capriati, whose won her last title at the '02 Australian Open. "I can't think that if I don't win this, I can't win anything else the rest of my career. I have to go out and play the tennis I've been playing."

At Stanford, that's been topflight stuff when she's been focused, but she hasn't had an easy contest in her three matches. She struggled to a three-set win over French teen Marion Bartoli; she needed to call upon all reserves to topple American Lisa Raymond in three; she didn't exactly light the stadium up in her win over Vento-Kabchi.

But when she's ripping her forehand, not over hitting her consistent two-handed backhand, occasionally charging the net and has rhythm, she looks like a world-beater. If only she could do that day after day.

FAMILY COACH SEES BIG CONFIDENCE BOOST
Her brother and co-coach Steven (she is also coached by her father, Stefano) said that winning the Bank of the West crown would give his sister an obvious boost of confidence.

"It would help," Steven Capriati said. "It would be good for her. It's been 18 months and going into the US Open, she really wants to win it, and it would be nice to win a tournament to get her feet wet again."

Capriati has faltered over the past year and a half because her elite foes have improved and she hasn't. She will never be the greatest oncourt thinker, but if she merely added two necessary elements to her game – a bigger, more consistent serve and a dependable net attack – she could be a consistent member of the winner's circle. She's still one of the game's cleanest ball strikers and most dogged competitors.

"I'm trying to mix in being aggressive and coming to net which I do when I'm ahead and it's important for me when things get tight and to keep up the aggressiveness, not have any setbacks and keep moving forward," she said. "I need to add new dimensions to my game."

Capriati is trying so hard to get back into the top five that's she hitting hundreds of serves in practice – so many now that for the first time in her career, she's being forced to ice her shoulder after matches. All the elite players know that she has an attackable second serve . They also now she has trouble closing out matches.

THE SERENA STUFF
"Serena's a great player and steps it up when she has to," Steven said. "Kim is hitting her stride now. You're going to lose some and win some. Granted Jen would like to win a couple of tournaments and we're working on it but it's not getting her down. She keeps fighting and knows she's right there. She can't get nervous. When you lose a few in a row, mental fear kicks in, but I don't think it does too much with her. These other player elevate their games, especially Serena, that's why she's won five out of the last six Slams."

Should Capriati play Clijsters, who has won four titles this year and beat her the last time they played in a terrific three-setter in the Berlin semis, she can't afford to have any lapses. She beat Clijsters in their first three matches, but Clijsters is no longer the same wet behind the Belgian who she outlasted in the '01 Roland Garros final.

"She's playing great and has improved her game tremendously," Capriati said. "It's almost going to be like I'm the underdog."

"That's not a winning attitude. Capriati has to believe she can own the lines when going gets tough and feel like she's ready to win a title.

"Yeah I do," she said. "Each tournament I'm getting closer and closer."

Now it's just a matter of crossing the finish line.