Lisa Raymond defeats Jelena Dokic at Amelia Island

Courtesy B. Mitchell
By Etienne Stekelenburg
April 18 2003

12th seed Lisa Raymond beats 5th seed Jelena Dokic in three sets 6-3 6-7 (4) 6-2 to move on to the quarterfinals at the Bausch & Lomb championships at Amelia Island Fla. With 14 aces hitting two in the last game Raymond caused the biggest upset of the tournament so far.

‘Clay isn't one of my favorite surfaces, to beat Jelena on it, just by working and grinding it out, is pretty big for me.’ Raymond is looking for a better career high ranking, she said she rededicater herself this year to acomplish her goal to go beyond #15 on the ranking, reached in 1997.

‘For me, it's not about my game,’ Raymond said. ‘It's upstairs and my fitness. I'm fitter than I've ever been, and I'm happy with a lot of things off the court. I think it transfers onto the court, too.’

Lisa Raymond will be up against Jennifer Capriati who defeated 15th-seeded Paola Suarez in three sets 2-6 6-2 7-5. Third seed Capriati had to fight off 0-3 in the thrid set to make sure she was not the next big upset of the day.

‘There's not too many times I'm going to throw in the towel and give in,’ Capriati said. ‘That's always been part of my game, part of me.’

Early in the match Jennifer Capriati was troubled by Suarez, who was trying to outsmart Capriati with mixed paced returns and floaters.

‘She definitely came in with a game plan,’ Capriati said. ‘I just had to pick up the pace and starting hitting out after it got to 3-0.’

Capriati lost two matchpoints 5-3 and 5-4 and the third set alone took 53 minutes in 80-degree weather.

Other results at the $585,000 Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island:

2nd seed Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) beat Marlene Weingartner (Germany)6-1 6-1

6th seed Monica Seles (U.S.) beat 11th seed Nathalie Dechy (France) 6-1 6-2

4th seed Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat 16th seed Alexandra Stevenson (U.S.) 6-4 3-6 6-2

10th seed Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat 8th seed Amanda Coetzer (South Africa) 7-6 (7-2) 6-3

7th seed Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat 9th seed Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) 6-2 4-6 6-2