Capriati defeats Schiavone at Berlin Open

Into the next round
By Etienne Stekelenburg
May 7 2003

Jennifer Capriati is through to the next round by defeating Francesca Schiavone at the $1.2 million Mastercard Berlin Open. The American Capriati won in two sets 6-4 6-4 and will face Nathalie Dechy of France in the third round. Dechy defeated Maja Matevsic from Slovenia with an easy 6-4 6-2.

Jennifer Capriati seems to be working on her form to get another shot at the Roland Garros Championships starting on May 26. Francesca Schiavone however never intended the match to be a practise match for Jennifer Capriati and she had good chances in upsetting Capriati. But as many other players have experienced before her Jennifer Capriati has an almost unbeatable willpower when she is in the right mood.

Everytime Schiavone dropped a game she managed to get back and break Capriati’s game. But when it really matters Jennifer Capriati has that extra to fight back and win the first set 6-4.

Jennifer Capriati was leading the second set 4-1 but after Schiavone returned from a toilet break the Italian fought her self back into the match. Capriati thought Schiavone was giving up when she left the court to take her break. Heinz Gunthardt asked her if she is ok with the rule that you can leave for a toilet break. “If you have to go, you have to go” Capriati said and she just hopes that people don’t abuse the rule, stay sportsmanlike and don’t play games with the rule.

After Schiavone’s break Capriati had lost her rhythm and the Italian could come back to 4-4. After the comeback Schiavone produced too many unforced errors and got Capriati into her fighting game again to finish the match after winning her own serve and breaking Schiavone’s serve for 6-4 6-4.

In her inteview with Heinz Gunthardt Capriati said that she had some trouble with adjusting to the red clay that is different from the American green clay courts. Capriati also works with a fitness coach to prepare herself for the second Grand Slam of the season and she told she had enough of the ‘crap’ about her physical condition and fitness.

“It was a good start,” said Capriati, “I rallied well, I was patient on the long points and aggressive at the right moments.” "I'm a fighter," she said, "Others give up but I don't. I just dig deeper."

Other results from Berlin.

Second round results from the $1.2 million German Open WTA tournament on Wednesday:

8 seeded Jelena Dokic (Yugoslavia) beat Marlene Weingaertner (Germany) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) beat Denisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) 5-7 6-4 6-4

Vera Zvonareva (Russia) defeats 9 seeded Anastasia Myskina (Russia) 6-1 6-2

Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian (Switzerland) beat Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain) 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 6-1

16 seeded Anna Pistolesi (Israel) beat Anca Barna (Germany) 6-3 6-2

17 seeded Nathalie Dechy (France) beat Maja Matevzic (Slovenia) 6-4 6-2