Capriati made to battle past Loit

By Chris Davies
August 31 2003

Jennifer Capriati many people's favourite for this Grand Slam was forced to fight against left-hander Emilie Loit for a place in the fourth round

The American powered her way through the first set 6-2 and admitted that she lost her focus in the second set as Loit who nearly beat Serena Williams in the first round of the Australian Open started to use all her court craft and superb shots.

"I lost my focus in the second set and she started playing a lot better," Capriati said.
"I was just more patient in the third set and I handled her slice a little better. She's tough to play. She doesn't give you any pace at all to play off."

Loit gained the second set 6-2 with the American raising her game in the final set racing to a 5-1 lead and sealing victory, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

Elena Dementieva will now face Capriati on Monday for a quarter-final spot. The Russian who has not hit the consistency button in her game yet struggled against former top 20 Amy Frazier winning in two tie-breaks. Dementieva the 11th seed could be in with a shout of upseting the former Grand Slam champion if on top form.

French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne cruised past Japan's Saori Obata 6-1, 6-2.

The second seed from Belgium will play Russia's Dinara Safina, the younger sister of 2000 US Open men's champion Marat Safin, for a place in the quarter-finals after winning in just 56 minutes.

Mary Pierce continued her good run at Flushing Meadows with a straight sets win over Japan's Shinobu Asagoe.

Pierce was made to work hard in the opening set but she was much too strong in the second, triumphing 6-4, 6-1 and will next face seventh seed Anastasia Myskina of Russia as she unconvincingly ousted Spaniard Maria Sanchez-Lorenzo 2-6, 6-4, 6-3. Mary Pierce will certainly believe that she has a chance to advance into the quarter-finals and keep her good form going against Myskina.

Japan's Ai Sugiyama advanced to the fourth round of the tournament for the first time in her career by rallying to defeat Australia's Nicole Pratt 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.


Third Round Results

Mary Pierce (Fra) bt Shinobu Asagoe (Jpn) 6-4, 6-1

(11) Elena Dementieva (Rus) bt Amy Frazier (USA) 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-3)

(6) Jennifer Capriati (USA) bt Emilie Loit (Fra) 6-2, 2-6, 6-2

(7) Anastasia Myskina (Rus) bt Maria Antonia Sanchez-Lorenzo (Spa) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3

(29) Francesca Schiavone (Ita) bt Tina Pisnik (Slo) 7-5, 7-6 (11-9)

(15) Ai Sugiyama (Jpn) bt Nicole Pratt (Aus) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3

Dinara Safina (Rus) bt Claudine Schaul (Lux) 6-4, 7-5

(2) Justine Henin-Hardenne (Bel) bt Saori Obata (Jpn) 6-1, 6-2