US Open: As Roddick dominates, Serena is going head-to-head with Capriati at US Open

US Open: Roddick dominates, Serena goes head-to-head with Capriati

It's official: US Open had never gone into the third round with only two American men, including the defending champion, Andy Roddick. As noted New York Times, he has made up for the lack of quantity with nearly flawless quality, perhaps mindful that much of the hope for excitement in this tournament rests largely on his and Andre Agassi's shoulders. Roddick's game has been so solid in his first three matches that yesterday he lost a game in a first set for the first time in this tournament. It was not an indicator of things to come.

So far, Roddick has been broken once in 36 service games with a total of three double-faults, going 9-0 in sets. Roddick pounded Guillermo Cañas of Argentina, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3, to advance to the fourth round.

"I had a game plan, I executed it. I took it to him," said Roddick, who will face No. 18 Tommy Robredo next. "I really don't have a magical explanation for it."

Last year, when Roddick had his Grand Slam breakthrough here at US Open, he lost 31 games in his first two matches. This year, he has lost 18 games through three matches, New York Times comments and concludes: with Agassi facing the prospect of a quarterfinal meeting with top-seeded Roger Federer, Roddick has an easier path to reach the latter rounds and bear the burden of American expectations by himself.

Australian Lleyton Hewitt truly was perfect for a set in his 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Feliciano Lopez: The 2001 Open champ won all 16 points on his serve in the first frame, London Free Press exclaimed.

At the same time, the US Open female title is now closely and even more intriguingly targeted by two tennis players - Jennifer Capriati and two-time champion Serena Williams, advanced to a quarterfinal matchup at the U.S. Capriati faces Williams ahead 10-6 in their head-to-head matches. Their previous major quarter-finals where they met head-to-head were remarkable: Capriati won at the French Open, Williams won at Wimbledon.

Combined, Wiliams sisters have played in 18 Grand Slam finals. They've spent more than four years ranked No.1.They've won both the US Open and Wimbledon four times and have amassed more than $25 million in total prize money, noted Chicago Tribune.

Yesterday Serena Williams, true to her black outfit, impressed tennis fans with 6-4, 6-2 fourth round victory over Patty Schnyder, of Switzerland. According to Seattletimes, she had little trouble in winning her fourth straight match at Flushing Meadows and took this one with her serving, finishing with 12 aces compared with one double fault.

Serena Williams, 22, who still suffers from pain due to left knee surgery she endured last August, was prohibited by doctors to participate in the US Open. But Serena went her way and met unprecedented crowd support, reported Iol.co.za.

"I wasn't supposed to come," commented Williams her last play. "Not one of doctors said it was okay. But it kind of went in one ear and out the other. I took my own advice."

Williams, 22, allegedly takes an anticipated chance to fulfil her dreams about US pen title. She was not able not defend her 2002 US Open title last year after having surgery to repair left knee quadriceps strain that kept her out until this March. Also Williams pulled out of the Athens Olympics at the last minute with lingering pain in her left knee.

This time she strongly believes in her current physical condition and is ready to face American compatriot Jennifer Capriati, who dispatched Japan's Ai Sugiyama on Saturday. The other players to win their fourth round matches are French second seed Amelie Mauresmo and Russian sixth seed Elena Dementieva.

But Capriati, the No. 8 seed, has the similar hopes concerning US tournament. According to Thejournalnews.com, she believes getting past Serena Williams in the quarterfinals could be the push she needs to make her Grand Slam dream come true.

"I believe that from now on, I don't believe what anybody says," Capriati said after her 7-5, 6-2 fourth-round victory over No. 12 seed Ai Sugiyama. "I just expect them to be 100 percent at their game. Because I really don't think anybody would be playing if they really didn't feel 100 percent. And that goes for me, too."

Capriati is also reported to be in excellent form managing to beat Sugiyama who was never heard from again for the rest of the match. The match between Williams and Capriati is avidly anticipated by aficionados, who already saw this year’s three plays with Capriati taking two of the matches.

In the quarterfinals at the French Open, Capriati ousted Williams in three sets. But in the quarters at Wimbledon, Williams showed hot 6-1, 6-1 victory over Capriati.

Capriati is considered to have a possible advantage in mixing up her game, possessing a little more diversity than the one-dimensional power play of Williams. "I want to stick to what my main game plan is, because when I start to do things different, that kind of messes things up," Capriati said. "From her, yeah, you pretty much expect the same thing. You just feel like either it's going to be a bulldozer effect or, you know, it's just going to be a lot of errors."

"We really know each other's game," Williams said. "She's been working really hard. I have, too. I had a little setback. She's been doing really well. So we both want to fight, you know, to hopefully get to the semis."

Serena Williams, who has got incredible support recently, may be a rival to Capriati, 28, the tennis veteran, who has never won the U.S. Open and does not have many years left to compete for a title. According to Oddsckecker.com, bookies list Williams at 5/2 and Capriati at 16/1 to grab their aspired title.

"I would think the fans will root more for Capriati because usually the fans aren't for me," Williams said. "But here it's been a really unbelievable reception. I've gotten so many fans here. It was really shocking to have all these people cheering for me."

Jennifer Capriati said: "I haven't won this yet. But I don't know; I'm sure it will be pretty equal" (with Serena Williams).