Seles, Capriati Spa-ing Again

By LISA DILLMAN

Aug. 3, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

CARLSBAD — They were the two youngest finalists in a title match since the start of the open era.

Jennifer Capriati, then 15, defeated Monica Seles, 17, in a third-set tiebreaker here in 1991. It was her first victory against Seles in a sanctioned tournament and Capriati could have driven off the La Costa Resort & Spa grounds in her new convertible.

But, of course, she couldn’t. Capriati did not have a driver’s license yet.

Ten years and one automobile sponsor later, Capriati and Seles are playing here again. So much has happened to the players since that August day in 1991, it could fill a book or two.

Seles was stabbed by a deranged fan in 1993, and Capriati went through a heavily chronicled period of teen rebellion and left the game at one point.

“We’re just different players, nowadays,” Capriati said. “We’re the same players, but obviously, older, stronger, and wiser. Just completely different.”

Capriati has lost only once since mid-May, going out in the Wimbledon semifinals to Justine Henin. She has two Grand Slam titles this year and is closing in on the No. 1 ranking, winning 14 of her last 15 matches.

On Thursday, Capriati was powerful from the baseline and moved adeptly, defeating Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia, 6-4, 6-2, in the round of 16 at the Acura Classic in 48 minutes. Dokic, who has trained with Capriati in Florida, said this was the best she had seen her play.

In today’s quarterfinals, the third-seeded Capriati will play No. 7 Seles, who defeated Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-4, 6-1, winning nine of the final 10 games.

In other matches, No. 1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland defeated qualifier Alexandra Stevenson, 6-1, 6-3; No. 4 Lindsay Davenport beat Barbara Schett of Austria, 6-1, 7-5; No. 6 Nathalie Tauziat of France defeated Maggie Maleeva of Bulgaria, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; No. 12 Sandrine Testud defeated No. 8 Elena Dementieva, 6-2, 6-4; and Ai Sugiyama of Japan advanced when Nicole Pratt retired because of an injured right ankle.

Hingis ended Stevenson’s five-match winning streak and said afterward that she thought the qualifier wasn’t using her body enough to get the necessary power behind her ground strokes.

“Is she a coach now?” said Stevenson, smiling.

Coach might be a good job after Hingis’ playing days. She knows more about the construction of a point than most coaches. For now, she’ll stick to trying to hang on to her No. 1 ranking.

Of course, Hingis knows exactly what her lead is over No. 2 Capriati--1,100 points.

Said Capriati: “Before I started the year, I was far away from being No. 2. So anything can happen. We’ll see what happens. Anything is possible. I really feel like I am moving forward.”

Her old and current rival, Seles, was a big part of the Capriati comeback in 2001. Seles led Capriati, 7-5, 4-2, in the Australian Open quarterfinals before Capriati rallied.

“That was the start, there. Beating her was a breakthrough for me, in that tournament. I just gained a lot of confidence after that match,” Capriati said. “I almost lost that match. It was so close. I gained a lot of confidence to play the next one against Lindsay.

“I thought, ‘Well, if I can beat Monica like that, I have a chance against Lindsay.’ ”

The results have kept Capriati pushing forward. Though Dokic led 3-1 in the first set under the hot sun, Capriati was hardly discouraged. The 18-year-old Dokic was the one who wilted under the baseline firepower. Capriati tracked down all but one of Dokic’s drop shots for winners.

“It makes me more determined, all the grinding and hard work,” Capriati said. “Just getting to this point makes me enjoy it more. I just want to keep going on and see how far I can get.”

In the evening match, second-seeded Venus Williams eliminated 18-year-old Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-3.

Williams had only one moment of trouble in the 56-minute match, losing her serve to start the second set, falling behind, 2-0, and giving Bedanova a break point in the third game. But Bedanova tried a difficult drop shot that landed in the net and Williams eventually held with a 104-mph ace.

“I think she’s young and a little inexperienced and maybe she got a little nervous,” Williams said.

A special fund-raising event Thursday night at the Acura Classic raised $232,000 for Andrea Jaeger’s Silver Lining Ranch Foundation. This was the fifth annual event and Thursday’s total more than doubled the previous best.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Featured Matches

11 A.M.

* Jennifer Capriati vs. Monica Seles

* Sandrine Testud vs. Lindsay Davenport

* Nathalie Tauziat vs. Venus Williams

7 P.M.

* Martina Hingis vs. Ai Sugiyama