Our first two women's semifinalists are now determined,
as Martina Hingis and Kim Clijsters lock up spots in the final four
and we wave a fond farewell to our engaging tournament Cinderella, wild card Elena Bovina.
Meanwhile, there was plently of hot and heavy action in the men's draw as the first round was completed.
Kim Clijsters (14) def. Elena Bovina (WC), 6-2 6-2
Quarterfinal
Stadium 2
Previous head-to-head: First meeting
Elena Bovina has been the surprise of the tournament. There was a lot of buzz around the grounds about this very tall (6'2"), 17-year-old Muscovite: fans were impressed with her powerful baseline game and impressive serve. She used these weapons to get past four opponents, including world #6 Conchita Martinez and 36th-ranked Nathalie Dechy, astonishingly reaching the quarterfinals as a wild card.
Today Bovina met her match: she was comprehensively beaten by 14th-seeded Kim Clijsters, 6-2, 6-2, in 66 minutes. Clijsters, out of Belgium, is also just 17, but she is already ranked in the top 20 and has convinced many observers that she has the talent to challenge the sport's elite very soon. Kim will get a chance to see if she is ready for prime time on Thursday, as she will challenge Martina Hingis in the semifinals.
This was probably the wrong match on which to attempt to judge Bovina's potential. The Russian was surely a bit overwhelmed by the occasion, and was probably weary after her exertions in a long three-set triumph over Dechy yesterday. Despite some impressive winners at times, she was unable to consistently match the crisp and efficient Clijsters in extended rallies. The well-spoken Bovina explained the difference between the two players as well as anyone could: "For this moment, she's just better than me
. I just have to work on some things? Like, I think she's stronger than me physically. And she's always hitting the ball earlier than I did."
The blonde Bovina has been charming the press corps all week with her easy-going candour as well as her unabashed exuberance at these first big-time tournament successes. "For me, you know, it's the first time. I look with both my eyes. I listen with my ears. I'm trying, you know, to get everything. Maybe in a few years I'll be like, 'Okay, please don't bother me'", Bovina said, waving her hands in a mock-haughty fashion. "But now?"
As for Clijsters, well, this interview business has gotten to be old hat, and her answers were delivered in a deadpan, matter-of-fact tone. She was impressed with Bovina's power, but knew she had the edge in experience and consistency over the inexperienced Russian. "She has her ups and downs throughout a match," commented Kim. "I just kept focused and tried to keep the pressure on, and it worked."
Clijsters now measures her skills in the semis against Martina Hingis, who only conceded one game in demolishing Silvia Farina Elia in the evening match. "In Sydney I played Hingis this year," recalled the Belgian, "It was close, I mean, two sets, 6-4, 6-4, but I had some chances. Martina is a very talented player. I really admire her and everything she does. She's probably the best player on tour at the moment. But yeah, I've got nothing to lose against her. I'm just going to go out there and enjoy i
t." In turn, Hingis has a lot of respect for the talented young Belgian, whom she sees as top ten material and "very talented". Despite her 3-0 career winning record against Clijsters, she is not taking anything for granted given Kim's rapid improvement. "She's a fast learner," noted Hingis.
The last two quarterfinals will be played tomorrow afternoon, featuring the Williams sisters against tough opposition. Serena will challenge defending champion Lindsay Davenport, while Venus will play Elena Dementieva, who, like Kim Clijsters, is on a rapid career ascent.
Thomas Enqvist (9) def. Marc Rosset, 7-6 (7-0), 2-6, 6-4
1st round
Stadium
Previous head-to-head: Enqvist leads 5-4
Like defending Indian Wells champion Alex Corretja yesterday, who needed a third-set tie-break to subdue Gaston Gaudio, last year's runner-up Thomas Enqvist needed three sets in order to survive a scare presented by the grumpy giant from Switzerland, Marc Rosset.
Like Corretja, Enqvist did not play in Australia in January, and is just getting into the swing of things on the ATP tour. Whereas Corretja is prone to fatigue and needed a rest, Enqvist was recovering from ankle surgery and is playing only his second event of the season here.
The rust was apparent, but Enqvist's clean ball-striking finally prevailed over the massive serves and booming forehands of the 6'7" native of Geneva.
Rosset, who is known for his erratic and sometimes disagreeable behaviour, was acting up again tonight. Trailing in the first-set tie-break 0-6 and clearly upset about something, he intentionally missed both serves to hand Enqvist the 7-0 win. I asked Enqvist what Rosset was so hot about: "I don't know, honestly. I was just concentrating on my game." And then in the third set, Rosset muttered a profanity-laden tirade in French against the Indian Wells tournament, which he had come to regard as "the wor
st %#& tournament in the world."
Enqvist says he is "excited to be back on court" after the layoff. However, he admits, "I have a lot of things to do to be back at 100%. I have to play matches, play a lot of matches." The Swede feels he is striking the ball well, but has "lost speed on the serve." He also is resigned to the fact that his layoff has probably cost him a spot on Sweden's Davis Cup team for a big rendezvous with Russia next month. "It's clear, Magnus [Norman] and Thomas [Johansson] will take the singles. But we'll see, t
here might be injuries, and I'll be available."
Enqvist's success against the big-serving Rosset should be good preparation for his second-round opponent tomorrow, the man who put the "wild" in "wild card" -- Goran Ivanisevic!
Other men's first-round dramatics
Where do we start? Well, how about with Mardy Fish, who has clearly moved in front of Andy Roddick as the Great American Hope of the moment. Fish followed up his quarterfinal showing in Scottsdale last week by stunning Mark Philippoussis, a semifinalist here last year and a former Indian Wells champion, 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4. Fellow wild card Taylor Dent also struck a blow for the young Americans, whipping Wayne Ferreira by the rather unbelievable score of 6-3, 6-0. It doesn't get much
easier for the teenagers, since Fish will do battle with Nicolas Kiefer and Dent will lock horns with Gustavo Kuerten, both tomorrow.
We knew that second seed Marat Safin was not in vintage form when we saw him practicing with a corset protecting his sensitive ribs, so it was not that surprising to see the Russian lose to the skilled Thomas Johansson today. Marat's main problem was his serve, which was coming in at three-quarter speed. Or perhaps the biggest problem was Johansson, who is coming off a semifinal in Dubai and struck the ball beautifully. Johansson will play one of last year's Indian Wells quarterfinalists, N
icolas Escudé, tomorrow.
10th-seeded Tim Henman made hard work of an encounter with one of his nemeses, Rainer Schuettler. Tim was not only battling the speedy and consistent German, but also his own nerves and wayward forehand. The Englishman finally pulled out an arduous 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) triumph. Henman brought some chuckles when talking after the match about his eternal problems with Schuettler: "I was in a great position, but I suppose you sort of think in the back of your mind, 'It's probably too good to
be true. If I'm playing Schuettler, it can't be easy.' It certainly wasn't." Up next for Henman is Cédric Pioline, the talented French veteran. "Another easy one," quipped Henman.
Perhaps the highest quality match of the day was a superb all-court duel between former number ones Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marcelo Rios, won by the Russian, 6-4, 7-5. Kafelnikov's superior form and confidence at the moment proved decisive, but Rios battled all the way. Match point was set up when, at 30-30 on Rios's serve, "Kafel" caught a lucky net cord winner that dribbled over the net. Kafelnikov then converted on his match point in spectacular fashion, sprinting to chase down a drop vo
lley that he returned past a futilely-diving Rios. Yevgeny's next opponent is the in-form champion in Scottsdale last week, the wily Francisco "Pato" Clavet.
Those who like their matches contentious were well-served by 6th seed Lleyton Hewitt's 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win over Albert Costa. It was Hewitt's first match against a member of the Spanish Davis Cup team since the 2000 Davis Cup final in Barcelona. According to my observant collaborator C********, who was attending the match, Hewitt did not skimp on his fist pumps and "C'mon!!" cries, which were met by mocking fist pumps by Costa when he won a point. The fans got into it, and most were throatil
y supporting the Spaniard. Hewitt will put his fists, lungs and raquet to work tomorrow against a talented 21-year-old qualifier from Thailand, Paradorn Srichiphan.
Wandering in the desert
One of the funnier moments today preceded the opening match of the day on stadium court between Gustavo Kuerten and Celil Mamiit. Mamiit was getting ready to serve to start the match, but someone forgot to switch off the music on the loudspeakers. The song being played was that oldie but goldie, "I Will Survive". The players waited until a technical wizard finally found the "off" switch. Mamiit didn't survive, as he offered little resistance to Kuerten in a 2-6, 3-6 loss.
Quotable quotes
Marat Safin on his new coach Mats Wilander: "He has a friend and we meet in St. Polten, Austria. Sitting in a bar, talking. He says, 'Mats, he is interested in coaching you.' 'Yes, yes, is okay.' But the next day I start to think. I have no coach. I have nobody. I try alone. I have to spend the money on somebody. So I think it's a good idea. I think it's a big opportunity for me to learn something big."