Serena mauls Mauresmo
By Matthew Cronin
Tuesday, June 3, 2003
In one of the most ruthless destructions ever seen in a significant
match on Philippe Chatrier Court, top-ranked Serena Williams destroyed
France's Amelie Mauresmo 6-1 6-2 and charged into the Roland-Garros
quarters on Tuesday.
Williams played a nearly perfect contest on the day, while a clearly
nervous Mauresmo was never unable to unleash her full arsenal and
frequently found herself watching balls whiz by her. The contest between
two of the tour's most formidable players have been highly anticipated
since the draw came out, but despite Mauresmo's fine play coming into the
match, Serena was the far more focused and determined player on the day.
Making a big statement about how she was prepared to attack every ball,
Serena took huge cuts on Mauresmo's second serves, often burying balls
into the corners.
Williams raced out of the box behind bullet serves and searing groundstrokes
and held at love to 1-0. But Mauresmo couldn't match Serena's intensity.
Double faulting in her first service game, she was easily broken when
Serena crunched an inside-out forehand return of serve winner to go
ahead 2-0.
Serena went up 3-0 with a forehand crosscourt winner and then jumped to 4-0
after she launched a flying backhand down the line winner.
Mauresmo finally got on the scoreboard when she broke Serena with a big
forehand, but the five-time Grand Slam champion Williams raced through
the next two games to win the set behind some nifty volleys.
Serena kept roaring in the second set, jumping ahead 4-0 before the crowd
could catch their breath.
Mauresmo finally began to find herself, hoisting her groundstrokes
and charging the net. The Frenchwoman scraped back to 4-2 after she
broke Serena by forcing a backhand error. But Serena kept fighting and
broke to 5-2 when Mauresmo double faulted.
Mauresmo held five break points in the final game, but Serena held firm,
serving big when it counted. The defending champion won the match when
Mauresmo committed a backhand unforced error.
Serena will play Belgium's Justine Henin-Hardenne in the semis.
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