Mauresmo Lights Up Likhovtseva to Reach Quarterfinals
by Mike Dempsey
Monday, September 5, 2005
It was d赌j赋 vu all over again as Amelie Mauresmo stepped out
onto the court and beat Elena Likhovtesva, 6-1, 6-4 in the fourth
round of the US Open.
The No. 3 seed Mauresmo faced Likhovtseva less than two weeks ago
at the Pilot Pen in New Haven, also winning in two sets.
This time the difference was Likhovtseva's failure to break Mauresmo's
serve even once.
The French fire-baller rifled shots at the Russian from the first serve,
driving Likhovtseva further and further behind the baseline. Mauresmo
stepped into every volley while Likhovtseva backpedaled too much to
generate any sort of power.
Likhovtseva almost broke Mauresmo's serve heading into the first
changeover, but Mauresmo held strong.The turning point came as
Mauresmo held her serve in the fifth game of the first set to go
up 4-1 and subsequently broke Likhovtseva, giving herself a chance
to serve for the set.
Likhovtseva threatened to make a game of it in the second set, reaching
4-3 before failing for the seventh time to break Mauresmo. The Frenchwoman
ended the match clinging to her serve after a deuce.
Mauresmo has never won a Grand Slam singles title, but she did reach the
final of the 1999 Australian Open. The US Open has been the site of her
most consistent big-time performances, now having reached at least the
quarterfinals five years in a row.The 29-year-old Likhovtseva has never
advanced past the fourth round of the Open. Her third-round match with
fellow Russian Anastasia Myskina was her toughest test yet; the 19th seed
dropped the first set without taking a game, but fought back to win the t
hird set tiebreaker.
Mauresmo's path was decidedly easier, as she rolled over her challengers
without losing a set. The Frenchwoman is consistently mentioned in the
same breath as Kim Clijsters, as the best female players without a Grand
Slam on their resumes.Mauresmo will face the winner of Justine Henin-Hardenne
and Mary Pierce's Monday night match.
http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/reports/2005-09-05/200509051125957878243.html
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