Pierce thinks she can win, body not so sure
Sat Aug 30, 3:04 PM ET
By Steve Keating
NEW YORK, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Mentally Mary Pierce is ready to add another
grand slam title to her resume. Now all the muscular Frenchwoman has to do
is convince her body.
Fighting back to fitness after two injury plagued seasons, Pierce continued
to build confidence, form and momentum at the U.S. Open on Saturday, powering
her way into the fourth round with a 6-4 6-1 win over Japan's Shinobu Asagoe.
While Pierce has begun to display glimpses of the power game that helped her
to win grand slam crowns at the Australian and French Opens, the 28 year-old
realises that a third title may be beyond her reach right now.
"Mentally, I'm there," said Pierce. "(But) my body is not following my mind
yet.
"There are things I want to do but I'm feeling a little limited at (this)
time.
"What motivates me are grand slam tournaments.
"To win another one...I'd probably have a breakdown on the court or something.
"It would be just that much sweeter with everything I've gone through the
last couple of years.
"That's a dream and if it would happen that would be great."
IMPRESSIVE FORM
Having dealt with abdominal, back and ankle injuries over the last two years,
Pierce has been in impressive form through the early rounds of the season's
last grand slam.
She upset 22nd seed Jelena Dokic in the second round before breezing past
the 55th ranked Asagoe on a sun-baked centre court in 71 minutes.
With one more win, Pierce can equal her best effort at Flushing Meadows.
She reached the quarter-finals in 1994 and 1999.
"I just want it more, it means a lot more to me than before," said Pierce,
who will next play either Russian seventh seed Anastasia Myskina or Spain's
Maria Sanchez Lorenzo.
"Having injuries and being home and not being able to play when I really
wanted to, I really missed it (tennis)," said Pierce.
"I appreciate it more every day and the process that it takes and what to
go through and the training...I'm just happy at being able to compete again."
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