By A Sports Reporter

DubaiJennifer Capriati and JustineHenin-Hardenne more thanmade up for some lost action ear-lier in the afternoon as they bat-tled over two hours to provideone of the most entertainingmatches at the Dubai TennisChampionships till date.

That the match ended with thethird-seeded Capriati on the los-ing side was a pity as both playerswalked away winners in the eyesof the good holiday crowd, eventhough the scoreline stood infavour of the Belgian at 7-5, 4-6,6-4.

When Capriati thumped abackhand return into the net inthe 10th game of the decidingthird set, Henin-Hardennepumped her fist in the air as thecrowd stood up to give both play-ers a rousing salute for the fare

they had displayed through theevening.

The afternoon’s opening semi-final was a bit of a disappoint-ment with defending championand second seed, AmelieMauresmo falling to a nigglingadductor injury against a resur-gent Monica Seles after theAmerican held sway leading 6-3,2-2.

Coming together“It’s hard to see someone retir-ing,” Seles said of her Frenchopponent after the semifinal.

“I’m happy my game is comingtogether so well,” she added asshe left to practice on Court No.4 with her hitting partner,Andreas Bibek.

But the second semifinalbetween Capriati and Henin-Hardenne was out of this world asboth players kept the crowd glued

to their seats throughout theencounter.

“Capriati is a great championand fighter,” Henin-Hardenne

acknowledged after the tussle forsupremacy on centre court.

This tussle went on rightthrough the match as both play-ers broke each other early in thefirst set to be level 1-1. Henin-Hardenne came up with a secondbreak in the very next game tolead 2-1.

But this was brought on parwith Capriati breaking Henin-Hardenne in the eighth game tobe on level terms 4-4.

The most crucial break came inthe 11th game as the top seededBelgian led Capriati 6-5, neededjust to hold her serve to snatch theset.

Evenly-matchedThe second set was more evenlymatched with Capriati comingout with a fine passing forehanddown the line to break Henin-Hardenne and take the set 6-4.

The third set was among themost entertaining seen on centrecourt in recent memory. With nei-ther of the two giving anythingaway, the crucial break came inthe fifth game as Henin-Hardenne led 3-2.

She then handled the pressureand swift ground-strokes of herAmerican opponent to seal thevictory in exactly two hours and26 minutes.

“Seles is playing so well and itwill be a tough final tomorrow,”Henin-Hardenne promised.

See Page 43

By A Sports Reporter

DubaiDefending champion AmelieMauresmo flew out of Dubailast night with a promise tomake a return for next year’stournament.

The Frenchwoman, whowas forced to retire with aworrying abductor muscle inher semifinal against MonicaSeles midway through thesecond set, said she hoped toreturn for next year’s tourna-ment. “Of course, I will comeback here for the third timenext year,” Mauresmopromised.

“This (the injury) is not aproblem with Dubai. It’sabout my ability to take phys-ical strain. I’ll see if I can goand do some shopping nowand get some good deals,” thesixth ranked WTA player said.

Mauresmo will fly backstraight to Paris, where she isscheduled to meet her doctorand get an opinion on herabductor strain. Mauresmohas had a miserable run so farthis year after being sidelinedfor four months with a carti-lage inflammation of the rightknee since mid-October lastyear. The first event sheplayed two weeks ago was onhome soil in Paris Indoorswhere she fell to VenusWilliams in the final.

“It’s a miracle, it’s unbeliev-able that my knee has beenable to take in so muchstrain,” Mauresmo said.

46 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2003

SPORT

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Mauresmo...dreams shatteredCapriati...fights to the end.

Ivanisevic gets a wild cardBy A Sports Reporter

DubaiFormer Dubai Open champi-on Goran Ivanisevic has beengiven a wild card for the DubaiDuty Free Men’s Open whichgets under way at the DubaiTennis Stadium tomorrow.

The qualifiers for the maindraw will start from today.

Salah bin Tahlak, the newtournament director, wasquick to confirm the presenceof the former champion at thisyear’s tournament as a wildcard.

“It’s a tremendous boost forthe tournament for a formerchampion of the caliber ofGoran coming in and request-ing for a wild card,” bin Tahlaksaid. “It’s so positive for theimage of the tournament andthe tough competition that weare all guaranteed for the nextone week.”

He, however, refrained fromdivulging the names of the twoother players who have beenoffered wild cards here.

The main draw for this year’sDubai Open is led by thirdranked Marat Safin of Russiaalong with fourth ranked JuanCarlos Ferrero, sixth rankedRoger Federer, seventh rankedJiri Novak, eighth ranked TimHenman and 10th rankedTommy Haas of Germany.

“It’s such a great line-up forthe tournament, somethingsimilar to what we had for theladies competition. This justputs the name and fame ofDubai a few notches higher,”bin Tahlak said.

Monica Seles makes a double-fisted backhand on her way to victory. – GN pictures by Hadrian HernandezJustine Henin-Hardenne returns to Jennifer Capriati. – GN pictures by Joseph J. Capellan

Goran Ivanisevic in Dubai.

Mauresmo’spromise

Henin-Hardenne clinches a thrillerEdges out Capriati in a gruelling encounter; to take on Seles in Dubai Open final; tame end to Mauresmo’s dreams

Singles: Monica Seles bt AmelieMauresmo 6-3, 2-2 (retd.);Justine Henin-Hardenne btJennifer Capriati 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

RESULTS