'Other' finalist Davenport gets a chance Saturday

In front of hundreds of empty seats at Centre Court, the defending champ dominates Dokic in a semifinal match.

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By HUBERT MIZELL

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 7, 2000

WIMBLEDON, England -- Lindsay Davenport said she didn't mind being Thursday's undercard to the all-Williams semifinal at All England Club.

"I get my chance Saturday," said Davenport, Wimbledon's defending champion.

Venus Williams beat her younger sister Serena, then hundreds of Centre Court seats went empty for Davenport's 6-4, 6-2 conquest of Jelena Dokic. Sarah Ferguson went for tea.

"Believe me, I like progressing through the shadows," said Davenport, a 24-year-old Californian. "It keeps the outside influences to a minimum. Can you imagine the pressure Venus has endured in getting to the final?"

Her key to beating Williams, according to Davenport, will be "how well I get her big serve back, getting my returns consistently deep enough that Venus can't come flying in for a possible putaway volley."

"All along," Davenport said, "I thought Venus would beat Serena, even though little sister was playing more dominant tennis in reaching the semis. I just don't think Serena, even with her U.S. Open win last year, is quite up to big sister's level."

Reporters kept probing, checking to see whether Davenport's ego had been bruised by all the Williams-Williams focus. "Nah, that's not me," Davenport said. "I'm different than most tennis pros, not having family around or agents or whatever. I'm lucky for it.

"My parents are home in California. One of my cousins was here to see me play Dokic. I asked if she wanted to stay for the Saturday final. She said no, that she'd sooner get on back home to America. That's cool."

Dokic's star became far brighter during the Wimbledon fortnight. At first, there was negative attention, because Dokic's father/coach was arrested after a confrontation with journalists when he grabbed a cell phone and slammed it onto the pavement.

But Dokic plowed through the brackets. "Most important, my level of tennis has taken a step up," Dokic said. "Lindsay was too big, too strong and too good for me. I must keep improving."

Davenport was the oldest of the semifinalists. Venus Williams is 20, her sister not yet 19. "Funny, but I feel as though I'm just getting to my best tennis," Davenport said, "then I look around and see a bunch of kids coming after me.

"That's fine. It wasn't so long ago that I was the kid, trying to break into the Grand Slam late rounds against Steffi Graf and other solid veterans. Time marches on. But I do think my prime has only begun."

On the men's side, two-time U.S. Open champion Patrick Rafter, who has never reached the Wimbledon final, faces Andre Agassi, who appears to be improving with each match. Rafter is 3-7 against Agassi, with two losses at Wimbledon, including a straight-set defeat in last year's semifinals.

"You hope Andre has one of his bad days," Rafter said with a smile. "I've played Andre a few times when he's had some really bad days. I just hope he has one."

Six-time champion Pete Sampras is a heavy favorite in the other match today. He plays Vladimir Voltchkov, the first qualifier to reach the men's semifinals since John McEnroe in 1977.

Rafter's serve will need to be in top form against Agassi, whose return is widely regarded as the game's best. But the match may hinge on how Rafter fares against Agassi's underrated serve.

In their two meetings here, Rafter never broke serve. And Agassi, who overcame two match points to beat Todd Martin in the second round, has since won three matches without losing his serve.

Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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