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U.S. Open briefs

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 1, 2000

Mini-drama foiled

NEW YORK -- Kim Clijsters tried to add a little intrigue Thursday to the women's side of the U.S. Open, but her opponent wasn't about to be the first high seed to fall.

Lindsay Davenport, the second seed and 1999 champion, survived a first-set scare, then powered her way into the third round with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory. A year ago, Clijsters, 17, came within four points of defeating eventual champion Serena Williams in the third round. Davenport recovered far before she was in real danger.

"First set, I felt like I was missing a lot of returns," Davenport said. "I tried to concentrate a little harder, take my time and really go for them when I had the second serve there. Once I got up a break in the second, got a bit of momentum going, I felt like I was able to attack with a lot more confidence."

"She was a tough opponent, and I'm happy to get through."

Williams had no trouble advancing to the third round, beating Nadejda Petrova 6-3, 6-2 in a night match. Williams served six aces and slugged 17 winners to five for Petrova.

Still, Williams wasn't satisfied.

"Usually, I never lose serve," she said. "Already in this tournament I've lost serve twice. That's more than I've lost in the past two tournaments combined."

Jelena Dokic -- whose father and coach, Damir, was banned from the tournament after launching an expletive-laden protest over salmon the previous day -- pounded out a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Miriam Oremans.

"I just try to think about the match and not let anything else distract you," Dokic said.

Thursday morning she came to the courts by herself, went back to her hotel at lunch to talk to Damir and returned to the National Tennis Center to play her match. Afterward, Jelena defended her father -- as she has repeatedly under similar circumstances at other tournaments -- and said she believed she could play well despite his situation.

"Obviously, it's something that's been decided. I wouldn't mind it being changed, of course, but that's the way it is right now," she said.

On the men's side, No. 11 seed Tim Henman and No. 9 Lleyton Hewitt also won second-round matches.

Henman, who this summer has been playing the best tennis of his career, easily defeated Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Hewitt, the 19-year-old Australian phenom, had slightly more trouble stopping Julien Boutter 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-4.

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