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09/04/10 02:25:00
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09/04 14:20 CDT Gone with the wind: Sharapova routs Capra at Open
Gone with the wind: Sharapova routs Capra at Open
By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- American upstart Beatrice Capra got blown away Saturday - by
the excellence of Maria Sharapova and the bad, blustery conditions caused by
the remnants of Hurricane Earl.
Treating the wind and an opponent with nothing to lose as mere annoyances,
Sharapova put a 6-0, 6-0 thumping on Capra at the U.S. Open, ending the
18-year-old's attempt to fashion a 2010 version of the Melanie Oudin story.
Last year in the third round, 17-year-old Oudin went into Arthur Ashe Stadium
and beat Sharapova - a remarkable moment on the way to the young American's
trip to the quarterfinals.
This year, it was the same round and same court. But on a day better suited for
flying a kite than hitting tennis balls, Capra never came close to duplicating
that script.
"This is probably the toughest conditions we're going to get," Sharapova said.
"But I think last year, it was a similar situation. Third round, quite windy. I
had a young opponent who came out and played great tennis. Today, I wanted to
make sure I came out, concentrated and was consistent."
It was no easy task on a day when Capra's visor got blown off her head early
and lets had to be called a number of times because of wind-whipped napkins,
hot dog wrappers and towels blowing across the court.
The conditions were the same for everyone - it's just that some deal with it
better. No surprise that Sharapova, a former world No. 1 with three major
titles to her credit, got the job done.
"Experience definitely helps, but when you play someone coming up, young and
eager, it's always challenging," Sharapova said. "Because they come out with
nothing to lose and they can play some great tennis."
Capra, however, never duplicated the level she played at in her earlier wins
over No. 95 Karolina Sprem and 18th-seeded Aravane Rezai.
A product of the Evert Academy who is considering attending Duke, Capra
received a call from tournament officials last month asking if she wanted a
spot in a playoff for a wild-card entry. She won that. And so, the U.S. Open,
of all tournaments, marked the first time she's played in the main draw of a
tour-level event.
Oudin was a bit more seasoned, though it's hard to deny that her win over
Sharapova last year might have had as much to do with the Russian's preparation
as Oudin's spunky play. Sharapova wasn't "match tough" after spending a good
part of the year recovering from shoulder surgery in October 2008.
"Looking back, I know my game wasn't there. I wasn't physically ready,"
Sharapova said. "I was just trying to put my feet on the ground and a year
later, you hope you're still there."
She is, and next up is a fourth-round match against top-seeded Caroline
Wozniacki, a 6-1, 6-0 winner over Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan. Wozniacki, a
runner-up here last year, has lost a total of three games in three matches.
"It was tough for both of us. It was pretty windy out there," she said. "But it
was fun. A little different. But as long as I win, that's fine."
Before Sharapova's match in Ashe Stadium, No. 4 Jelena Jankovic lost 6-2, 7-6
(1) to No. 31 Kaia Kanepi. Jankovic complained about the conditions.
"You toss the ball, and it was all over the place," Jankovic said. "And then
you hit the ball one direction, it goes another. You're just getting ready to
hit the ball and it just moves away from you."
In men's action, No. 5 Robin Soderling rolled to a 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 victory over
Thiemo de Bakker. No. 21 Albert Montanes of Spain advanced when Kei Nishikori
of Japan retired in the second set. Nishikori won a five-set, five-hour match
over No. 11 Marin Cilic on Thursday but withdrew from Saturday's match with a
groin injury.
Others scheduled for Saturday included James Blake, who plays No. 3 Novak
Djokovic, and No. 2 Roger Federer, whose match was set to follow Sharapova's.
Venus Williams and Rafael Nadal were the big-name winners on a Friday night
that was billed as a washout in the making but finished without a hitch, save a
25-minute rain delay in the afternoon that resulted from the small, and only,
band from Earl to sneak into the city.
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