Reverse the Curse(TEM)

[Brian Swartz]

Day 7(R4)

** Martina Hingis’s next task is to put a halt to the rising fortunes of Belgian Dominique Van Roost, and an extremely reliable serve led the way in getting her a competitive win, 6-3, 6-4.

** (9) Jana Novotna and (8) Iva Majoli meet in an intriguing matchup, one of the few that has held form from the way the tournament was seeded. It went the distance, and was quite an entertaining struggle before Novotna prevailed 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3. The no. 1 Czech has now reached the quarterfinals of all four Slams this year – quite the achievement for a player clearly in the twilight of her career.

** No. 6 Lindsay Davenport is a significant favorite for multiple reasons against her toughest test so far, No. 12 Anke Huber. Davenport had to rally from a 4-1 deficit in the first set, but she found her rhythm in time, and survives after a somewhat tougher than anticipated win, 7-5, 6-4.

** Manon Bollegraf(NLD) and Natasha Zvereva are both mild surprises to still be alive: Bollegraf in particular was ranked in the 80s at the beginning of the year, and this is her first visit to the fourth round of a Slam this season. Zvereva totally controlled this match, aside from a second-set hiccup. She earns her second QF berth of the year, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 with a very efficient, sharp performance.

[Brian Swartz]

Day 8(R4)

** No. 21 Patty Schnyder may one day become the player that Monica Seles is, but that day has not yet arrived. And then again … yeah, sometimes I’m not always the best at making predictions.

On this day, Monica’s serve was a little erratic. She still hit seven aces, but Schnyder just plain out-hit her, keeping the top American constantly on the move en route to a big upset, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. No question about it now: with Seles gone, the 1997 US Open is Hingis’s to lose. The biggest win of Schnyder’s career to date as well – her only top 10 win anywhere previously was the memorable match against Majoli at the same stage of the French, and against Seles she’d lost twice, both in straight sets.

** US wild card Nicole Arendt’s next upset target was Amanda Coetzer, who was quietly having herself a very fine tournament. Coetzer dominated the first set, but Arendt had more magic left. She rallied to stun the no. 1 South African, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, making few errors over the last two sets.

** 32-year-old Czech Helena Sukova is making quite possibly her last major push at a Slam, and Mary-Joe Fernandez would have the support of the crowd in ending that here. Fernandez won a tight first set, and then a strange finish to the match: Sukova rebounded for a bagel second set, then didn’t win a game of her own in the decisive third. 6-4, 0-6, 6-0 Fernandez advances in a short 3-setter, 1 hour and 13 minutes.

** A matchup of two players from the Netherlands pits consistent Brenda Schultz against Wimbledon quarterfinalist Caroline Vis. Schultz was able to keep Vis on the baseline most of the match, and in that kind of contest she had a clear advantadge. It was up and down, but she took it in three sets, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.