01 June 2004	Tuesday	12 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

PARIS, May 31: Brittle talent Amelie Mauresmo on Tuesday hopes to take another step towards a first French Open title by derailing an American and Russian supercharge through Roland Garros.

The quarterfinal line-up features three Americans and three Russians with only third-seed Frenchwoman Mauresmo and unheralded Paolo Suarez, the 14th seeded Argentinian, breaking the monopoly.

The 24-year-old Mauresmo made the quarterfinals here last year, her best performance, but was ruthlessly brushed aside by Serena Williams. She could meet the 2002 champion in Sunday's final but her first task is to get past ninth seeded Russian Elena Dementieva who put out fifth seed Lindsay Davenport in the fourth round.

After that, a semifinal beckons against either Suarez or Russian teenager Maria Sharapova. In the other half of the draw, Venus Williams, seeded four, faces Russian sixth Anastasia Myskina while Serena, seeded two, meets old rival Jennifer Capriati, the seventh seed, and champion in 2001.

Mauresmo starts as clear favourite having dominated her previous meetings with Dementieva especially on clay. Capriati goes into her quarterfinal with Serena nursing a sorry 5-9 career record but crucially she has the psychological advantage of having broken a three-year wait for a victory over her fellow American with a straight sets triumph on the Rome clay just three weeks ago.

However, Serena is approaching her best form again after only recently returning to the tour after an eight month knee injury lay-off. A Serena win and a Venus victory against Myskina will pit both sisters against each other in the last four.

Venus, who was a fourth round loser here last year, has won both her meetings with the Russian and that record is unlikely to change on Tuesday especially with the American having recovered from the ankle injury that led to her defaulting the Berlin final against Mauresmo.

Sharapova, just 17 and enjoying her best Grand Slam run, has yet to drop a set in the tournament and has come through a section of the draw stripped of defending champion and top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne. - AFP