EASTBOURNE, England, June 20: Defending champion Chanda Rubin saved two match points to beat fellow American Jennifer Capriati 2-6 7-6 6-2 in the semifinals of the Eastbourne championships on Friday.
Rubin will face 1994 Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez in the final after the unseeded Spaniard brushed aside Italy’s Silvia Farina Elia 6-2 6-4 on a scorching centre court in the other semi-final.
Rubin, who won the Wimbledon warm-up title 12 months ago as an unseeded player, was serving at 5-3 down in the second set when she sent down a couple of sloppy serves to hand the third seed two match points.
Capriati never had a chance to take advantage of either as the second seed got her serve back on track to leave her opponent frustrated at the baseline.
“Chanda just really played well on those two points,” said a disappointed Capriati, who was hoping to end a 17-month title drought.
Capriati had a chance to serve out for the match at 5-4 but was broken to love. Rubin then dug deep in the tiebreak and claimed it 7-5 to level the match.
With the momentum in her favour, the 27-year-old ran Capriati ragged in the decider with her deft volleys and acute angled winners.
A crisp backhand volley on match point was enough to take world number seven Rubin into her second consecutive final in the seaside town.
Rubin’s form in the third set contrasted to her slow start to the match.
Having got used to the swirling winds in their previous two matches at Devonshire Park, the duo initially appeared to struggle with the calmer conditions as the first three games went against the serve.
But once Capriati had stamped her mark in the fourth game, she left her fellow American frustrated with her searing groundstrokes from the baseline.
Rubin had lost just four games on her way to the semis, but she could do little to stem the flow of ferocious winners coming off Capriati’s forehand in the first set.
The three-times grand slam champion hit a brilliant running forehand winner with her outstretched racket to earn her first set point at 5-2 up, and wrapped it up in 24 minutes when Rubin’s weak return of serve fell wide.
Rubin was not giving up her title without a fight and came back to win in one hour 46 minutes.
Semifinal results
Conchita Martinez (Spain) bt Silvia Farina Elia (Italy) 6-2 6-4; Chanda Rubin (U.S.) bt Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2
Nottingham Open semifinal results:
Mardy Fish (U.S.) bt Jonas Bjorkman (Sweden) 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4; Greg Rusedski (Britain) bt Hicham Arazi (Morocco) 7-5 7-5
Ordina Open ATP/WTA results
Men: Quarterfinals Jan Vacek (Czech Republic) bt Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-4; Sjeng Schalken (Netherlands) bt Tommy Robredo (Spain) 7-5 6-4; Arnaud Clement (France) bt Fernando Vicente (Spain) 4-6 6-3 6-0; Raemon Sluiter (Netherlands) bt John van Lottum (Netherlands) 6-4 7-5
Women: Semifinals Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) bt Nadia Petrova (Russia) 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-3; Kim Clijsters (Belgium) bt Barbara Rittner (Germany) 6-2 6-1
Mauresmo misses Wimbledon
PARIS: France’s Amelie Mauresmo, seeded six, has pulled out of Wimbledon, the sports daily L’Equipe reported on Friday.
Mauresmo is struggling with a rib injury which is stopping her serving to the best of her ability.
A spokesman told L’Equipe: “After discussion with her coach Loic Courteau, Amelie has decided to miss Wimbledon.”
Mauresmo reached the semi-finals last year and was due to play a qualifier in the first round next week.
In this month’s French Open, Mauresmo was crushed 6-1 6-2 by Serena Williams in the quarterfinals.—Reuters