[外電] Three Slams? For Mauresmo, It Is Possible
Three Slams? For Mauresmo, It Is Possible
http://www.usopen.org/
by Erin Bruehl
Posted Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2006
There is one title, or label, that no professional athlete wants.
'The best player never to win a major.'
It is a dubious distinction as it credits a player's talent but at the same
time acknowledges his or her inability to win the biggest tournaments. Some
of the highest ranked players in the world in various sports have been given
the label and shed it. In tennis, Amelie Mauresmo was often labeled that way
- but not anymore.
The 27-year-old Frenchwoman had been ranked as high as No. 1 in the world,
reaching the top ranking for the first time in September 2004. But it took
her until the 2006 Australian Open, her 32nd career major, to win one of the
sport's biggest prizes. She followed that up with her second career major
title at Wimbledon and now she is just two wins away from her third major of
the year at the US Open after defeating Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals on
Wednesday.
The 32 majors until a win is the second-longest wait for a first major
victory.
She had not thought really coming in to Flushing about the possibility of
three Grand Slam victories in a year but it is close to reality now.
"Well, I've considered it because people are talking to me about that. But to
be honest, and before coming to the tournament, it was not something that
could happen considering the way preparation was and everything," Mauresmo
said of the triple-Slam possibility after her quarters victory. "Of course
now it's starting to become a little bit more of a realistic challenge for
me, so it would be, you know, great. But, as I always say, it's still a long
way to go, and a couple more tough matches to go."
She will face either Maria Sharapova or Tatiana Golovin in the semifinals.
She defeated Sharapova in the Wimbledon semifinals and Sharapova has never
beaten her.
Mauresmo has looked solid so far this US Open, coming from behind to defeat
Kristina Barrois of Germany in the first round in straight sets and she then
defeated Meghann Shaughnessy in straight sets in the second round. Mara
Santangleo of Italy was her next victim.
In a fourth round matchup worthy of a Grand Slam final, she outlasted Serena
Williams in three sets, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2. She was on to the semis in straight
sets again vs. Safina, 6-2, 6-3. She had shoulder problems after Wimbledon
this year but the shoulder has not bothered her yet in this Open.
Mauresmo reached her first Grand Slam final at the 1999 Australian Open,
losing in straight sets to Martina Hingis. She did not reach another final
until the 2006 Australian Open. With so much success this year and the first
Grand Slam title, Mauresmo said the pressure is off a little bit.
"I think really what I've achieved since US Open last year has really gave me
the right to, you know, to lose actually, and to be more relaxed and to have
less pressure on me, when before I was probably inside of me telling me, Am I
gonna be able to win one? Am I gonna do it? Am I gonna end my career without
a Grand Slam title? All these things probably were in my mind," Mauresmo said
after her first round victory over Barrois.
"Now it's a big relief to think that it's not there anymore. That's something
that's been going on for a few months now."
For both her Grand Slam wins this year, she defeated Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Henin-Hardenne retired in the Australian Open final to give the title to
Mauresmo and Mauresmo then won 16 straight matches afterwards. She regained
the No. 1 world ranking in March and said it was not the Grand Slam victory
that should have mattered in her No. 1 spot in March or in September 2004,
but how well she was playing.
She has always had great speed and says she can automatically switch between
utilizing her power game in a match and when to use finesse.
"Two years ago I got the No. 1 ranking and I kept being asked that question,
Yes, but you haven't won a Grand Slam, blah, blah, blah. Is it normal? Is it
whatever?" she said. "I was answering at the time, and it's still the same
now - not the same because I won a Grand Slam - but it's still the
consistency that makes you being No. 1. It was at the time. The consistency I
have now for the past year or whatever, it's you know, it makes me proud and
it makes me happy about what I have done."
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