Head-to-Head Series: DAVENPORT leads 4-0
Last Meeting: 2000 Los Angeles (Hard) SF, DAVENPORT d. DEMENTIEVA 6-4 6-4
Hardcourt (Outdoor) Head-to-Head Series: DAVENPORT leads 3-0
Three Set Head-to-Head Record: Never played three sets
Here is a match between two reputable baseliners with excellent power groundstrokes. That is when the similarities end between the two players. Davenport has nine years of professional tour experience under her belt and this will contrast heavily with Dementieva who is in just her first full-time year on the professional circuit. With that said, Dementieva has beaten some wily, experienced opponents in Conchita Martinez and Anke Huber in this tournament alone. I have no doubt that Dementieva will be able to hang with Davenport shot-for-shot from the baseline, but I feel that when it will come to crunch time, Lindsay is going to be all over Elena with powerful and consistent baseline drives, serves, returns and the occasional foray into the net. Elena not only doesn’t have the big match experience that Lindsay has but probably does not have a big enough serve to worry the #2 player, an element in her game that she will need to work on in the future. Should be a good match, but Davenport should take the important points.
Result: DAVENPORT d. DEMENTIEVA 6-2 7-6(5)
1-Martina Hingis (1) versus 6-Monica Seles (5)
Head-to-Head Series: HINGIS leads 10-2
Last Meeting: 2000 Ericsson Open (Hard) SF, HINGIS d. SELES 6-0 6-0
Hardcourt (Outdoor) Head-to-Head Series: HINGIS leads 7-1
Three Set Head-to-Head Series: HINGIS leads 2-1
Don’t expect it to be another blow out as in Miami earlier this year. Both players are playing at or near their best level and have the potential to provide a scintillating match up. Seles will have to take the first strike by getting a high percentage of first serves, dictating on her returns and keeping the points short by hitting her groundstrokes from corner to corner. We know she has the capability of doing this, but how consistently she does this is the question at hand. Hingis will be trying to extend the rallies, trying to move Seles about the court and exploiting Seles’s lack of mobility and fitness. This is a difficult match to call with most people sticking with Hingis for the win. Monica’s had an excellent summer and will be desperately trying to cap it off with a huge win. As long as her fitness holds up, I think I’ll go with the upset.
