Out of this world

playing in front of a large crowd for an Olympic gold medal could be an overwhelming experience for a rookie. The mentally tough, court smart 18 year old has more of a fighting chance than she gives herself credit for. She needs to look at her previous result against Venus as an inspiration for this match. However, it is going to be an extremely difficult task to break Venus's 31 match winning streak. She has a chance but I think the power, the confidence, the determination and the speed of Venus will rule supreme as it has in her last 31 matches.
Prediction: WILLIAMS in TWO SETS

VENUS WILLIAMS

• Age: 20
• Height: 6'1"
• WTA Singles Ranking: 3
• Highest Singles Ranking: 3 (August 1999)
• Career Singles Titles: 14
• 2000 WTA Singles Win-Loss Record: 32-3 (0.914)
• Win-Loss Record in Finals: 14-9 (0.609)
• Last Singles Title: 2000 US Open, New York (Hard)
• 2000 Season Highlights (prior): WINNER - Wimbledon, Stanford, San Diego, New Haven, US Open; QUARTER FINALIST - Hamburg, French Open
• Biggest Scalps of the Season: MARTINA HINGIS (Wimbledon, #1; US Open, #1), LINDSAY DAVENPORT (Wimbledon, #2; Stanford, #2; US Open, #2), MONICA SELES (San Diego, #5; New Haven, #6, Olympics-Sydney, #5)

ELENA DEMENTIEVA

• Age: 18
• Height: 5'11"
• WTA Singles Ranking: 17
• Highest Singles Ranking: 17 (September 2000)
• Career Singles Titles: 0
• 2000 WTA Singles Win-Loss Record: 27-13 (0.675)
• Win-Loss Record in Finals: 0-0
• Last Singles Title: Yet to win a title
• 2000 Season Highlights (prior): SEMI FINALIST - Indian Wells, Los Angeles, US Open; QUARTER FINALIST - Berlin
• Biggest Scalps of the Season: MARY PIERCE (Miami, #4), CONCHITA MARTINEZ (US Open, #7), ARANTXA SANCHEZ-VICARIO (Berlin, #9)

SEMI FINAL NOTES

Jelena Dokic (AUS) versus 10-Elena Dementieva (RUS)
Head-to-Head Series: DEMENTIEVA leads 1-0
Last Meeting: 2000 New Haven (Hard) R32, DEMENTIEVA d. DOKIC 6-4 6-3
These teenagers are taking full advantage of the opening in the top section of the draw with Lindsay Davenport’s withdrawal. And what an opportunity they have been given to play for an Olympic medal! The similarities between them are uncanny. Firstly, there is the “names” factor (Jelena and Elena). These girls are two of the most talented up-and-coming stars on the Sanex WTA Tour, both having reached their first Grand Slam semi finals this year (Jelena at Wimbledon, Elena at the US Open). Both girls play very similar power baseline games, with their big flat groundstrokes as the key components and their forehands as the major weapon. Neither girl has a big serve, nor do they approach the net with great ease. However,

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