To be sure, there are familiar faces on the women's side in the later rounds at the US Open.
Amelie Mauresmo and Justine Henin-Hardenne, seeded Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the tournament, are already in the semifinals. No. 3 seed Maria Sharapova, who played last night in a quarterfinal match against No. 27 Tatiana Golovin that was completed after press time, will likely join them.
Especially with defending US Open champion Kim Clijsters unable to compete this year because of a wrist injury, these three women, who have all captured at least one Grand Slam title in the past three years, will be hunting for a tournament victory at the Open.
And yet among that company, also with a berth in the semis, is 21-year-old Jelena Jankovic of Serbia. Seeded 19th, Jankovic has had a Cinderella run of sorts to reach the first Grand Slam final of her career.
She started by dispatching No. 9 seed Nicole Vaidisova in the third round 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. Upon advancing to the round of 16, the Serb out-dueled 2004 US Open champion No. 6 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in a come-from-behind victory, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2. The quarterfinals saw Jankovic steamroll No. 4 seed Elena Dementieva, 6-2, 6-1, breaking the Russian's serve every time.
Jankovic will compete against Henin-Hardenne in the semifinals, and it will certainly take her best play yet to overcome the Belgian. Henin-Hardenne won the event in 2003 and has made it to every Grand Slam final in 2006 so far, including her title at the French Open.
Henin-Hardenne has lost
precious few games in her matches at this year's open. Her single dropped set was to No. 21 seed Shahar Peer, but she came back to win handily, 4-6, 6-1, 6-0.
In yesterday's quarterfinal bout with aging 1998 US Open champion Lindsay Davenport, Henin-Hardenne continued to look sharp. Davenport, seeded 10th, had no answers for Henin-Hardenne, losing 6-4, 6-4, her seventh straight loss to the Belgian. Hopes of an American woman winning this year at Flushing Meadows died with Davenport's loss. There is speculation that Davenport, 30, may retire in the near future, since her recent play has been plagued by injuries.
Mauresmo, who has won this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon titles, is the technical favorite to win this year, but she might have trouble in the semifinals if she faces Sharapova. The 19-year-old Russian has won each match without dropping a set or venturing into a tiebreaker.
Mauresmo has given up two sets throughout the tournament. Her best finish at Flushing Meadows came in 2002 with a trip to the semifinals. If Mauresmo faces Golovin, she will likely cruise to the finals; this year is Golovin's first trip beyond the fourth round in a major event, and this inexperience will likely prove a fatal weakness.
Still, all eyes are on Jankovic, who, after a losing skid earlier this season, had contemplated leaving professional tennis to return to her education. While Henin-Hardenne will likely dominate, don't expect Jankovic to step aside without a fight.
