Super-Model and Cinderella advance at U.S. Open
New Yorkers exclaim, “We heart Maria Sharapova!” and everybody’s favorite Russian expatriate returns the favor, playing her best tennis before her “hometown” crowd. Glamorous as ever and considerably more fit, Sharapova easily advanced today, defeating Czechoslovakian Iveta Benesova in straight sets. In fact, Benesova barely had time to take her racquet from its cover before it was time to wrap it up again. Number 14 in the world, Sharapova schooled and dismissed the Czech 6-1, 6-2.
Meanwhile, much in keeping with US Open tradition, this year’s Cinderella continued her magical winning streak. Eighteen-year-old Beatrice Capra upset highly favored Aravane Rezai in a hard-fought three-set duel, prevailing 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. Making perfect shots at critical moments, Capra took the win despite the fact that Rezai out-pointed her 94-91. Ranked 371 in the world and making her first appearance at a Tour-level main draw, Capra has captured the crowd’s heart much as Melanie Oudin did last year. An ingénue both in the big city and on the pro courts, Capra has shown her indomitable grace and her intrepid tenacity.
In a cruel twist of fate, Sharapova and Capra face one another in the next round. During today’s post-match interview Capra told reporters Sharapova has led the list of her childhood heroines, and she admitted some awe and intimidation at the prospect of meeting her idol in the fourth round of a Grand Slam. Later, in her post-match interview, a reporter asked Sharapova how she felt about being her opponent’s childhood idol. Not exactly old and washed-up at 23, Sharapova answered graciously, “I still somewhat consider myself pretty young, as well; I’d like to think so, at least. You know, to see someone coming up that’s 18, that’s a lot younger than I am, in the third round of the Open is great. I think it shows a lot about the younger generation that’s coming up. To see someone especially that’s an American and doing well at the Open is really great.” In tennis, 18 really is a lot younger than 23.
