1997 Toronto Open: Chris Gerby On the Scene

Day 3: Sanchez, Seles, Sabine, and Stefano

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario on facing Mary Joe Fernandez: "Obviously we know our game each other very well, and I'm just will be able to concentrate, play my own game, be aggressive, and try to win. Plus she's my doubles partner."

Nathalie Dechy on staying cool under pressure: "Usually when I'm playing well, that's how I feel because I mean it's fun. It's a game and you have to be fun on the court."

Kimberly Po on playing before a pro-Capriati crowd: "Whenenver I encounter that, it's kind of like I'm back in college, playing a college match. I'm like, I mean it's nothing that personal. They're just cheering for her. I mean I hope it's nothing personal. So it's OK. Sometimes it bothered me a little bit, but I mean they would still cheer me if I would hit a good shot."

Naoko Sawamatsu on her win over Iva Majoli: "I think I never beat a #2 seeded in a tournament, so I think it's the biggest upset of my career."

Iva Majoli on the loss to Sawamatsu: "She was moving well, and she made so many winners. So I had to work really hard for each point, and in the third set I just couldn't move anymore. It was like my legs were heavy and I just wanted to finish the point soon, and I was missing."

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario vs. Anne Miller

Having won only six matches on the tour in an injury-plagued 1997 season, Anne Miller simply may not have been ready to battle #5 seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario on Wednesday. She certainly looked nervous in the early going, committing a double fault and two errors in a love break. Sanchez Vicario opened with a double fault of her own, but held at 15 for a 2-0 lead. Miller settled down in the next game for an easy hold, then went up 15-30, but Sanchez Vicario battled back for 3-1. At 30-30 in Game 5, an Arantxa forehand caught the baseline. Miller didn't think so, bellowing "ouuuuuut!!!". The young American fought off the subsequent break point, however, eventually holding for 3-2 with a service winner.

Sanchez Vicario came right back to take a 4-2 lead. What really stood out for me in these early games was how early the Spaniard sets herself to get balls back. This week I've seen so many forced errors, with players getting caught off-balance and hitting weak replies. Not so with Arantxa -- even when you make her run, she gets a solid shot back. It's not just quick feet; it's great anticipation and honed mechanics. As a result, Miller found herself trying too hard for winners. She dropped an error-filled love break for 5-2 and lost the set 6-2 when Sanchez Vicario hit an amazing forehand cross-court winner on the dead run.

At 30-30 in the next game, Miller netted two backhands in a row, giving Sanchez Vicario a 1-0 lead in the second set. Miller broke back in a long game for 1-1, but Sanchez Vicario matched that for 2-1. Miller got to deuce in the following game, but sent a return wide and let out an anguished scream. Miller then netted a backhand for to make it 3-1 and drop kicked her racquet. Although she managed to mix in good tennis with these sarcastic outburts on Monday, Miller came completely apart on Wednesday. After she was broken at love for 4-1, it was all over but the shouting (of which there was plenty from Miller). Just about the only thing Miller did right in the last two games was vent her frustration by kicking a ball in mid-air. A Miller backhand into the net was the official end. Sanchez Vicario needed less than an hour to advance 6-2, 6-1.

Yayuk Basuki vs. Naoko Kijimuta

This looked to be one of the second round's most promising matchups, with the aggressive shot making of Basuki going up against the steady defensive style of Kijimuta. They certainly looked evenly matched after two games, easy holds for 1-1. However, a Basuki forehand down the line ended a 15 break for the first momentum swing. Kijimuta didn't look quite as sharp as she had against Schultz-McCarthy in the first round. Perhaps that was at least partially explained by a heavily taped right knee. Basuki had an easy hold for 3-1, but got a bit shaky after that and found herself broken for 3-3.

Basuki's seventh game was far better than her sixth -- she rode three winners to a quick break. Kijimuta was returning serve well, though, and she evened matters with another break, getting to 4-4 on a lob Basuki unwisely chose to let drop. The pressure was on both players to come through in the ninth game. Basuki took a 30-40 lead and thought she'd recorded another service break when a Kijimuta forehand appeared to land just past the baseline, but there was no call. "Not even close", she protested, but the score was nonetheless deuce. Basuki lost a second break point by netting a forehand, but Kijimuta finally gave away the game with her own forehand error.

Holding serve against Naoko Kijimuta is easier said than done. Just ask Brenda Schultz-McCarthy about that. Basuki put together a fine game to end the first set, though, holding at 15 with a nice backhand Kijimuta barely returned. Kijimuta may have gotten discouraged after losing a set which kept looking like it could go either way. She was broken for 1-0 and fell behind 2-0 when Basuki delievered a pair of aces in an easy hold. Basuki then broke at love and held at 15 on another big ace. Kijimuta just seemed to be mailing it in at this point and was broken for the fifth time in a row -- at love for the second time in a row -- to make it 5-0.

Basuki hit a winning drop shot for 30-30 in the sixth game of the set, but netted a forehand on her first match point. Kijimuta then sent another nifty lob over Basuki, who smiled wryly. Basuki fought off the break point, but missed a backhand to create a second...and later double faulted to create a third...and double faulted again to create a fourth. Naoko's desire to save face and Yayuk's sudden inability to keep the ball in play finally added up to a break when Basuki put another forehand in the net. Kijimuta then held for 5-2, but went back to missing groundstrokes in the eighth game. Basuki finally got an easy hold there to complete a 6-4, 6-2 win which was rather odd but got the job done.

Mary Joe Fernandez vs. Nicole Arendt

It looked like another seed was in danger of falling when I arrived at this match, Arendt leading 4-1. Mary Joe quickly turned things around, though, dropping only one point in each of the next two games to get back on serve at 4-3. A critical call went against Arendt in the following game, which Fernandez went on to win by stringing together a forehand pass winner and a backhand volley winner. Arendt missed a couple shoestring volleys in the ninth game and was broken at 30 upon missing a forehand. Relying on deadly accurate passing shots, Fernandez held at love to claim the opening set 6-4.

Arendt could not have been pleased about losing five games in a row, but she kept fighting. Down 15-40 in the opening game of the second set, she rallied with two consecutive touch volley winners. The doubles specialist would fight off two more break points in the game, but the dogged Fernandez finally did break on a forehand winner. Another winning passing shot ended a Mary Joe hold for 2-0. In the third game it was Fernandez on the losing end of a couple questionable calls and her game-winning streak ended at seven. Fernandez battled right back, though, securing a hold and a break for a 4-1 lead.

The match had come to resemble Mary Joe's win over Nathalie Tauziat last year in Montreal -- a hard-charging opponent being decimated by line-painting passes. Arendt hung in there, though. She took a 30-40 lead in the next game and forced Fernandez to hit three smashes before finally warding off the break point. A couple errant returns then made it 5-1. Fernandez was just two points away from victory, leading 0-30 in the seventh game, but Nic reeled off four straight points (including an ace) to make Mary Joe serve it out. That she did -- two Fernandez winners were followed by two Arendt errors in a love hold for a 6-4, 6-2 win. Forget the upset talk; Fernandez rolls on to the third round.

Kimberly Po vs. Jennifer Capriati

A media badge can get you into some interesting situations. Case in point: I watched this entire second round match sitting right next to Stefano Capriati. Not just relatively nearby, mind you -- I was close enough that I could have head butted JenCap's dad if I'd seen fit. I didn't, by the way. Stefano was more or less a model tennis parent on Wednesday afternoon. He was nervous but supportive, shouting out words of encouragement from time to time without doing any blatant coaching.

Asked how she thought this match would go, French veteran Nathalie Tauziat (coming off a loss to Po), said "you need to go to the net a lot against Po and you need to disturb her, I mean mix a lot of shots, and Capriati I don't think she have the game to disturb Po." That, in essence, is the Capriati conundrum. Jennifer can hit the ball as hard as anyone on the tour, but she has no Plan B. When the groundstroke missiles start missing their targets -- especially likely on a windy day such as this was -- she's in trouble against a steady player like Po.

Capriati got off to a promising start, breaking for a 1-0 lead. However, she was felled by a stunning three double faults to be broken for 1-1. Capriati then came up with big down the line backhand winners for 0-15 and 0-40, but squandered a total of six break points in the game, which Po finally claimed with an ace. A series of easy holds followed to 3-3. Capriati then used great low groundies for a 15-40 lead, but again simply could not seal the break. She was feasting on second serves, but making a lot of errors off Po's first serve. The bespectacled Californian hung on for 4-3 and broke for 5-3. Capriati surged to a 0-30 advantage in the following game, but Po closed it out with a service winners. Despite some success with her power game, the recovering phenom threw away far too many big opportunities in a 6-3 first set.

Capriati took a 40-30 lead to open the second set, but double faulted, then missed a backhand and forehand for the break. Capriati pinned Po to the baseline in the next game, however, and quickly evened the set. At 1-1, 30-30, Capriati sent a backhand long, setting up yet another break point for Po. She converted it by smacking a Capriati second serve back for a forehand winner. Yet another break followed, though, Jennifer taking it easily on an authoritative smash. Although the match hadn't been going on all that long, Capriati started to tire. She pushed an ugly drop shot into the net for 15-40 and then missed a forehand to end the set's fifth consecutive break.

Up 3-2, Po really took control of the match. She held for 4-2 and then managed four winners in her latest break of Capriati. There was simply nothing left in the 21-year-old's tank after that. JenCap netted a volley for 30-0 and lightly kicked the ball in exhausted disgust. #11 seed Kimberly Po won the match two points later with a forehand winner down the line. The 6-3, 6-2 result was not what Stefano Capriati came hoping to see, but neither he nor his daughter seemed overly disappointed. In a year of setbacks for Capriati, just being on the court was a victory in itself.

Basuki/Vis vs. Labat/Paz

Even though they were just a few days removed from an impressive run to the Los Angeles doubles title, Yayuk Basuki and Caroline Vis were unceremoniously scheduled for seatless Court 11. Basuki at least had to be getting used to the surroundings, having played both of her singles matches on that same court. The Argentines also looked right at home in the opening game, though, Mercedes Paz holding for a 1-0 lead. Vis got behind 30-40 on a double fault, but battled back for 1-1. There wouldn't be another break point for quite a while -- Labat, Basuki, Paz, and Vis scored easy holds to tie the match at 3 games all.

Leading 40-30 in Florencia Labat's second service game, Paz tried to make her forehand volley too good and missed it by about two inches. Two points later, Vis smacked home a forehand volley for the first break of the match. Basuki then held for 5-3, looking quite comfortable. The diminutive Indonesian and the lanky Dutchwoman may look like an odd combination, but they've obviously developed a nice rapport. Both smiled a lot in this match, keeping each other loose after winners and errors alike.

The set's ninth game was typical of the fun the #6 seeds were having. Yayuk joked with a lineswoman after nearly running into her while unsuccessfully chasing a lob. Later she bowed to Caroline after a huge Vis return winner. Vis followed that up by netting a forehand and reacting by sticking her tongue out. Down 40-30, Basuki got to deuce with a winning overhead. "I like that," said a fan. "So do I," replied Vis. A Labat volley error and a Paz double fault followed. A set which had been deadlocked at 3-3 ended 6-3.

Vis held easily for 1-0, keeping the opposition at bay with her booming serve. Another ill-timed Paz double faulted completed a break for 2-0 and a 30 hold for Basuki brought the score to 3-0. Labat had an easy hold for 3-1, but Vis had an even easier one for 4-1, wrapping it up with an ace. After Paz and Basuki held without difficulty, it was 5-2. Labat got down 15-40 in the next game, but rallied to hold for 5-3. It was up to Vis to serve it out. On the first point of Game 9, she hit a smash which nearly took off Labat's head. Vis would double fault away the first match point, but Basuki won the second with the last of her stinging volleys. Florencia Labat and Mercedes Paz had their moments, forcing some entertaining rallies, but Basuki and Vis showed why they have risen to the upper echelon of WTA Tour doubles teams.

Monica Seles vs. Sabine Appelmans

Although perhaps still feeling the effects of a long week in Los Angeles, Monica Seles was determined to get past this third round test and earn a day off. She got right down to business, taking a 2-0 lead. Sabine Appelmans didn't come to get steamrolled, though. The Belgian broke back for 2-1 with a nice forehand down the line and held for 2-2. Seles held for a 3-2 lead and got to 30-30 against the Appelmans serve. Showing off her net prowess, though, Sabine followed with two straight winning volleys (one off each wing) for 3-3. Monica put her game into another great after that, however. She won 12 of the next 13 points to finish up a 6-3 set.

Down 0-40 in the opening game of the second set, things looked bleak for Appelmans, but she came all the way back to hold. There was palpable excitement in the crowded stands, a sense that maybe the lithe underdog could still make a match of this. Cries of "C'mon Sabine" and "C'mon Monica" richocheted around the stands for the rest of the match, very appreciative applause following each winner. Most appreciated was the scrappy retrieiving of Appelmans, who hit one of the best shots of the tournament (a sharp angled drop shot from just in front of the baseline) on her way to breaking for a 2-0 lead. The Seles power took over the next game, though -- a love break for 2-1.

Although outgunned off the ground, Appelmans kept finding ways to win points. A nice drop shot/lob combination got her to 0-30, a backhand winner made it 0-40, and a Seles double fault put Appelmans on top 3-1. Sabine again failed to capitalize, however, letting the next three games get away. Now up a break in the third, the #1 seed looked to be just a few minutes away from the quarterfinals. Appelmans would not go away, though. She nailed a foreand winner down the line for 30-40 and notched the break by pulling Monica in with a drop shot and passing her with a cross-court forehand. Just like that, it was 4-4.

Desperately needing a hold here, Appelmans went back to the drop shot well at 30-30. This one landed in the net, though, as did a forehand on the following point. Seles once again had a break advantage at 5-4. An ace and a big two-fisted forehand down the line brought Seles to double match point. Seles missed a backhand for 40-30, though, and Appelmans wiped out match point #2 with a down the line backhand winner. The crowd now jacked up to a fever pitch, Seles ended a pair of long rallies with netted forehands. Appelmans had broken again for 5-5.

Sabine was exerting so much effort to get these breaks that she didn't seem to have much left when serving. Down 0-30 in the sixth game, she went back to the drop shot, but Monica ran it down and went ahead to win the point with a smash. Seles followed that by absolutely murdering a second serve down the line for a love break and a 6-5 lead.

Dead set on finally closing out this match, Seles argued a couple calls in the 12th game (one being a would-be ace called a fault -- "there's no wy that was out"). She had a 40-15 lead, though, and finally appeared to be in the clear. Appelmans gave her enthusiastic supporters one more winner to marvel at, though, fighting off the third martch point with a picture perfect forehand down the line. Monica replied with a big first serve. Appelmans was able to get it back with a lob, but Seles smashed that into the corner for a 6-3, 7-5 win. The crowd roared in delight when it was all over, thanking both the victorious slugger and her tireless opponent for their exciting, mostly high quality battle.