 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 02 Jul 2004 |
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| 02 Jul 2004 - Wimbledon - Eleanor Preston | |
| Krajicek on cruise control |
Top seed Michaella Krajicek’s killer instinct took over during her quarterfinal win over Vojislava Lukic of Serbia and Montenegro. The Dutch star ripped through the match, winning 61 62 in less than an hour.
Krajicek was spurred on by the thought of black clouds overhead, which threatened an ill-timed shower just as she was wrapping the match up. “I’m so happy I managed to get that match finished because when I was serving for it was already starting to rain,” said Krajicek. “I kept looking at the umpire because I knew he was watching the clouds. The only time you want to see rain is if you are losing and you need some time to think. When you’re winning it just slows you down.”
Krajicek is thriving on the Wimbledon grass and says she feels much more comfortable than when she played the girls’ Championships a year ago, when she became overawed at the thought of playing the tournament her family has a strong history with - her brother Richard won the men’s title in 1996, beating the then-imperious Pete Sampras along the way.
“Last year I just kept thinking, ‘it’s Wimbledon, it’s Wimbledon’, and it was just all too much. Because my brother won here it put a bit of pressure on me and I couldn’t really play my best. Of course Wimbledon is very special but I am trying to treat it as just another big tournament. I think I am a better player than I was last year, too, because I am physically stronger and a lot more confident. I feel like I am established.”
Krajicek will play Katerina Bondarenko in the semifinals. The newly red-haired Ukrainian beat the reigning Australian Open junior champion Shahar Peer 63 36 61 to reach the last four.
In the other girls’ semi-final Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Montenegro plays Belarusian Viktoria Azarenka after Ivanovic beat Alisa Kleybanova of Russia 76 61 and Azarenka knocked out Czech player Nicole Vaidisova, beating the second seed 76 75.
The boys’ quarterfinals were livened up considerably by the presence of a streaker, who ran across Court 19, where Briton Miles Kasiri was taking on New Zealand’s William Ward. It didn’t stop Kasiri becoming the first British boy to make the junior Wimbledon semifinals in a decade though – he won the match 64 63.
“The streaker ran on court for about five minutes and was I laughing a lot,” said Kasiri. “It was very funny but after she was taken off court I was straight back in to the game. I didn’t distract me at all.”
Kasiri will take on American Scoville Jenkins in the last four after Jenkins beat Woong-Sun Jun 63 63. “I’m really pleased because I lost to him last week and this was a chance to get revenge,” said Jenkins. “There is always a good atmosphere and Wimbledon was always my favourite tournament to watch on TV when I was younger so I’m really pleased that things are going to well.”
Kasiri and Jenkins are playing doubles together and know each other well; something which Jenkins admits makes his job harder. “It’s always difficult when you know someone really well and you play together a lot. We’ve never played each other in a match but at least I will know his game really well.”
Jenkins says he isn’t worried about taking on Kasiri in front of his home crowd. “I know the crowd will be for him and that will mean that he gets a little bit more pumped up but you can’t get mad at that. It’s England and he’s English so it’s natural that they would want him to win. I just have to stay focussed on what I’m doing.”
In the other boys’ semi, double grand slam champion Gael Monfils of France will be hoping to continue the rich vein of form he has shown this week when he takes on his compatriot Jeremy Chardy. Monfils was too strong for American Brendan Evans, beating the Floridian 75 62, while Chardy ended the hopes of Briton Jamie Baker with a 64 76 victory.
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