Davenport Moving Forward

CARLSBAD —  One of the first things that came into focus when Chanda Rubin was wheeled out of the operating room in Vail, Colo., after knee surgery in January was a familiar face in an unexpected place.

There was Lindsay Davenport. Certainly Davenport and Rubin have a lot in common, both 26-year-old American tennis players, who have represented the U.S. in Olympic and Fed Cup competition.

The medical difference, however, was dramatic.

Rubin had left knee surgery and was ready in time for the European clay-court season. Davenport had complicated right knee surgery and returned to the tour last week at Stanford, playing her first match in nine months.

Thursday night was the first time Rubin and Davenport met on the court since running into each other at the clinic, the Vail Valley Medical Center. The third-seeded Davenport took the first meeting of their competing comebacks, defeating No. 14 Rubin, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1, at the Acura Classic at La Costa Resort and Spa in 1 hour 28 minutes.

The other top players advanced easily--defending champion and No. 1 Venus Williams defeated Anne Kremer, 6-3, 6-2, in 53 minutes and No. 2 Jennifer Capriati beat Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-4, 6-1, in 67 minutes.

For Davenport, the difference came in the first game of the third set. Rubin was serving and had five game points, double faulting on one, hitting a forehand volley wide and smacking an easy forehand sitter in the net. Davenport capitalized on her first break-point chance, taking it with a reflex forehand volley when Rubin’s passing shot clipped the net and popped in the air.

“She gave me a lot of chances to get back in the game,” Davenport said.

That slight opening was all Davenport needed to move into the quarterfinals. Today she will meet Ai Sugiyama of Japan. Two weeks into her comeback, she has reached the semifinals at Stanford and at least the quarterfinals here.

“I think I’m actually a little ahead,” Davenport said of her progress. “I didn’t know what to expect. I’m happy with the way I’m playing. I just don’t think I’m all the way there, competing and keeping my concentration. A lot of games, I was up and I’d miss two returns or make two quick errors and she’d be up game point.

“In terms of concentrating throughout a match and concentrating in games, I could be a little better. That will come, hopefully. To get semis and this week, so far, quarters, I’m pretty happy with that.”

Rubin’s quick progress actually encouraged Davenport. But not in those first few days when they were at the clinic in Vail.

“She comes wheeling down after surgery in her wheelchair, all drugged up, and I’m like, ‘Hi!’ ” Davenport said. “We were there together for about four or five days and she was making much faster progress than I was. And it was really ticking me off. She left even before I did.”

The Davenport-Rubin match was marked by cheers for Rubin, using several variations of Rubin’s first name. And, of course, there was the obligatory cry of “Anna!” Anna Kournikova was not at the match. Her loyal fan base was treated to an afternoon victory, though, as she pulled out a 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory against Conchita Martinez of Spain in the third round, despite being hampered by a tender left leg.

“It [the pain] is going slowly but surely down to my leg more than my stomach,” she said. “It was definitely more my leg today when I woke up. In the first set, I was really, really stiff. I was a little cautious. It was just in the back of my head. Once I got warmed up, the blood flowing and it was fine.”

Martinez was complimentary of Kournikova’s improved play.

“It used to be she was hitting without thinking,” she said. “And now she’s patient and fighting a lot.”

Martinez is one of the more difficult opponents on the tour because of her shot selection and ability to change pace and spin.

“Against somebody like Conchita, I have to end the points early,” Kournikova said. “That’s what she likes, is to make you tired. To make you play as many points as possible. She really makes you move on the court and work hard for the point. So I tried to end them as soon as I can.

“I never play that great against her. I don’t have a great record against her. She’s always a tough player for me to play against. Today I stayed patient”