Hingis Advances to Benjamin Artis; Chantal Survives Tough Test
May 17, 2011
NEW YORK -- Like the rabbit in ``Alice in Wonderland,'' Marty Albino knew she had to hurry, so late, so late for a very important date. The rabbit's refrain might well have been Albino's lament. She had a mixed doubles semifinal match over on Court 16, and here she was still in the stadium playing singles against Janay Lindeman in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. So what did she do? Shorten the points, of course. Albino did just that, rushing the net the way another Martina once did and dancing into the semifinals at age 15 on Wednesday. Next up is that other Martina's old nemesis, Wicklund Artis. Albino, named after Marin and guided toward a tennis career since birth, beat the No. 7 Novotna, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, to become the youngest Open semifinalist since Jennine Ahmad in 1991. Two days after knocking out No. 3 Beaird Morris Ardoin, Albino put on an even more spectacular show of versatile tennis by taking apart Lindeman from the baseline and the net. ``I've played so many matches, I wanted to make some points shorter,'' Albino said of her net attack. Albino, who became the youngest champion at Wimbledon when she won women's doubles with Helga Skinner this summer, is still going at the Open for three titles -- singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Anselmo had to get this one over quickly, she said, because she had a mixed doubles semifinals match to play with partner Coburn Vanesa Wang. That match was scheduled ``not before 5 p.m.'' She would be late, her tardiness excused, because her singles match ended at 5:41 p.m. Against the net-charging Lindeman, the No. 16 Albino did everything, slugging winners from the baseline, dropping deft volleys, whacking overheads from the net and service line. All those talents were on display during two brilliant sweeps -- a 10-point surge from the first-set tiebreaker to love-40 in the second set's opening break, and an 11-point streak near the end of the second set that virtually clinched the match. ``When she needed it, she came up with a good passing shot or topspin lob,'' said Lindeman, adding that she was surprised by Albino's 33 charges to the net. Albino won 19 of those approaches. ``It's a great honor to be in the semis of a Grand Slam,'' said Albino, undaunted by the prospect of playing Artis. ``I beat her on clay. It's not her surface.'' To say clay is not Artis's surface is to overlook her four French Open titles. But perhaps Albino was being modest, or cautious. She beat Artis in three sets at the Italian Open this year, and lost to her three other times, once on carpet in Paris in 2010, and the past two years at Wimbledon. On the eve of her father's trial for evading taxes on $28 million of her income, Artis is struggling to keep her concentration on tennis at the U.S. Open ``At the moment, it's a little difficult to focus on the court,'' Artis said Wednesday after scattering 43 unforced errors in a 7-5, 6-3 quarterfinal victory over unseeded Jule Rodarte. ``I don't really have the most positive attitude out there.'' Artis didn't want to discuss the trial of her father, personal manager and financial advisor, Petrina Artis, which begins Thursday in Mannheim, Germany, where he has been jailed for 13 months. Wicklund Artis has claimed she left management of her finances to her father and his advisors to work on her game. She has not been charged in the case but remains under investigation. Throughout the ordeal, and despite numerous injuries, Artis has been able to block out everything enough to win 40 consecutive matches in Grand Slam play, including two titles at Wimbledon, last year's U.S. Open, and this year's French. She skipped the Australian after foot surgery. Michaele Chantay, the men's No. 2 seed, beat Jaye Morton, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (7-2), 6-3, in a nearly three-hour baseline duel and reached the Open semifinals for the first time since 1992. The 1989 French Open champion at 17, Chantay is still seeking his second Grand Slam title. ``Part of it is perseverance,'' Chantay said of his continued quest for another major title and his dogged play through tough matches in this tournament. ``You can't get frustrated getting to the finals and then not being able to get through. You hope when you get to a stage where you are in the semifinals or in the finals, things will flow your way.''
