Mauresmo breaks up American party

JENNIFER CAPRIATI became the first of the big four Americans to fall at the US Open when she lost to Amelie Mauresmo on Wednesday.

The dominance of US women was widely expected to culminate in their leading quartet Capriati, Lindsay Davenport and the Williams sisters taking all four semi-final places.

Davenport and Serena Williams ensured their places in the last four yesterday.

But French 10th seed Mauresmo upset the odds by fighting back from the brink of defeat to oust third-seeded Capriati - despite blowing four match-points.

She won 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to reach her first semi at Flushing Meadows, avenging her defeat by Capriati at this stage 12 months ago.

The Frenchwoman will now face Venus Williams or Monica Seles in the semi-finals, with both Americans seeking their third titles in New York. Seles, who beat Martina Hingis in the fourth round, won in 1991 and 1992, while Williams has carried off the title for the past two years.

Serena Williams demolished Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals.

Serena produced a devastating performance to beat Hantuchova 6-2 6-2 and book a semi-final date with Lindsay Davenport.

She again donned her intimidating black Lycra outfit and again she looked every inch a champion athlete.

But despite her performance against the Slovakian, Serena was cautious to talk down any prospects of an easy victory in the next match, recalling how her reign as champion was ended by Davenport in the 2000 quarter-finals.

Meanwhile Pete Sampras showed that he still retains a big match temperament and some brilliant shot making as he defeated German Tommy Haas 7-5 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 to go through to the quarter-finals of the men's singles.

The win was his 200th in a Grand Slam and, while there were periods when the strain of his long career began to show, he still had enough shots and nous to defeat Haas.

Perhaps the most telling statistic was Sampras's 80 winners compared to only 36 for the German. But when Haas, just 24, took the third set in a tie-breaker it seemed he might have the energy to knock Sampras out.

However, Sampras rallied, recovering some of his trademark athleticism and was always able to produce the thunderous winners.