Tennis: Confident Capriati hopes to turn the clock back

Jennifer Capriati, the comeback queen of women’s tennis, is just one victory away from revisiting the crowning glory of her traumatic youth.

The number four seed plays fellow-American Serena Williams in the pick of tomorrow’s women’s quarter-finals, hoping to emulate her record-breaking feat of reaching the semis in 1990.

As a schoolgirl of just 14 years and two months she was the youngest-ever semi-finalist at Roland Garros.

Such has been her form and fitness this past week that she is already the favourite in many expert’s minds to add the French Open title to her first Grand Slam, the Australian Open, which she won back in January.

That title crowned a comeback of fairytale dimensions for the girl who appeared to have thrown away her tennis career when she became embroiled in drugs, shoplifting charges and apparent suicide attempts as a tempestuous teenager.

Now 25, Capriati has never appeared more relaxed or mature.

‘‘I remember seeing all the sights in those days with the television following me around all the time,’’ said Capriati.

‘‘It was my first time in Paris. My brother and my whole family were there doing the shopping. It was new and different but most of all I remember is getting to the semi-finals.’’

The confidence has grown so rapidly over the past few months that she is unmoved even by the physical power of Williams.

‘‘I just played her in Miami and I won that,’’ said Capriati. ‘‘That was hard court and I don’t know if clay is her best surface. She’s going to be real eager to win but it would be great to win this, especially it being a clay court.

‘‘I won in Barcelona in the Olympics. It means I can play on clay. I think I have a good chance.’’

To reach the final, however, she will almost certainly have to play Martina Hingis in the semi-final.

Hingis beat Frenchwoman Sandrine Testud yesterday in a match which was marred when an egg and several coins were thrown on court.

Hingis plays Italy’s Francesca Schiavone in the quarters but she knows the real firepower is likely to come from Capriati.

‘‘Jennifer is up, she’s hot right now,’’ said Hingis, who is bidding to lift the only

Grand Slam title she has not won.

‘‘Against her I couldn’t have any lapses. But I’m serving well and playing pretty good tennis. I’m comfortable out there.

‘‘It’s a great result for Schiavone to get to the quarter-finals. I hope that’s going to be her last stop.’’

Meanwhile, Andre Agassi, the number three seed, was due to bid for a place in the men’s quarter-finals today against Franco Squillari of Argentina.