Davenport plans straightforward approach

Lindsay Davenport will be aiming to go back to basics when she meets Maria Sharapova for a place in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon.

The former champion, seeded five this year by the All England Club, swept aside the challenge of giant-killer Karolina Sprem in the quarter-finals yesterday but knows she faces a stern examination by Russian teenager Sharapova tomorrow.

“I face my toughest opponent yet in the next round, someone that hits very hard and can take me out of my game, but I am going to try to do that to her first,” said Davenport, 28, who is contemplating whether this year’s Wimbledon will be her last.

“It is not really a strategic game plan, it is just kind of the basics I need to do well.

“I have not watched her play all that much. We are both baseliners and we both hit pretty hard.”

The American former world number one put in a vintage display to win 6-2 6-2 on Court One yesterday in less than an hour against the young Croat who last week controversially put out two-time champion Venus Williams.