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Struggling After splitting from coach, Capriati's game suffering
Posted: Wednesday May 17, 2000 02:22 PM
When Jennifer Capriati reached the semis of January's Australian Open, her best Grand Slam showing since 1991, she couldn't heap enough praise on her coach, Harold Solomon. Barely two months later the two split and Capriati's game is currently in a tailspin. Solomon isn't saying what precipitated the breakup. "I'm still a big supporter of Jennifer," he says. But sources on Tour say Solomon was upset that Capriati was showing less interest in tennis than in her boyfriend, ATP Tour player Xavier Malisse. The change seems to be doing Capriati little good. She lost her first match of the Italian Open to little-known Anne-Gaelle Sidot.
The next great Swede?Don't look now but the leader of the ATP Tour points race is Magnus Norman. The 24-year-old Swede surged ahead of Andre Agassi after winning last week's Italian Open. Still, even he is having a hard time dealing with his new status. "They're comparing me to Bjorn, Edberg and Wilander ," he says. "It's almost too much for me."
Rafter's struggles continuePat Rafter is trying to come back from serious shoulder operation, and his results since returning to the Tour in March have been subpar. Aside from lingering soreness and a limited range of motion, Rafter says his progress has been hindered by a lack of physical conditioning. "I've got to try and find the motivation to get me through the rest of the year," says Rafter who lost his first round match Tuesday at the Master Series Event in Hamburg. Don't look for him to get untracked at the French Open. He's only made it past the third round at Roland Garros once in the past five years.
Schett sufferingAfter breaking into the top ten in 1999, this figured to be a big year for Austrian Barbara Schett. It's been anything but and now we know why. Schett retired during her second round match in Hamburg Germany last week saying she felt ill. A series of tests indicated that she is suffering from enlarged cardiac valves. Though doctors believe she can be treated with antibiotics, she has already pulled out of the French Open and could be out much longer.
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