They can say whatever they want to say.”Windy conditions contributed to the number of shots that went astray, and nerves added to the drama in the final set, with four breaks of serve on each side The eighth break hurt Capriati most. The excitement was fuelled by errors, and spectators found great amusement in Dementieva’s round-arm service action and plopping second deliveries – until the Russian won the third-set tie-break, 7-5.Dementieva made 53 errors to Capriati’s 33, although the Russian’s eight double-faults almost counted as a step in the right direction compared with her usual quota. Asked why her serve did not match her impressive groundstroke game, Dementieva said: “It’s not my favourite shot.” But is she not embarrassed when spectators laugh? “It’s doesn’t bother me at all I keep winning. As for New York, zilch.Capriati’s fourth semi-final appearance at the US Open since 1991, when she was 15, ended in yet another disappointment on Friday.

Friday’s match against Dementieva was in a different category. So the host nation was left without a representative in either the men’s or women’s singles finals for the first time since 1988. While the lack of home interest threatened the CBS television ratings on “Super Saturday”, the hearts of tennis followers went out to the disappointed Capriati.A year ago, she was denied a place in the final by the gutsy Belgian Justin Henin-Hardenne, after serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set and 5-3 in the final set and coming within two points of victory nine times. She was nudged out of the championships by Elena Dementieva, who last night was due to contest an all-Russian final with Svetlana Kuznetsova.America’s last hope in the singles – a limping Lindsay Davenport was earlier defeated by Kuznetsova – Capriati was unable to carry the flag, Dementieva prevailing, 6-0 2-6 7-5, after two hours and 15 minutes. The redemption of Capriati’s troubled career came in Melbourne and Paris. “It was definitely a bit awkward, with my parents in one box and Jaslyn in another,” Hewitt said.

This time Hewitt’s serve came to the rescue.Johansson was taken to deuce in the sixth game, but neither player prospered until the Swede served to stay in the set at 4-5. “The defender knows he is going to make the tackle, but kids the attacker he is going to cover the pass.”For Scarbrough, who lines up at home to Worcester this afternoon, it was a neat twist of fate that would please any fan or coach. He had blown a try of his own in similar circumstances in a friendly in South Africa a couple of weeks beforehand, and learned his lesson well.. Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the US Open men’s singles final yesterday without dropping a set in his six matches. The Australian fourth seed was too experienced and accomplished for his semi-final opponent, Joachim Johansson, defeating the 6ft 6in Swede, 6-4 7-5 6-3. You need options, and it is still up to the players to make the right call.”Saracens’ Dan Scarbrough made the right call against Wasps, conning his opponent Joe Worsley into believing there was a gap to run into as the champions sought a late match-winning try.

Worsley delayed what looked an obvious pass outside to Peter Richards. When he realised his error, his basketball-style pass was snuffed out by Scarbrough’s team-mate Kevin Sorrell. “Fool’s gold” is how Saracens’ head coach, Rod Kafer, describes the bait taken by Worsley.”Scarbrough would have given Worsley the ‘lying eyes’,” says Griffiths. For the play-the-ball in league, read the tackle area in union. A five-metre buffer behind the hindmost foot has been suggested, but would be difficult to police and would radically alter the dynamic of the tackle and the ruck.”My defensive systems begin where the ball is,” says Ford, an ex-league player who added Saracens to his Ireland duties in June “Wasps start wider, usually at outside-centre It is very aggressive, and their line speed is excellent. I think a lot of teams, including South Africa, have tried to copy that, but it’s evolving all the time.