Article written by Gerhard Grundhammer

Watch out for the doubles Semifinal at Indian Wells! You will see 4 of the world best doubles players and two of the worlds best teams playing!

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Team USA:

Lisa Raymond and Lindsay Davenport are only 8th seed at Indian Wells, but they are definately two of the most outstanding doubles players in the history of tennis!  They have already won 5 double-titles together, 2 of them here, at Indian Wells, and 58 doubles-titles with different partners! 6 of those titles were Grand Slams! Both players have alredy been ranked no1 in the doubles ranking, and next monday they will be no 2 in the championsrace for teams! To proceed to the semifinal they have beaten the slovakian talents Krizan/Srebotnik and the young russian couple Myskina/Safina in straight sets, and second seeds Black/Likhovtseva 2-6, 6-1 and 7-5

The players:

Lindsay Davenport: USA, 26 years, former no1 in doubles, won 32 doubles titles, 3 Grand Slams and 3 times the season ending championships! Will be ranked at least no20 after Indian Wells. She likes to play with steady partners! Won 10 titles with Zvereva, 5 with MJ Fernandez, 4 with Novotna, 4 with Morario and 5 titles with her current partner Lisa Raymond!

Lisa Raymond: USA, 29 years, former no1 in doubles, won 36 doubles titles, 3 Grand Slams and once the season ending championships! Currently ranked no3 in doubles. She also likes to play with steady partners! Won 30 titles with Stubbs and 5 with Davenport!

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Team Europe:

Nadja Petrova and Jelena Dokic are 7th seed at Indian Wells, and one of the most promising teams in the WTA. Both girls played only doubles for fun with a lot of different partners, until they discovered their huge amount of talent as a team. Since then the team up together as much as possible. They only played 9 tournaments together now, but already won 2 titles, and reached 5 finals!

Indian Wells is only their second tournament in 2003, but will lead them at least into the top15 at the championsrace for teams! To reach the semifinals of Indian Wells, Jelena and Nadja beat Musgrave/Spears and Kostanic/Nagyova in straight sets, and 4th seeds Bovina/Stubbs 1-6, 6-2 and 6-4

The players:

Jelena Dokic: Yougoslavia, 19 years, currently no 13 in doubles, won 4 titles. Amazing talent at singles and doubles, and a huge personality, also known for the most passionate fans and the best internetsite of all players. Won the French Open Juniors title together with Kim Clijsters.

Nadja Petrova: Russia, 20 years, will probably be ranked no14 in doubles next monday, won 3 titles. Had a very hard injury last year and is desperately trying since to fight her way back to the top. Jelenas best friend on tour! Reached the final of the US-Open girls doubles!

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The Previous Matches:

These teams never faced eachother but they know eachother very well from
past singels and doubles matches:

singles:

Davenport leads Dokic 7-0!
Davenport leads Petrova 2-0
Raymond leads Petrova 2-0
Dokic leads Raymond 2-1

doubles:

Dokic - Davenport 1-1
Dokic and Coetzer beat Davenport/Morariu 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 in September 1999
Dokic and Sanchez-Vicario lost to Davenport/Morariu 5-7, 2-6 in January 2000

Petrova - Davenport 0-1
Petrova and Grant lost to Davenport/Kournikova 2-6, 0-6 in July 2000

Dokic - Raymond 2-2
Dokic and Dementieva lost to Raymond/Stubbs 5-7, 2-6 in April 2001
Dokic and Martinez beat Raymond/Stubbs 7-5, 6-2 in May 2001
Dokic and Tulyaganova lost to Raymond/Stubbs 6-1, 5-7, 5-7 in January 2002
Dokic and Clijsters beat Raymond/Stubbs 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in August 2002

Petrova - Raymond 0-1
Petrova and Rippner lost to Raymond/Stubbs 3-6, 3-6 in April 1999

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The Preview:
The next generation is taking the challenge. Both Dokic and Petrova had very disappionting results in singles. Not only at Indian Wells but basically all year. Both players look quite lost on court as soon as they have just the slightest bad run. Especially Jelena gives sometimes the impression as if she would look around the audience and asks for someone who tells her what to do, and to cheer her up. And maybe thats exactly what she has in Nadja. Both girls have the talent and the power to send Davenport and Raymond home, but will they have the convidence to beat them?

Conficence and experience, that will be the main advantages for Raymond and Davy. Next to a crowd, who will surely favour the americans.

But there are still many questions who will be only answered on court: Will Lindsay be able to focus on that match, as she is also going for the title in the singles competiton? Will Jelena be able to cut down her unforced errors and bring back hersavety into the game? Will Nadja focus on this match, as if she and Jelena will win, it would mean to Nadja that she would (again) miss a opportunity to qualify for another tournament! Will Lisa be overpowered by such excellent singles players?
 
Watch out for this doubles semifinal!