France's Amelie Mauresmo and Russian Maria Sharapova reached the semi-finals of the season-ending WTA Tour Championships on Friday, but American Lindsay Davenport, trying to hold on to her world number one ranking, was left in limbo.
Mauresmo, who could displace Davenport atop the world rankings here, defeated US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-3, 6-2 fending off all eight of the break points she faced.
Wimbledon champion Sharapova, 17, defeated compatriot Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 7-5 and like Mauresmo kept a perfect 2-0 record in round-robin play. They assured themselves of advancing as the top two players from the Black Group, with their exact order of finish to be determined when they meet on Saturday in the last group match.
The situation in the Red Group was less clear after French Open champion Anastasia Myskina upset Davenport 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams headed the group with two wins in two matches, with both Davenport and Myskina at 1-1 and Russian Elena Dementieva at 0-2.
On Saturday, Myskina was to take on Dementieva while Davenport faced a tough clash with Williams that likely had a semi-final berth riding on it.
"I think I probably have to win, and the quicker I can do it, the better chance I have," Davenport said of her hopes of making the semi-finals. "I think there is a chance I could lose and still make it if Myskina loses.
"You can drive yourself crazy thinking about it, especially when Myskina and Dementieva play after me."
Davenport was even more reluctant to enter into year-end world ranking calculations.
"No matter what, if I finish the year two, it has been a great year," she said. "And if I finish the year one, great."
Mauresmo said that regardless of what happens to Davenport, she believes her best chance to regain the number one spot she first captured in September is to win the title.
"The story is very easy," she said. "I need to not only qualify for the final but probably also to win the championship to have a hope to win the number one. So I will go for that."
Judging by her two matches so far, Mauresmo's chances of improving on her runner-up finish to Kim Clijsters in this tournament last year are good. "She has improved so much," said Kuznetsova, who has now lost all four of her matches against Mauresmo.
"She served huge today. She served so many aces, and she was leading because of her serve."
Mauresmo fired nine aces, and despite eight double faults was able to come up with the points on her serve when she needed them.
"I just try to make sure I go forward and don't let her play," Mauresmo said. "Every time I face a break point that's what I'm trying to do."
Davenport said she was't sure what to expect in match with Williams, but she knew holding serve would be key.
"You have to be able to hold your serve against her and not let her get a good lead because she plays well as a front runner," Davenport said. "She will be going for more shots than Myskina did today."
Myskina admitted that at one point against Davenport, she was just trying to erase the memory of her earlier loss to Williams - in which she let slip a lead of a set and two breaks to fall in three sets.
Once again against Davenport, Myskina was up a set and two breaks in the second when Davenport broke back and held to narrow the gap to 3-2. "That was a pretty scary moment for me," Myskina said. "I was just thinking to hold my serve after 3-2. I was really concentrating on that game."
In Dementieva, Myskina will be facing the woman she beat in the French Open final as well as in the final in Moscow in October.
Dementieva has lost both of her opening matches here, and Myskina predicted she would be motivated not only to avenge those defeats but also to avoid being whitewashed in the prestigious season finale.
Kuznetsova, with a round-robin record of 1-2, and Zvonareva, winless in three matches, were eliminated.
RESULTS: Round Robin: Red Group Anastasia Myskina (RUS) bt Lindsay Davenport (USA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. Black Group Maria Sharapova (RUS) bt Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 6-4,7-5 Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-3, 6-2.
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