Fourth-Seeded Capriati Wins, Faces 13th-Seeded Pierce Today

Jennifer Capriati, teen tennis star, has been distracted lately.

At times she suffers from lapses of concentration, allowing yet another opponent to stay with her as she did Saturday at Roland Garros Stadium against Karina Habsudova of Czechoslovakia. Then her interest returns, and she rifles unreachable shots, which she did to reach today’s round of 16 in the French Open.

Capriati, 16, who resides and trains at the Florida tennis resort of Saddlebrook, will face another young prodigy when she plays Mary Pierce of Villeneuve Loubet, France. The winner is headed for a potential quarterfinal match against top-seeded Monica Seles, who continued to breeze Saturday.

Capriati won, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, for her 100th professional victory.

Pierce also struggled Saturday but eliminated hard-hitting Andrea Strnadova of Czechoslovakia, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Pierce, who has lived in France for three years, learned to play in Florida on the junior circuit. Although she and Capriati have not met on the tour, they played twice as juniors. Capriati, seeded fourth, won both.

But winning today will be more difficult. Pierce has come into her own this year, and is seeded 13th.

Capriati suffered from blisters on her left foot, which needed attention at the end of the second set and beginning of the third.

“I just felt them pop,” she said.

The favorites had a much easier time Saturday. Seles defeated Lori McNeil of Houston in 45 minutes, 6-0, 6-2, and No. 2-seeded Gabriela Sabatini eliminated Julie Hallard of France, 6-1, 6-3.