Matchless Frustration

By LISA DILLMAN

March 16, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

INDIAN WELLS —

The air of high anticipation at the Tennis Masters Series went straight out of the stadium Thursday when Venus Williams pulled out of a semifinal match against her younger sister Serena because of an injured right knee.

This last-minute development left officials angered and mystified, raising the persistent question of credibility. Timing was one issue, as the withdrawal was announced only four minutes before the match was to have started.

Some fans among the crowd of 11,767 asked for refunds and ESPN was stranded and resorted to showing the earlier semifinal between Martina Hingis and Kim Clijsters.

Oh yeah, remember Hingis?

Only the Williams sisters, by not playing a tennis match, could turn an unexpected loss by the No. 1 player in the world into a footnote. Clijsters, a 17-year-old from Belgium, reached the final in emphatic fashion, smacking a forehand service return for a clean winner against Hingis on match point.

Clijsters defeated Hingis, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1, making it the first time Hingis has failed to reach the final in six tournaments. For Clijsters, it was her first victory against the top five--Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams, Monica Seles and Jennifer Capriati.

“I know that I’ll have to stay with my feet on the ground,” Clijsters said.

However, within hours, the proceedings turned surreal and, of course, tabloid. Tournament director Charlie Pasarell looked shocked after hearing the news of Venus’ withdrawal and then irritated.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” he said.

Richard Williams, the father and coach of Venus and Serena, spoke for about a minute and then hung up the phone on a reporter.

“How would I know? I’m not even over there to know what’s going on,” he said. “I know everyone thinks I’m God, but I’m not God.”

Venus said she hit about an hour and a half before the match, trying to warm up the knee. “I was moving like a grandma,” she said.

She said she was troubled by tendinitis in the knee during an event last month in Nice, France, and it curtailed her movement at this tournament.

“I’m having a difficult time bending,” Venus said. “At my height, I have to, if I want to compete well. Movement is one of my strengths. I just don’t have a chance against Serena if I can’t move.”

Because Venus and Serena have withdrawn from so many events under curious circumstances, Venus was asked whether she was getting a reputation as somebody who doesn’t always show up.

“No, I don’t think so,” she said. “It’s very disappointing for me and most of all for the fans. I’m scheduled to be there at 6, and I can’t. What more can I do? I can’t send Venus No. 2.”

She will not receive the money due a semifinalist, according to tour rules, taking home $59,250, instead of $79,500, officials said.

Coincidentally, Russian teenager Elena Dementieva--who had said Wednesday that Venus appeared to be injured during their quarterfinal match--had asserted that Richard Williams would determine the outcome of the match between his daughters. Her perception was based, in part, on their erratic play in the Lipton final two years ago.

Dementieva made the statement when merely asked who would win between the sisters. Venus said the opinion that the outcome was prearranged was not true.

“I don’t say anything to them,” she said of the other players. “For me, it’s not an issue at all. I don’t even think for them it’s an issue. I just think they come in here and you guys ask them a question.”

Another match drawing scrutiny from the media and players was the semifinal between Venus and Serena at Wimbledon last year. The weekly tabloid, the National Enquirer, is scheduled to run a story today about the Williams family and its Web site, late Thursday night, promoted it with this headline: “Wimbledon Fixed?”

The tabloid, which once reported on the landing of space aliens, has broken several major political stories this year, including revelations on the presidential pardons.

So it’s little wonder the other matches on the grounds were overshadowed. Serena was asked just two questions about her opponent in the final, Clijsters. Serena is 2-0 against Clijsters.

The Belgian teenager may not be ranked in the top 10, but earlier, Hingis had said Clijsters would get there soon. Almost two years ago, insiders took note when the youngster qualified for Wimbledon, winning three rounds before losing to Steffi Graf.

Later that summer, she showed Wimbledon was no fluke by nearly taking out eventual champion Serena Williams in the third round. Clijsters served for the match at 5-3 in the third set and fell victim to teen tension as well as a resurgent Williams.

“I was still a rookie,” Clijsters said. “I was actually quite nervous then.”

Those sorts of losses are almost necessary lessons on the way up the ladder.

“I used to play Steffi,” Hingis said. “You’re like, ‘Wow!’ and overwhelmed by the time you walk on the court. I think the new generation, they’re much more cheeky, they just go in there. They’re not afraid of anything anymore.”

Clijsters’ fearlessness was obvious from the start. She hit 11 winners in the first set to Hingis’ one. In all, Clijsters had 21 winners, 13 off the forehand side, to 10 by Hingis.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Masters Series at Indian Wells

WOMEN’S FINAL

SATURDAY--2 p.m.

Kim Clijsters vs. Serena Williams

TV: 4:30 p.m., ESPN (delayed)

MEN’S QUARTERFINALS

TODAY--10 a.m.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov vs.

Jan-Michael Gambill

Lleyton Hewitt vs. Nicolas Escude

Patrick Rafter vs. Pete Sampras