Serena Serves Up Thrashing

This was supposed to be a fabulous grudge rivalry, two massive-hitting, ferocious competitors who would wield ground strokes as bludgeons and grunt and sweat and swear until one slugged an awesome winner that left a crater in the dirt and a dagger in a heart.

Instead, Serena Williams dismissed Jennifer Capriati from Wimbledon’s Centre Court on Wednesday as if she were a first-grade teacher handing her pupil a summer reading list that might provide self-improvement.

“How to Hit a Serve on the Line 119 MPH,” by Serena Williams.

“The Forehand, Keeping It in the Court,” by Williams.

“I Love the Limelight,” also by Williams.

As a woman who uses her name spelled backward -- Aneres -- as the moniker of her new design firm, Williams probably spent more time braiding her hair, choosing her jewelry and applying her sparkly makeup than she did in finishing off Capriati, 6-1, 6-1, in a 46-minute quarterfinal.

Her win earned the top-seeded Williams a place in today’s semifinals against fourth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France. Mauresmo, 24, made her second semifinals here with an inconsistent 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 win over Argentina’s Paola Suarez. The other semifinal will pit 28-year-old veteran Lindsay Davenport of Laguna Beach against 17-year-old Russian phenom Maria Sharapova.

Though they are miles apart in native lands and generations, Davenport and Sharapova share a good basis in tennis taught to them by Robert Lansdorp, the Southern California coach who gave Tracy Austin and Pete Sampras their beginnings as well.

With a strike by the Underground train engineers, traffic was congested and the 13,000 Centre Court seats were one-third empty at the start of the Williams-Capriati match.

The fans didn’t miss much.

Williams imperiously manipulated Capriati from side to side until Capriati flailed at air and slunk back to the baseline. The sound of the match was of Capriati’s feet running -- thud, thud, thud -- toward unreachable Williams forehands. The sight of the match was a baleful Capriati screwing up her face and looking to the heavy, dark sky for something. Inspiration? A downpour? Invisibility?

More had been expected. While she trailed Williams, 9-6, in career matches, Capriati, 28, had won the last two, including an intense quarterfinal victory at the 2004 French Open. This time, Capriati, winner of three Grand Slams but never Wimbledon, seemed put off by the anticipation of another big match against the top seed and two-time defending champion.

“Everyone’s talking about it so much,” she said, “and it’s very hard to just go out there and just completely focus on tennis.”

Williams, however, relished the challenge. Her upset loss to Capriati at the French Open inspired her. “It geared me up to know I’m going to have to come out strong, especially in the first set, just to come out fighting for the first few points,” Williams said.

She fought harder on almost every point, winning 58 to Capriati’s 30. “I don’t think I had much of a chance to get into the match,” Capriati said. “I was feeling so much pressure from her coming off the baseline and the serve. Her game plan was to tee off on everything and she was on. She didn’t let me in it at all.”

Williams beat Mauresmo, 6-2, 6-1, here two years ago in a semifinal and leads the series, 6-1. “It’s pretty tough to play against Serena,” Mauresmo said, “because one or two shots and it’s done, especially on this surface. You have to be very focused and ready from the first shot to handle her game.”

Davenport is in her third semifinal here, a tournament she won in 1999. After knee and foot surgery over the last 18 months, Davenport makes it no secret this might be her final Wimbledon. She has never played Sharapova.

It will be the 13th-seeded Sharapova’s first time in a Grand Slam semifinal, and the media are captivated with the 6-foot blond who had a modeling contract before she won a tennis title.

Davenport has moved on quietly, as usual. She said the last thing she wants is any kind of tennis farewell tour, but there is still an eagerness for another big moment.

“A lot of times my performance revolves around how I’m feeling and how I play,” she said. “Sometimes the other player is too good but more times for me, I feel like it’s my fault, win or lose. It’s up to me.”