Sharapova remains focused

WIMBLEDON, England - Luckily a streaker did a cartwheel on Centre Court and cranky Elena Dementieva whined about Maria Sharapova's grunting, because the actual tennis played during the Wimbledon women's quarterfinals was not very compelling Tuesday.

Sharapova, the fourth seed and 2004 champion, did double fault after the naked man scampered around the court before security finally covered him with a blanket and led him away. But she beat Dementieva 6-1, 6-4.

Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne both won. Second-seeded Clijsters beat Li Na, the first Chinese woman to advance to any major quarterfinal, 6-4, 7-5, while third-seeded Henin-Hardenne was pushed by French qualifier Severine Bremond before winning 6-4, 6-4.

Top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo did play three sets before beating No. 9 seed Anastasia Myskina, but mostly it was France's Mauresmo throwing away the middle set before she settled down for a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win.

The results set up one Thursday semifinal no one is dying to see, Henin-Hardenne versus Clijsters, and the more intriguing Sharapova against Mauresmo. Sharapova has grown more feisty and comfortable as the tournament has progressed. Mauresmo? One never knows.

Sharapova was positively demure when the male streaker galloped onto the court just as the 19-year-old was about to serve with her 3-0 lead in the second set. Sharapova turned her back and faced the royal box. After a moment of surprise, Dementieva tried to suppress a giggle.

"It was real bizarre," Sharapova said. "Even more bizarre that it took like 10 seconds for security to come out. I didn't really look at the guy, thank God. I didn't want to look at all the details."

Dementieva said she was momentarily worried. "The first feeling was like something happening here, a little scary. But then, I mean, if the crowd likes it, that's OK with me."

The two Belgians have played 21 times, and Henin-Hardenne has won 11, including the last four meetings at major tournaments. Most recently, Henin-Hardenne easily won their French Open semifinal 6-3, 6-2 in just more than an hour.

"Obviously," Clijsters said, "I've lost the last few matches that I've played against her. In a way, I have nothing to lose."

Except a Wimbledon title, which neither Clijsters nor Henin-Hardenne has won. In fact only Henin-Hardenne has made it to a Wimbledon final, and that was five years ago. Henin-Hardenne has often spoken about how the French Open means more to her than any other Grand Slam title, and she has won three of those. She also has won a U.S. Open and Australian Open. But never here.

"It's a great challenge for me, Wimbledon," she said. "So it's starting to be something very important for myself. For sure, I would sign for one Wimbledon in my career, for sure I would do that."

Since arriving uncertain about how an injured ankle would hold up, Sharapova has been gradually moving better and serving more dangerously. Dementieva actually complimented Sharapova on the serve. "I really think she has a great one," Dementieva said. "She has improved a lot."

But then Dementieva suggested tennis officials should put a muffler on Sharapova's shrieking grunts that vary in length and loudness on every point. "It's a little too much," she said. "I think the umpire should calm her down a little bit."

But then Dementieva also noted something else. "When you're losing 6-1, 4-1, it doesn't look good if you're gonna go to the umpire talking about how loud she's screaming on the court."

So Dementieva kept quiet until the match was over. And Sharapova will be able to grunt another day.