Kim Clijsters eyes No. 2 ranking

She is winless in three tries against Jennifer Capriati.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BERLIN -- Jennifer Capriati and Kim Clijsters both won in straight sets Friday to reach the German Open semifinals and set up a rematch of the 2001 French Open championship match.
Clijsters can take the No. 2 ranking from Venus Williams by winning this $1.2 million clay-court tournament or by reaching the final, depending on the ranking of her opponents.
The fourth-seeded Capriati struggled in the second set but beat Elena Likhovtseva 6-3, 6-3 in damp and dark conditions. The top-seeded Clijsters won the first seven games of her quarterfinal and beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-0, 6-3 in less than an hour.
After winning the first set, Capriati charged to a 4-1 lead in the second before Likhovtseva closed within 4-3. Capriati fought off four break points and won the match when Likhovtseva netted a backhand.
Capriati has not dropped a set in her first three matches on the clay this season as she prepares for the French Open later this month.
History
Clijsters is winless in three matches against Capriati, the most noteworthy coming at Roland Garros in 2001, where Capriati won 1-6, 6-4, 12-10 in the longest third set of any French Open women's final.
Capriati is looking forward to her semifinal showdown.
"Clijsters is the favorite," Capriati said. "She's had a good run, both this year and at the end of last year.
"We've played some good matches, and of course the one great match. We've always have sort of dogfights when we play. It's fun."
Clijsters, who has been practicing with Capriati, expects a tough semifinal match.
"I'll have to play better to beat her," the Belgian said. "I've been playing well, but there's still things I need to improve on. You still have to play your own game."
In other quarterfinal matches, defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne advanced to the tournament semifinals for the third straight year, beating Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-4, 7-5.
Italian Open
ROME -- Roger Federer beat Filippo Volandri 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 Friday, preventing the wild-card entry from giving the host country its first Italian Open semifinalist in 25 years.
Federer's next opponent is Juan Carlos Ferrero, who defeated Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-4.
On the other side of the draw, Yevgeny Kafelnikov got past Martin Verkerk 6-3, 7-5, while Felix Mantilla defeated Ivan Ljubicic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The 100th-ranked Volandri stayed in several long rallies with Federer, concluding some with stunning winners on the run.
"His only weakness is the serve," Federer said. "He's been moving very well, he's been hitting his forehand well, his backhand is very solid. I was ready for a tough match, maybe not as tough as it was in the end."