LONDON, July 3 (UPI) -- Ninth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France ended Jennifer Capriati's run of six consecutive Grand Slam semifinal appearances Wednesday while Serena Williams kept rolling on another rain-soaked day at Wimbledon.
In a match delayed for three hours and interrupted twice by showers, Mauresmo dominated play in the 6-3, 6-2 victory over the third-seeded Capriati, who twice received medical treatment for an apparent left shoulder injury.
Williams, the second seed and reigning French Open champion, inched closer to another meeting with her sister, Venus, by coasting to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
Williams needed just over an hour to dispose of Hantuchova and will meet Mauresmo in one semifinal. Venus Williams, who is seeking her third straight Wimbleton title, will face Justin Henin of Belgium in the other semifinal.
Wearing a tatoo of an angel on her upper arm, Mauresmo seemed to have extra jump in her game. The Frenchwoman pushed Capriati around the court, dictating play with big serves and winners.
Unable to handle Mauresmo's relentless game, Capriati failed to reach the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since the 2000 U.S. Open, where she was beaten in the fourth round.
Mauresmo is having her best showing in a Grand Slam since losing to Martina Hingis in the 1999 Australian Open final.
"At least on this surface, I think I've never played better tennis than I did today," Mauresmo said. "I'm very happy about the consistency. From the beginning to the end, I didn't let anything go. I think that was the key today."
Capriati should have known it was going to be a long day when the start of the match was delayed for nearly four hours. Play then was halted after just 17 minutes, following Capriati's double fault that gave Mauresmo a 4-2 lead.
The first set endured another delay before Mauresmo served it out.
Capriati held serve to open the second set before Mauresmo took control, winning five straight games and eight consecutive points at one stage.
At 4-1, Capriati took a medical timeout, with the trainer rubbing her shoulder and neck. Capriati again called for the trainer at 5-2. Mauresmo then served out the match, with Capriati hitting a forehand return long on the final point.
Afterward, Capriati didn't blame her injury.
"I felt it at the start of the second set, like a little strain," she said. "It was just kind of one of those nagging feelings. It was bothering me. I think it was just because it was so cold and I didn't get a good warmup. But I don't think it had anything to do with my loss."
Sticking to the baseline and picking opportune times to charge the net, Mauresmo finished with 19 winners and 11 unforced errors while breaking Capriati's serve three times.
Capriati had 11 winners and 11 unforced errors and failed to convert either of her break chances.
"I knew I shouldn't let her play her game and do what she likes to and that is dictating and being into the court, going left and right," Mauresmo said. "So I just took my chances and went forward and it worked well."
"I think she did everything great," Capriati said. "The most important thing she did was serve unbelievable. I don't really think I had a chance out there. When you're playing against someone that's playing so well, it just puts more pressure on you."
Like the first match, Serena Williams and Hantuchova also battled the weather. Their encounter was disrupted three times by rain.
Williams dominated with her sheer power, using 10 aces and an 86 winning percentage on first serves to advance in just 68 minutes.
"I've been working really hard on my serve," Williams said. "I don't really think I served the way I can. I had potential to serve all year, but it's coming along."
A highly promising 19-year-old, Hantuchova was competitive early. But at 3-3, Williams broke serve with a powerful forehand, then saved two break points in the ninth game before taking the set.
Williams won three of the first four games in the second set. After a 57-minute delay, she needed just 14 minutes to end the match, clinching it with a sizzling backhand cross-court winner.
"She was serving unbelievable today," Hantuchova said. "She hit some really good serves on important points and that made the difference in the match. I've still got a lot to learn, so I think it's just a matter of experience."
On the men's side, Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands moved into the quarterfinals by outlasting Australian Mark Philippousis, 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, in a match that began on Monday.
Home favorite and fourth seed Tim Henman of Britian got off to a good start in his quarterfinal match with Brazil's Andre Sa, taking the first set, 6-3. That match will resume Thursday.
Top seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands had their quarterfinal match pushed back to Thursday.
Hewitt and Krajicek are the only players remaining in the men's draw to have won a Grand Slam title.
