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American Morning

From Courts of Law to the Grass Court: Jennifer Capriati's Resurgence

Aired June 25, 2001 - 10:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAURA OKMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In sports, we abuse the cliche comeback story about as much as we overuse backs against the wall or do or die. But in the case of Jennifer Capriati, you would be hard- pressed to think of any resurgence more stunning in the world of sports, as Capriati eyes a third title in her unlikely quest for a grand slam.

CNN's Phil Jones has the story of the former teen prodigy's heart-warming reemergence, from phenom to burn out to mug shot to playing the best tennis of her life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Australian Open champion, French Open champion: Rarely do comeback players to make such an impact. Now, Jennifer Capriati is bidding for a third consecutive major, moving headlong towards what would be a truly staggering Grand Slam.

(voice-over): At yet, the age of 14, it all not only seemed not only impossible, but likely. She reached at least the fourth round and three semis in her first six Grand Slam tournaments. But teenage trials and tribulations followed; a period Capriati called a path of quiet rebellion, a little experimentation on the darker side. There were black thoughts.

JENNIFER CAPRIATI, FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION: Those feelings never go away. I think that it's good to just always remember and always remember that it's like and a place that you don't want to go back to. So, you know, I think it just doesn't matter how far down you get, I mean, there's always a possibility to come back.

JONES: But this was no overnight comeback. This was a gradual grind. Capriati, a non-factor for five years, won two titles in 1999. Last year, she was back in the top 20 and reached the Australian Open semis. But that was the smallest of appetizers. Capriati knew that she would taste the Grand Slam main course only by adding more zest.

CAPRIATI: I just thought to myself before, like, OK, I'm running out of time here, and if I'm really going to do maybe what I was supposed to do, then you know, I really start -- I got to start fighting for it.

JONES: Once she made that choice, her brother and traveling practice partner Stephen, wasn't the only one offering family support. Father Stefano returned as her coach. The collective endeavor brought Capriati her first grand slam title at this year's Australian Open at the age of 24.

The French Open triumph this month carried the Jen frenzy to levels last witnessed as a teenage phenom.

CAPRIATI: They were going nuts, I think, for reasons, maybe not only always like the right reasons, and you know, I feel like I've earned my famehood now. You know, and maybe back then -- I mean, it's not like I asked for it or anything, but it just maybe didn't feel as real and now it's definitely, I'm -- it's different. I'm enjoying it now as an adult, as a real person, a mature person.

JONES (on camera): Capriati is halfway to achieving a feat not even such legends as Billy Jean King. Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert could attain in a calendar year. In fact, Steffi Graf was the last player to win the Grand Slam in 1998.

At Wimbledon, I'm Phil Jones.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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