CAPRIATI IN DRUGS FURY

'Random Testing Is An Invasion Of Our Bodies'

Self-Confessed drug-taker Jennifer Capriati last night slammed plans to
randomly dope-test female players.

Capriati is the one tennis player known to have taken drugs after being
arrested in possession of marijuana in 1995.

Yet she hit out at the Women's Tour officials last night, insisting they
have no right to turn up unannounced at the homes of players to ask for
samples.

Reigning Wimbledon queen Venus Williams backed the scheme just hours
earlier, maintaining she had nothing to hide.

But Capriati, who plays Amelie Mauresmo of France in the quarter-finals
today, said: "I think that's a bit of an invasion. Something to think
about. I don't know if they are really going to go through with that or not.

"But I just don't think they have any kind of right to see what's going on
inside your body, whatever, even if you are not doing anything."

The system is currently operating on the men's tour and has so far caught
three male players. But it has not yet been introduced on the women's tour
because of a lack of cash.

Capriati was speaking after beating Greek star Eleni Daniilidou in a
rain-interrupted three sets, 6-1 3-6 6-1.

But she insisted that if testers were looking for steroid abuse in the
women's game, they would have no luck.

She went on: "Maybe if there was a real question or someone in particular
in question, then I could see the point.

"But until then, no. I don't think that's something you have to get started."

The WTA plan to begin testing later this year and their legal chief Tandy
O'Donoghue last night defended the proposals to allow drug-busters to turn
up out of the blue.

O'Donoghue said: "It's a difficult question but there can be no excuses for
not testing. We want to do it, we plan to do it and we hope to do some in
2002 and 2003."

Williams, meanwhile, warned that players must be safeguarded against
hoaxers trying to use the new laws to intrude on players' private lives.

The world No.1 revealed that, before Wimbledon, a hoaxer tried to get into
her house by posing as a random drug tester.

She said: "I realise in other sports they do lots of testing so I wouldn't
be against it, I suppose. But I think there has at least to be notice. I
wouldn't let anyone in my house if I am not expecting them. Showing up at
my door? Are you kidding?

"Actually that happened to me. Someone tried to get in the development I
live in, doing a drug test. He said that if I was not tested within the
next two hours, I wouldn't be playing on tour."

The prankster claimed to be from the United States Anti-Doping Agency and
insisted he had to see her.

Williams added: "You know, there's always someone at the gates trying to
get in. This was right before Wimbledon."

Asked if the ruse worked, Venus laughed: "No. Normally I tell the gate
people 'Tell them Venus moved to Siberia some months ago!'"

Williams beat Russia's Elena Likhovtseva 6-2 6-0 in just under an hour to
move into the semi-finals against Justine Henin. Her sister Serena
currently has a bodyguard at Wimbledon after an obsessive fan was arrested
for pursuing her at tournaments in Italy and Germany.

The fan was alleged to have sent e-mails to her asking to meet her and to
allow him to kiss her. He was recently arrested in America but released
without charge.

However, he was spotted in the crowd at the French Open, sparking fresh
fears for Serena's safety.

Meanwhile Venus revealed she has still not yet reached top form, despite
blowing Likhovtseva away with the minimum of fuss.

The 22-year-old left the Centre Court crowd in no doubt about which way
this match would go when she moved into a 4-2 first-set lead, leaving
vapour trails with her fearsome forehand.

Venus dismantled Likhovtseva's game in the second set so ruthlessly that
you wanted to go on court and throw in a towel on the Russian's behalf. Not
before a brief scare, however, in the first game of that set. As she put
away an attempted lob by Likhovtseva to go 30-0 up, Williams appeared to
pull up and limp away.

Any fears that the she may have broken down were soon swept away as her
that forehand left Likhovtseva shaking her head in submission.

But Williams said afterwards: "I'd like to improve a lot more.

"I think I hit a lot of balls up the middle, and maybe my preparation was a
little slow."