Ticket-price protest as Rubin advances in confident style

The loudest noise at the Britannic Asset Management Championship here yesterday did not emanate from around the courts at Devonshire Park, but from the entrance to the grounds.

Some 200 protesters carrying placards asked fellow spectators to sign a petition complaining about the price of tickets after realising that although they had paid £17 for Centre Court seats, they would be charged an additional £15 to go on Court One, where Mary Pierce, the former French Open and Australian Open champion, was playing in the Eastbourne Cup, a consolation event for losers. Eventually, the protesters were given forms to fill in, outlining their complaints, and promised that ticket arrangements would be discussed by the tournament committee.

Noises off court are not uncommon at Devonshire Park. The press room here is haunted by the voice of David Luddy, whose radio bulletins at 15-minute intervals eight years ago opened with the line: "Chanda Rubin, the daughter of a judge from Lafayette, Louisiana, is the one to watch..." Seasoned tennis reporters still recite it in their sleep.

Rubin, now 26 and making her 10th appearance here, is still one to watch, having advanced to the semi-finals for the fourth time. In 1995, rallying to Luddy's call, Rubin reached the final with wins against Gigi Fernandez and Kimiko Date, the top seed, before losing to Nathalie Tauziat.

The following year, Rubin achieved her highest world ranking, No 6, and became renowned for her resilience in marathon matches. A series of injuries have prevented her from fulfilling her potential, the latest setback resulting in knee surgery which delayed her start to the season until the Berlin tournament six weeks ago.

This afternoon, Rubin will be the experienced campaigner in the last four in the company of a trio of young players to watch. Rubin plays Daja Bedanova, a 19-year-old from the Czech Republic, and the other semi-final is between Daniela Hantuchova, 19, of Slovakia, the only seed left in the tournament (No 3) and Anastasia Myskina, a 20-year-old from Russia.

In the quarter-finals yesterday, Rubin defeated the fourth-seeded Silvia Farina Elia, from Italy, 6-1, 6-0, after losing her serve in the opening game. Bedanova beat Meghann Shaughnessy, the American fifth seed, 7-6, 6-2.

"I wouldn't say the match was easy, but I made it easier on myself by staying solid, and any time I missed one or two balls I pulled it back in and that made the difference," Rubin said. "I've been working on my serve and I was really solid on the second ball and dictated when I really needed to off those shots."

Farina Elia complained to the umpire about the slippery surface, but Rubin thought the court was no worse than normal grass conditions.

"I've fallen a number of times and I've never been able to blame it on the grass," she said. "It's just a precarious surface anyway. I didn't find it very slippery."

Hantuchova, who overcame the 45-year-old Martina Navratilova in three sets in her opening match, made a rocky start before prevailing against the American Amy Frazier, 7-6, 6-1. Hantuchova recovered from 1-4 and 3-5 in the opening set, winning the tie-break, 7-4. There were three breaks of serve at the start of the second set. Frazier then held a break point for 2-2, but was unable to convert it, and won only three more points in the rest of the match.

"I feel really confident and I know I have a chance. I just hope it's going to happen," Hantuchova said.