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August 16, 2004 2:39 pm

Notebook: A pointed sibling rivalry

By Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece -- Fencing's version of Venus and Serena Williams are hoping to make history at these games.

Sada and Emily Jacobson of Dunwoody, Ga., compete Tuesday in women's saber. The United States has never won a medal in an Olympic women's fencing competition.

Sada, 21, who has won two NCAA titles at Yale, is No. 1 in the world in women's individual saber and has been called the most accomplished female fencer in American history.

Emily, 18, who will enter Columbia University in the fall, is No. 10 in the world and is considered a rising star in the sport. Their draw in Athens sets up a possible Williams sisters-type confrontation.

``The only downside is if Sada and I both make the top eight, then we would have to fence for top four,'' said Emily.

Said Sada, ``It's a good table, and if we do end up fencing, if hopefully we do both make it that far, then it will be a very interesting match.''Sada said it wouldn't be anything new for the sisters to face each other in competition. They are training partners, and Sada put her Yale education on hold to return to the Atlanta area to train with her sister prior to the Olympics.

``When we do end up competing against each other, it's really like any other tournament. We're very focused,'' said Sada. ``We're both trying to win, then when it's over, we go back to supporting each other. ''

ATHENS, Greece - Word around the Olympic Village is that the Australian women's water polo team have a $500 bounty on whichever teammate can plant a kiss on U.S. tennis player Andy Roddick.

``I have an inside source who is supposed to be doing research for me to find out if they are planning an ambush,'' Roddick said. ``I'm thinking that it is going to be a hit and run, while I'm standing in line for food or something.''

Mardy Fish, who's rooming with Roddick at the village, joked that he's ``already won'' but still sees an opportunity to capitalize.

``I'm going to meet them and try and sabotage it and take half of the money,'' he said. ``I'm going to give one of them a key to the room.''

ATHENS, Greece - Mardy Fish says the U.S. men's basketball team is missing out by not staying in the Olympic village. He's sharing a four-room pad with Andy Roddick, assistant coach Dean Goldfine and a ``guest bedroom.''

``There's no TV. There's a phone. You can't get on your computer. The sheets are thin. The beds are small and hard. But I love it. I swear, I love it. It's exactly what I thought it was going to be.

``There's a place where the U.S. athletes can go and hang out, and everyone goes down there at night. There's a place where you can eat. And everyone's there, too. It's so much fun. We're just meeting people, making new friendships, with these world class athletes who are in way better shape than I am.''

ATHENS, Greece - The red, white and blue may fly over the American Embassy, but during the Olympic Games you may catch the U.S. ambassador rooting for the maize and blue.

``Michigan will be very, very important in these games,'' said Ambassador to Greece Thomas Miller, who holds five degrees from the University of Michigan. ``You'll see a lot of the blue and gold here.''

His post put him in the perfect position to size up the Michigan athletes during the Olympic trials, and he likes their prospects. But for Miller, the Olympics will be more work than play.

For an ambassador, the Olympics means making the rounds on the Olympic party circuit, keeping tabs on tens of thousands of Americans who've come to Athens and the more sobering job of coordinating U.S. anti-terrorism efforts at the games.

Miller may be one of the few people in town who won't see any of the Olympic events.

``I'm a sports nut, but first and foremost, this is my job,'' he said.

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