PARIS -- Points can't end fast enough for Jennifer Capriati. In a tennis version of the hurry-up offense, she grabs the ball to serve or rushes to the line to receive, as if to say, ``Let's go!''

With that rapid-fire approach, Capriati has advanced to the fourth round of the French Open, where, even if she defends her title, she'll lose the No. 1 ranking to Venus Williams.

A big deal? Perhaps not, but Capriati seemed a bit puzzled.

``I'm pretty much used to it changing like that. I don't even pay attention. It goes to show you how bizarre it is if you win a Grand Slam and you're not even No. 1,'' said Capriati, who's trying to win the Australian Open and French Open back-to-back for the second year in a row.

``If you win the two of the year so far, you're not No. 1? That doesn't make any sense,'' Capriati said.

The WTA rankings are based on a complicated 52-week system where players get points based on performance and records against other players.

Venus' sister, Serena, had it figured out Saturday when asked about Capriati's remarks.

``I don't understand why it would be bizarre,'' Serena said.

``When you beat the No. 1 player at a Grand Slam, I believe you get 200 points,'' Serena Williams said.

Capriati, Williams added, ``can't get those 200 points. Venus lost in the first round last year, so she can only gain points here. If you're looking at it mathematically, it makes a lot of sense.''

Reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champ Venus Williams will go back to No. 1 for the third time this year, regardless of how she fares the rest of the way at Roland Garros. Capriati hopped over her after reaching the semifinals of the Italian Open earlier this month.

Whether she's No. 1 or in the top five, Capriati is enjoying her time at the top. Her path from giggly young star to troubled teen to Grand Slam champion has been remarkable and well-chronicled.

``Before, it was just trying to get back'' to the upper reaches of the rankings, she said Saturday after taking just 52 minutes to beat Evie Dominikovic 6-3, 6-1. ``But I always thought if I ever got back, I would want to stay. I can't really see myself dropping out. If I do start dropping out, I would seriously think (about) if I'm going to keep playing or not.''

Sticking around just to compete after so many years -- she reached her first tour final at 13 years, 11 months in 1990 -- wouldn't be too appealing.

``I couldn't see myself doing that. It's such a tough, grueling sport and life,'' Capriati, now 26, said. ``I don't know if it would be worth it, if you're just kind of down there once you've been at the top.''

Her serve has been erratic during three rounds but her crisp and solid groundstrokes kicked in Saturday after she fell into a 3-1 hole against Dominikovic.

Her path to another French Open could mean beating both Williams sisters -- a formidable assignment. She faces a potential semifinal against Serena, with Venus in the opposite bracket.

She's learned again how to deal with the pressure of big-time tennis. She beat Kim Clijsters for the title a year ago in a match that went to 12-10 -- the longest third set in a French Open women's final.

At the Australian Open in January, she became the first woman to save four match points in a Grand Slam final, escaping a 6-4, 4-0 hole to beat Martina Hingis in three sets.

In Sunday's round of 16, Capriati will have to get by Patty Schnyder, who beat her on clay in Charleston, S.C., this year.

This time, Capriati says, she'll be ready to play the tough left-hander.

``This is a Grand Slam,'' Capriati said. ``It's like I'm fighting for my life here. It's the most important for me. ''