(Transworld Sport may be televised in other countries, but the
details in this message are specific to the UK.)


There are three points from the Moscow final between Anna
Chakvetadze and Nadia Petrova in this week's Transworld Sport, which
is repeated with sign-language at 04:20 BST on {Wednesday
night/Thursday morning} on Channel 4.

The tennis was 34 minutes into Sunday's broadcast of Transworld
Sport, and Moscow was first up, so I recommend 04:49 as a safe start-
time for timer-record (allowing for the fact that the repeat is
listed as being five minutes shorter than the original).


The points they showed:

* Petrova serving 4-6 1-3 (0/40): Petrova came in and hit a forehand
volley down the line, onto the sideline; Anna hoisted a high
defensive backhand lob; Petrova, running backwards, hit a rather
weak forehand smash; Anna hit an easy crosscourt forehand winner
with a two-tone grunt that sounded just like one of Monica
Seles's! :-)

Sue Carpenter: "Petrova, the world number five, comes into the match
with chest- and groin-injuries, and is unable to compete with her 19-
year-old opponent's consistency, showing only glimpses of her
powerful groundstrokes."

* Petrova serving 4-6 3-5 (deuce): Petrova played a dominating point
with much more power than Anna; Petrova hit a series of big
crosscourt forehands until Anna, leaning the wrong way, hoisted a
defensive forehand lob; Petrova hit a crosscourt backhand drive-
volley winner just inside the sideline.

* Anna serving 6-4 5-4 (ad in): Anna hit a good deep serve, and
Petrova netted a backhand return. Anna put her left hand on her
forehead, allowed herself a big smile, and the two players exchanged
a friendly-looking handshake.

As Anna kissed the trophy, the reflection of her face in the silver
cup was quite possibly the most artistic image I've seen in tennis
this year (you can see the effect in several photos, too).

And the girl who taught me the meaning of the phrase "chewing on
wasps" looked easily the happiest I've ever seen her. :-)

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Anna_Chakvetadze/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeldani/