"One of the worst torments of each one of the condemned will be to
realise the fact that he had in his only life on earth a thousand
and one opportunities to be saved, and he rejected them all."
[Dr. J. Domínguez]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

First round: Daniela Hantuchová v Camille Pin [LL]
(Court 11, Monday 30th August)

Daniela was originally slated to play Sandrine Testud in the first
round of the US Open, but Testud withdrew with a foot-injury on
Sunday, and was replaced by another Frenchwoman, Camille Pin, much
to my dismay because Daniela would have had a 97% chance of beating
Testud, and boy would her face have been red if she had lost to a
lucky loser!

Daniela seemed to be rushing headlong to humiliation as she fell 1-6
0-2 behind against Pin (I followed live score-updates at
www.usopen.org). I thought she must be injured or something, and was
half expecting her to concede the match as she did against Tatiana
Golovin at Birmingham before my very eyes.

But Daniela broke for 1-2, held serve for the first time in the
match for 2-2, and the rest of the second set went with serve,
Daniela successfully serving to stay in the match at 4-5 and 5-6,
and winning the second set 7/6 (7/5).

The danger seemed to have passed as Daniela went 3-0 up in the
third. But it degenerated into an ugly set of breaks and
counterbreaks; Daniela led 4-2, served for the match at 5-3, but
lost three games in a row and had to survive Pin serving for the
match at 6-5. Judging by the scores, there were two very nervous
young ladies out there!

The match went right down to the wire in the third-set tiebreak.
Daniela had the first match-point at 6/5, then Pin had two match-
points, then Daniela had two more and it was third time lucky: 1-6 7-
6 (7/5) 7-6 (11/9).


Score Details

Started 16:12 EDT, Daniela serving first.

Han 0-0: 30/15, 30/30, broken
Pin 1-0: 15/0, 15/15, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), broken
Han 1-1: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), broken
Pin 2-1: 15/15, 40/15, held
Han 1-3: 15/0, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Pin 4-1: 0/15, 15/30, 30/30, ad Pin
Han 1-5: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/40 (SP), 40/40, ad Pin (SP #2),
Deuce #2, ad Pin (SP #3), Pin won first set 6-1 at 16:35.

Second Set

Pin 0-0: 30/0, 30/15, 40/15, held
Han 0-1: 15/0, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), 30/40, broken
Pin 2-0: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), broken
Han 1-2: 0/15, 15/15, 40/15, held
Pin 2-2: 0/15, 15/15, 40/15, 40/30, held
Han 2-3: 30/0, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad Han, held
Pin 3-3: 0/15, 15/15, 40/15, held
Han 3-4: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, held
Pin 4-4: 0/30, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40, ad Pin, held
Han 4-5: 0/15, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, held
Pin 5-5: 15/0, 15/15, 40/15, 40/30, held
Han 5-6: 40/0, 40/15, held
6-6 tiebreak: Han 3/0, 3/3, Han 4/3, 4/4, Han 5/4, 5/5, Han 6/5
(SP), Daniela won second set 7-6 (7/5) at 17:39.

Third Set

Han 0-0: 15/0, 15/15, 40/15, 40/30, 40/40, ad Han, Deuce #2, ad Han,
Deuce #3, held (scoreboard jumping back and forward)
Pin 0-1: 0/40 (3BP), broken
Han 2-0: 40/0, 40/15, held
Pin 0-3: 40/0, 40/30, held
Han 3-1: 30/0, 30/15, 40/30, 40/40, ad Han, Deuce #2, ad Pin (BP),
broken
Pin 2-3: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40, ad Han (BP
#2), broken
Han 4-2: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad Pin (BP), broken
Pin 3-4: 0/30, 15/30, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Han 5-3: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Pin 4-5: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, held
Han 5-5: 0/40 (3BP), broken
Pin 6-5: 0/15, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), 30/40
6-6 tiebreak: Han 2/0, 2/2, Han 3/2, 3/3, Pin 4/3, 4/4, Pin 5/4,
5/5, Han 6/5 (MP), 6/6, Pin 7/6 (MP), 7/7, Pin 8/7 (MP #2), 8/8, Han
9/8 (MP #2), 9/9, Han 10/9 (MP #3), Daniela won third set 7-6 (11/9)
at 18:48.

Daniela had a winner:unforced-error ratio of 62:82.
Pin had a W:UE ratio of 19:21, and beat Daniela 118-113 in points.

Pierre Cantin's eye-witness report (various matches including
Daniela's):
http://www.tennisrulz.com/articles/200408/15.htm

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Second round: Daniela Hantuchová v ALICIA MOLIK [17]
(Arthur Ashe Court, Wednesday 1st September)

Daniela produced one of her best performances of the year to upset
17th seed Alicia Molik 6-4 6-3. Molik had beaten Daniela by that
scoreline at the Australian Open, but this time Daniela overwhelmed
the Olympic bronze medallist with a series of booming groundstrokes
and 22 winners.

It certainly didn't look like it was going to be Daniela's day at
the start, as she was broken in the third game while Molik won all
eight points on her own serve to lead 3-1.

But Daniela broke back as Molik served at 4-3, and broke again to
love to take the first set 6-4.

Daniela was also broken in the third game of the second set, but she
broke back immediately for 2-2, and lost just three points in the
next three games to take a 5-2 lead, and successfully served out the
6-4 6-3 victory.


Score Details

Started 11:20 EDT, Daniela serving first.

Hantu 0-0: held
Molik 0-1: held to love
Hantu 1-1: 15/0, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad M (BP), Deuce
#2, ad M (BP #2), Deuce #3, ad M (BP #3), broken
Molik 2-1: held to love
Hantu 1-3: 15/0, 15/15, 40/15, held
Molik 3-2: 0/15, 15/15, 40/15, held
Hantu 2-4: 0/15, 15/15, 40/15, 40/30, held
Molik 4-3: 15/0, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), 30/40, broken
Hantu 4-4: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad H, held
Molik 4-5: 0/40 (3SP), Daniela won first set 6-4 at 12:00.

Second Set

Hantu 0-0: 30/0, 30/15, 40/15, held
Molik 0-1: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40, ad M, held
Hantu 1-1: 0/30, 15/30, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Molik 2-1: 15/0, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), 30/40, broken
Hantu 2-2: held to love
Molik 2-3: 0/15, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Hantu 4-2: 0/15, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, held
Molik 2-5: 0/15, 15/15, 40/15, 40/30, held
Hantu 5-3: 30/0, 30/30, 40/30 (MP), Daniela won second set 6-3 at
12:35.

Daniela: "It was much easier for me. The pressure was on her, nobody
expected me to win. I was the one with nothing to lose."

"Hantuchová demonstrated her all-court dominance and seemed to be
the most in control when coming into net, winning on 17 of her 20
approaches, including some well-placed drop shots that fell just out
of Molik's reach. Molik stuck to more of a baseline style, coming
into net only six times."
[ http://makeashorterlink.com/?G5E425A39 ]

Daniela on playing Patty Schnyder next: "I don't know what it is,
but I find it really difficult to play her. But if I play like I did
today, I have a pretty good chance."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Third round: Daniela Hantuchová v PATTY SCHNYDER [15]
(Louis Armstrong Court, Friday 3rd September)

Daniela relived her Olympic defeat and her Wimbledon 2003 nightmare
against Shinobu Asagoe in one match, as a thousand and one
opportunities to beat Patty Schnyder and reach her first Grand Slam
fourth round since the Australian Open 2003 went begging. I just
hope this defeat won't set her back as much mentally and emotionally
as the Wimbledon 2003 one.

It just felt like every time Daniela had 30/15, she always got
pegged back to 30/30 instead of having an easy lead of 40/15. The
third game of the first set was a sign of things to come: Daniela
was broken for 1-2 after an incredible 13 deuces and 9 points to
hold serve. A game like that plants negative thoughts about coming
through tough situations.

Daniela broke back for 3-3, but at 4-4 she was broken again, and
Schnyder served out the first set 6-4.

Daniela broke in the second game of the second, at 4-2 she was
broken back, but reestablished the break to love in the next game,
and thus served for the second set at 5-3. She failed, but then
fought off two game-points for Schnyder and broke to win the second
set 6-4.

It was in the third set that Daniela had big opportunities to win
the match:
* Daniela broke for 4-2, but was broken back immediately;
* Daniela broke for 5-3 and served for the match, had 30/30 but was
broken;
* Daniela had match-point with Schnyder serving at 5-6 30/40;
* Daniela had a 5/2 lead in the tiebreak, two more match-points at
6/4... and didn't win another point in the match as Schnyder won 6-4
4-6 7-6 (8/6).


Score Details

Started 14:06 EDT, Schnyder serving first.

Hantucho 0-0: 15/0, 15/15, 40/15, 40/30, held
Schnyder 0-1: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, held
Hantucho 1-1: 30/0, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad H, Deuce #2, ad S (BP),
Deuce #3, ad H, Deuce #4, ad H, Deuce #5, ad H, Deuce #6, ad S (BP
#2), Deuce #7, ad H, Deuce #8, ad H, Deuce #9, ad H, Deuce #10, ad S
(BP #3), Deuce #11, ad H, Deuce #12, ad S (BP #4), Deuce #13, ad S
(BP #5), broken
Schnyder 2-1: 0/15, 40/15, held
Hantucho 1-3: held to love
Schnyder 3-2: 0/15, 15/15, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), broken
Hantucho 3-3: held to love
Schnyder 3-4: 15/0, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, held
Hantucho 4-4: 0/30, 15/30, 15/40 (2BP), 30/40, 40/40, ad S (BP #3),
broken
Schnyder 5-4: 40/0 (3SP), Schnyder won first set 6-4 at 15:00.

Second Set

Hantucho 0-0: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, held
Schnyder 0-1: 0/40 (3BP), 15/40, broken
Hantucho 2-0: 0/30, 30/30, 40/30, held
Schnyder 0-3: 0/15, 15/15, 40/15, held
Hantucho 3-1: held to love
Schnyder 1-4: held to love
Hantucho 4-2: 15/0, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Schnyder 3-4: 0/40 (3BP), broken
Hantucho 5-3: 0/30, 15/30, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Schnyder 4-5: 15/0, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad S, Deuce
#2, ad H (SP), Daniela won second set 6-4 at 15:34.

Third Set

Hantucho 0-0: 15/0, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, held
Schnyder 0-1: 30/0, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad S, Deuce #2, ad
S, held
Hantucho 1-1: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, held
Schnyder 1-2: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, held
Hantucho 2-2: 30/0, 30/15, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad H, Deuce #2, ad
H, held
Schnyder 2-3: 30/0, 30/15, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), broken
Hantucho 4-2: 15/0, 15/15, 15/40 (2BP), broken
Schnyder 3-4: 0/40 (3BP), 15/40, 30/40, broken
Hantucho 5-3: 15/0, 15/15, 30/15, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), broken
Schnyder 4-5: 0/15, 15/15, 30/15, 40/15, held
Hantucho 5-5: 0/15, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, held
Schnyder 5-6: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 30/40 (MP), 40/40, ad S,
held
6-6 tiebreak: S 1/0, 1/1, 2/2, H 3/2, 4/2, 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/4 (2MP),
6/5, 6/6, S 7/6 (MP), Schnyder won third set 7-6 (8/6) at 16:42.

Daniela: "I just lost the last point. That's all that happened. I
went for it and I was trying to be aggressive all the way till the
end. I felt like I was little unlucky in the tiebreaker, but I still
think she played a very good match - as usual - against me."

Daniela dominated the play with a W:UE ratio of 45:57 to Schnyder's
29:32.

Pierre Cantin's eye-witness report (various matches including
Daniela's):
http://www.tennisrulz.com/articles/200408/19.htm

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Daniela had no luck in doubles, as she and Mark Knowles lost to
eighth seeds Martina Navrátilová and Leander Paes 6-1 7-6 (7/5) in
the first round of the mixed doubles, and Daniela and Dinara Safina
lost to top seeds Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez 6-3 7-5 in
the first round of the women's doubles. What a contrast to the
Australian Open 2002, where Daniela won the mixed doubles and was
runner-up in women's doubles!

Daniela's US Open page:
http://www.usopen.org/en_US/players/wtah394.html

More photos:
http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?c=news_photos&p=hantuchova

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

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