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ZURICH OPEN (Zurich, Switzerland; indoor hard; WTA Tier I)
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Photos
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On-court photos:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=hantuchova
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=198891&page=3 (and page 4)

Off-court photos:
http://www.wtatour.com/photogallery/

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First round
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+ Daniela Hantuchová d. Ai Sugiyama [Q], 1-6 7-5 6-4

Daniela went into this match trailing her head-to-head with Sugiyama
1-4, with Sugiyama winning their previous three matches - most
recently at San Diego in August (7-5 4-6 6-2). But this time Daniela
pulled off a remarkable escape.

Sugiyama served for the match at 6-1 5-3: 0/30 -> 30/30, 30/40 (BP),
broken!

In the third set, Daniela had to fight off several break-points in a
long service-game at 2-3. But there weren't any breaks until 4-4,
when Daniela converted her third break-point of that game to serve
for the match at 5-4.

Daniela serving for the match at 5-4: 0/30 -> 40/30 (MP), 40/40,
ad D (MP #2), Deuce #2, ad S (BP), Deuce #3, ad D (MP #3), Deuce #4,
ad D (MP #4), Daniela won 1-6 7-5 6-4.

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Second round
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- Daniela Hantuchová lt. LINDSAY DAVENPORT [1], 3-6 7-5 6-2

Daniela served for the match at 6-3 *5-4, with two match-points at
40/15, but she still couldn't stop Davenport reclaiming the world #1
ranking on 24th October, pushing Maria Sharapova out of the top 2!
':-(

On the bright side, Daniela must be playing at a very high level to
almost beat Lindsay Davenport. I was expecting another two-set loss,
with Daniela winning not more than four games a set, although part
of me did believe she just might pull off the upset. But how can I
truly believe that Daniela can beat Davenport if Daniela doesn't
believe it herself?

Scores-thread:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=199703&page=14

The match started at 17:10 CEST.

First Set
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HANTUCHOV * *@* * * 6
DAVENPORT _*___* *_ 3

Davenport serving 1-2: 15/0, 15/30, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40,
ad Davenport, Deuce #2, ad Daniela (BP #2), broken.

Davenport serving 1-4: held after saving BP (30/40).

Davenport serving to stay in the first set at 2-5: 40/0, 40/15, held.

Daniela serving for the first set at 5-3: 0/15, 30/15, 30/30,
40/30 (SP), 40/40, ad Daniela (SP #2), Daniela won the first set 6-3
at 17:43 (33m).


Second Set
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HANTUCHOV _*@* * *____ 5
DAVENPORT *___* * *@*@ 7

Daniela serving 0-1: held after saving 2 BPs (15/40).

Davenport serving 1-1: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40,
ad Daniela (BP #2), broken.

2 seems to be Daniela's lucky number today! :-)

Davenport serving 1-3: recovered from 15/30 and needed 2 GPs (40/30
& ad) to hold.

Daniela serving 4-3: held to love.

Davenport serving to stay in the match at 3-5: held to 15.

Daniela serving for the match at 5-4: 0/15, 40/15 (two match-
points). "But Davenport struck a backhand volley winner on the first
and Hantuchová hit a forehand long on the second to bring the game
to deuce. Davenport then broke for 5-5 with a crosscourt return and
a double-fault" [Yahoo! Sports].

Davenport serving 5-5: held after saving two break-points.

Daniela serving to stay in the second set at 5-6: 15/15, 15/30,
30/40 (SP), 40/40, ad Davenport (SP #2), Davenport won the second
set 7-5 at 18:30 when Daniela made a forehand error.


Third Set
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HANTUCHOV __@*____ 2
DAVENPORT *@__*@*@ 6

Davenport serving 0-0: recovered from 0/30 to hold.

Daniela serving 0-1: broken to love.

Davenport serving 2-0: 0/40 (3 BPs), 30/40, broken.

Daniela serving 2-3: 15/15, 15/40, broken on a double fault.

Davenport serving 4-2: 40/0, 40/15, held.

Daniela serving to stay in the match at 2-5: Daniela's shoulders
slumped, and she was broken to 15. Davenport won 3-6 7-5 6-2 at
18:58 (1h 48m).


Davenport quotes
----------------

"I knew it would be tough. I didn't feel I was playing my best or
striking the ball that well, but I still managed to win despite the
circumstances. I felt that I wasn't even close, to be honest. I
didn't feel I was hitting the ball cleanly, and I thought she was
playing well and serving well.

"But once it got to 5-5, obviously it's a whole different match. She
became a little bit emotional when she didn't win those match-
points, and seemed really down even starting at 5-5, so I was just
trying to take advantage of that and move forward.

"It was like two different matches. I was playing really badly to
start off with, missing a lot of returns, and she was playing really
well. At the two match-points, I thought, `I'm on the plane going
home tomorrow,' but then it can change around that quickly.

"I hung in there, played some good points and found myself in a
third set. Her level went down in the third set and I was hitting
the ball much cleaner then. To play her here in the first match is
probably the most difficult draw I could have had, so I'm glad to
get through it."


Davenport's victory means that she returns to #1 in the rankings on
24th October, while Maria Sharapova drops to #3 behind Kim Clijsters.

It's ironic that Davenport took back the #1 ranking by beating
Daniela, because Maria could have become #1 earlier than she did by
beating Daniela at Los Angeles (instead, Maria gave Daniela a
walkover because of her right pectoral muscle strain); also,
Davenport beat Daniela en route to the New Haven title which ended
Maria's first stint at #1.

The way to the #1 ranking is through Daniela.
The way to winning Wimbledon is through Daniela (2001/02, 2004/05).
The way to winning a Grand Slam is through Maria (all four in 2005).

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Final
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Daniela lost to the eventual champion:
+ LINDSAY DAVENPORT [1] d. PATTY SCHNYDER [6], 7-6 (7/5) 6-3

Davenport: "It's been a difficult week as I was struggling to find
my form in the first few days. But saving two match-points against
Daniela Hantuchová on Thursday proved to be the turning point."

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Doubles: First round
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+ Daniela Hantuchová/Ai Sugiyama d.
SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA/ALICIA MOLIK [4], 6-0 7-6 (7/3)

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Doubles: Quarter-final
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+ Daniela Hantuchová/Ai Sugiyama d.
Elena Dementieva/Flavia Pennetta, 4-6 6-2 6-4

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Doubles: Semi-final
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+ Daniela Hantuchová/Ai Sugiyama d.
LISA RAYMOND/SAMANTHA STOSUR [1], 7-6 (8/6) 6-3

This win is something special for Daniela, because Raymond and
Stosur have won five doubles-titles since June, including the
women's doubles at the US Open. :-)

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Doubles: Final
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- Daniela Hantuchová/Ai Sugiyama lt.
CARA BLACK/RENNAE STUBBS [2], 6-7 (6/8) 7-6 (7/4) 6-3

Daniela and Ai led 7-6 5-2*, served for the title at *5-3, and
squandered four championship-points at 5-4*. That's six match-points
missed this week for Daniela (in matches that she went on to
lose). ':-(

--
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/