===========================================
HASTINGS DIRECT INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Eastbourne, England; grass; WTA Tier II)
===========================================

I attended the tournament from Monday 19th June to Wednesday 21st
June - I realise this is four-and-a-half weeks late! ;-)

------
Photos
------

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

Search Getty Images for "hantuchova"

http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=210331&page=28

Joe B's Eastbourne photos:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=243105

Graham Duke's Daniela photos:
http://www.pbase.com/grahamd/root

-----------
First round (Monday 19th June)
-----------

- DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [8] lt. Elena Likhovtseva, 4-6 6-7 (3/7)

This was played on Centre Court in cold, windy conditions with sunny
intervals, and that pretty much sums up Daniela's performance on
that day.

It was a poor-quality match from both players, either of whom could
have won this match in two quick sets by playing anything resembling
her top form.

Daniela was understandably rusty after pulling out of Birmingham
with a wrist-injury. In the first set she recovered from 1-3 to 4-3,
only to lose the next three games. In the second set she led 3-1,
only to go 3-5 down by losing 14 points in a row! She did survive
Elena serving for the match at 5-4, and fought her way into a
tiebreak, but tiebreaks are like Russian Roulette.

www.wtatour.com: "The Russian veteran converted all five break
opportunities against the Slovak en route to a 64 76(3) victory."

I've liked Elena ever since her fantastic, flairsome performance
against Lindsay Davenport at Wimbledon 2000 (Elena led 3-0 with
points for 4-0 in the third set, only to lose every game left in the
match). But my fellow 30-year-old doesn't excite me like that any
more, and I believe this is her last year on the WTA Tour.


First Set:
HANTUCHOVÁ _@__*@*___ 4
LIKHOVTSEV @ @*___*@* 6

The match started at 16:25 BST, and Daniela started brightly enough,
with a pinpoint forehand winner down the line and a low-bouncing
backhand winner down the line, but was broken to 30 with four
unforced errors.

Elena was broken right back to 30 with a game book-ended by double
faults, to make it 1-1. But Daniela was broken again for 1-2, errors
flowing freely as she struggled to find the ability to hit the ball
in the middle of the racket.

Elena scored the first hold of the match, despite Daniela hitting a
forehand winner down the line.

Daniela serving 1-3: Elena crosscourt forehand winner behind
Daniela. 0/30. But Daniela recovered with a good serve to set up an
off-forehand winner, a crosscourt forehand to set up a forehand
volley-winner, and an ace down the middle to make it 2-3.

Elena serving 2-3: After two deuces, Elena netted a backhand and
threw her racket. Ad Daniela (BP). Daniela broke back with a
spreading rally that forced Elena to net a sliced backhand.

Daniela serving 3-3: Daniela started with a good serve to set up an
off-forehand winner, and finished (after one deuce) with a
crosscourt forehand winner to make it 4-3.

At this point, I thought Daniela had shrugged off her poor start,
and that she was heading for a straight-sets victory as Elena was
playing so poorly herself. But instead of riding the momentum of
winning three games in a row, Daniela just played worse. Elena held
to love to level up at 4-4.

Daniela serving 4-4: Daniela hit a crosscourt forehand winner en
route to 30/0. But Elena hit a crosscourt backhand winner, and
Daniela a forehand wide. 30/30. Service-winner. 40/30. Double fault.
40/40. Daniela hit an off-backhand winner... but it was just wide;
Daniela complained to the umpire. Ad Elena (BP). Daniela netted a
backhand after an exchange of three dropshots.

Elena serving for the first set at 5-4: Elena crosscourt forehand
winner. 15/0. Daniela forehand long (forced by width). 30/0. Service-
winner. 40/0 (3 SPs). Daniela saved the first with a forehand winner
down the line, so low over the net! 40/15 (SP #2). Daniela hit a
crosscourt forehand return-winner after Elena slipped over.
40/30 (SP #3). Daniela netted a backhand return to lose the first
set 4-6 at 17:07 (42m), then took a bathroom-break.


Second Set:
HANTUCHOVÁ * *@____*@*_ 6(3)
LIKHOVTSEV _*__@*@*___* 7(7)

The quality of the tennis picked up in the first game, as Elena hit
a forehand return-winner down the line and a wrong-footing backhand
winner down the line, while Daniela hit a backhand winner down the
line, an off-forehand winner, and a service-winner to hold.

Elena serving 0-1: Service-winner. 15/0. Daniela forehand return-
winner down Elena's forehand-line. 15/15. Daniela forehand return-
winner down the line. 15/30. Elena hit a good serve to set up a
crosscourt forehand winner. 30/30. Daniela forehand return-winner
down the line. 30/40 (BP). Double fault... but the second serve was
overruled as good, so they replayed the point with Elena getting
another first serve! Having thus been robbed of a break, Daniela
made three forehand errors to lose the game.

Daniela serving 1-1: She started with a double fault, but held to 15
with the help of a service-winner, and a crosscourt forehand to set
up an off-forehand winner.

Elena serving 1-2: Two forehand return-winners down the line brought
Daniela to 30/40 (BP). Elena backhand just wide.

Daniela serving 3-1: Elena muttered in Russian after netting a
backhand, but broke back to 30 with two forehands long from Daniela
(one forced by a low bounce, the other by pace and depth).

Elena serving 2-3: Held to love after another bunch of Daniela's
errors.

Daniela serving 3-3: Elena crosscourt backhand winner. 0/15. Daniela
hit a forehand into the bottom of the net. 0/30. Daniela hit a short
sliced backhand that allowed Elena to hit a crosscourt forehand
winner. 0/40 (3 BPs). Daniela hit a forehand long. She certainly
wasn't looking comfortable.

Elena serving 4-3: Held to love with an ace down the middle and
three more UEs from Daniela, including a backhand that she netted
off an easy short ball.

Just no resistance at all from Daniela at this stage - Elena had won
14 points in a row!

Daniela serving to stay in the match at 3-5: Daniela forehand drop-
volley winner - wonderfully short! 15/0. Elena crosscourt backhand
return-winner. 15/15. Service-winner. 30/15. Elena hit an error-
forcing crosscourt forehand. 30/30. Daniela backhand drop-volley
winner. 40/30. Elena made Daniela dig out three low shots, dragging
her way out of court so that Elena could hit a backhand winner.
40/40. Two points from victory, Elena hit a backhand return wide.
Ad Daniela. Held with a forehand winner down the line.

Elena serving for the match at 5-4: Daniela forehand long. 15/0.
Daniela retrieved one forehand smash from Elena, but the next was a
winner. 30/0. Two points from defeat, Daniela hit an off-forehand
winner behind Elena. 30/15. Double fault. 30/30. Daniela hit a lob
over Elena's head, forcing her to hit a backhand lob wide.
30/40 (BP). Elena saved it with a crosscourt forehand winner. 40/40.
Two points from victory, Elena netted a backhand.
Ad Daniela (BP #2). She netted a forehand. Deuce #2. Daniela
forehand return-winner down the line. Ad Daniela (BP #3). She broke
back with an off-forehand winner just inside the sideline!

Daniela serving 5-5: Held to 15, finishing with a good serve to set
up an off-forehand winner.

Elena serving to stay in the second set at 5-6: 40/15. Daniela
caught the back edge of the sideline with an off-forehand winner.
40/30. Daniela hit a wild backhand long.

6-6 tiebreak (all scores from Daniela's perspective):
{*0/0} Double fault.
{0/1*} Daniela hit a searing crosscourt backhand winner.
{1/1*} Daniela netted a forehand.
{*1/2} Daniela forehand long (forced by depth & angle).
{*1/3} Elena netted a backhand.
{2/3*} Elena netted a backhand volley.
{3/3*} Daniela forehand long.
{*3/4} Elena backhand winner down the line, on the sideline.
{*3/5} Daniela netted a backhand.
{3/6*} Elena forced Daniela to hit a sliced backhand wide. Elena won
6-4 7-6 (7/3) at 18:03 (1h38m).

--------------------
Doubles: First round (Wednesday 21st June)
--------------------

+ DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ/SUGIYAMA,AI [2] d.
Stéphanie Foretz/Antonella Serra Zanetti, 7-6 (7/5) 6-2

I watched this match on Court 2 with my full dedication. Sugiyama
played on the left when we were receiving serve, while Foretz played
on the left when they were receiving.

Daniela and Ai decided to make life difficult for themselves in the
first set, allowing the unheralded pair to recover from *2-1, 5-3*
and *6-5. Then Daniela and Ai were 3/5 down in the tiebreak, but
reeled off four points in a row to take the first set.


First Set:
HANTU/SUGIY _*@ @* *__@_ 7(7)
FORET/SERRA *__@__* *@ @ 6(5)

The match started at 15:01 BST.

Daniela was serving second of the four players, and she held to 15
with a forehand pass-winner down the middle to make it 1-1.

Antonella Serra Zanetti (not to be confused with her Selesian sister
Adriana) has a weird service-action: her racket-arm stops on its way
up as she's tossing the ball. We broke her in the third game of the
match to make it 2-1, after Daniela had saved a game-point with a
forehand smash at Foretz's feet.

But Sugiyama was broken back for 2-2. Then we broke Foretz for 3-2,
and Daniela held to love with two service-winners, and another good
serve to set up a Sugiyama forehand volley-winner.

Serra Zanetti serving 2-4 (15/40): Sugiyama wasted these two break-
points with backhand errors. Daniela saved one game-point with a
backhand volley-winner accompanied by a grunt of "oy", but Serra
held after the fourth deuce.

Sugiyama serving 4-3: We had to fight through two deuces (no break-
points), but the game was book-ended by two winners by Daniela: a
stinging backhand volley-winner, and a forehand lob-winner.

Foretz serving to stay in the first set at 3-5: Held to love with
three volley-winners by Serra.

Daniela serving for the first set at 5-4: Sugiyama forehand volley-
winner. 15/0. Sugiyama netted a forehand volley. 15/15. Daniela
netted a forehand. 15/30. Daniela wild backhand very long.
15/40 (2 BPs). Daniela saved the first with a forehand lob-winner
down the line. 30/40. Foretz backhand long. 40/40. Serra forehand
volley-winner. Ad Foretz (BP #3). Daniela saved it with a backhand
winner down the line. Deuce #2. Daniela netted a backhand.
Ad Foretz (BP #4). Foretz backhand wide. Deuce #3. Daniela backhand
lob long. Ad Foretz (BP #5). Daniela netted a backhand.

Serra serving 5-5: Serra netted a backhand volley. 0/15. Sugiyama
netted a backhand. 15/15. Daniela wild forehand wide. 30/15. Daniela
forehand smash-winner. 30/30. A low bounce forced Serra to earth a
backhand. 30/40 (BP). Foretz wild high forehand volley very long.

Sugiyama serving for the first set at 6-5: Daniela backhand volley-
winner. 15/0. Foretz backhand long. 30/0. Sugiyama netted a backhand
volley after a rat-a-tat net-rally. 30/15. Serra hit a forehand
volley at Daniela's feet. 30/30. Sugiyama forehand long. 30/40 (BP).
Foretz backhand lob long. 40/40. Serra forehand winner down the
middle. Ad Foretz (BP #2). Sugiyama hit Daniela with a forehand.

6-6 tiebreak:
{Foretz 0/0} Sugiyama backhand volley-winner.
{Daniela 1/0} Foretz dead-netcord forehand winner, as short as can
be.
{Daniela 1/1} Foretz netted a forehand volley.
{Serra 1/2} Sugiyama backhand volley-winner.
{Serra 1/3} Sugiyama forehand volley long.
{Sugiyama 3/2} Daniela netted a forehand volley.
{Sugiyama 3/3} Sugiyama netted a forehand volley and said "aiee!".
{Foretz 4/3} Sugiyama earthed a forehand.
{Foretz 5/3} Foretz netted a forehand.
{Daniela 4/5} Foretz netted a forehand return.
{Daniela 5/5} Daniela hit an error-forcing crosscourt forehand.
{Serra 5/6: SP #1} Serra earthed a forehand to lose the first set
6-7 (5/7) at 16:02 (61m).


Second Set:
HANTU/SUGIY *@*__@*@ 6
FORET/SERRA ___*@___ 2

Daniela made a spectacular start to the second set, with a forehand
volley-winner, a backhand volley-winner down the middle, a forehand
smash-winner, and another forehand volley-winner as Sugiyama held
for 1-0 after two deuces.

We then broke Serra after saving game-point at 40/30, without much
involvement from Daniela.

Daniela serving 2-0: Double fault. 0/15. Daniela forehand smash-
winner. 15/15. Daniela forehand winner down the line. 30/15. Service-
winner. 40/15. Sugiyama forehand volley-winner.

Foretz serving 0-3: Daniela's forehand winner down the line on the
first point couldn't stop a hold to 15.

Sugiyama serving 3-1: Our only real hiccup of the second set, as
Sugiyama served two double faults in a row and said "ai!", and
double-faulted again at 15/40.

Serra serving 2-3: We broke to 30, thanks to Sugiyama for a forehand
volley-winner to get break-point, and a forehand smash-winner to
convert it.

Daniela serving 4-2: A good serve set up a Sugiyama forehand volley-
winner. 15/0. Two service-winners. 40/0. Daniela backhand winner
down the line.

Foretz serving to stay in the match at 2-5: Double fault. 0/15.
Sugiyama backhand wide. 15/15. Sugiyama forehand volley-winner.
15/30. Serra forehand volley-winner. 30/30. A low bounce forced
Foretz to hit a forehand that landed on her own side of the net.
30/40 (MP #1). Serra saved it with a backhand volley-winner. 40/40.
Sugiyama forehand volley-winner. Ad Sugiyama (MP #2). Sugiyama
netted a backhand. Deuce #2. Foretz netted a backhand. Ad Sugiyama
(MP #3). Daniela sealed a 7-6 (7/5) 6-2 victory with a forehand
volley-winner at 16:33 (1h32m).


I was sitting right by the gap in the fence that is the entrance to
Court 2 (no, I am not visible in any of Graham Duke's photos from
this match), so I got a really close-up view of Daniela's legs as
she came off court. They looked so smooth, and a kind of shiny
orange colour.

About an hour later, I found Daniela giving a longish interview to
Slovak TV in the dead end of an alley between two of the practice-
courts. I didn't have the audacity to get close enough to hear what
she was saying!

---------------------
Doubles: Second round (Thursday 22nd June)
---------------------

- DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ/SUGIYAMA,AI [2] lt.
Marion Bartoli/Shahar Peer, 4-6 6-7 (5/7)

I didn't get to see this as I had gone home, of course - I include
the result for completeness.

At least they lost to a nice team: Marion of the Seles-forehand, and
Shahar of the Seles-like power and beauty. ;-)

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

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