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ASB CLASSIC
(Auckland, New Zealand; outdoor hard (Rebound Ace); WTA Tier IV)
=========== http://www.asbclassic.co.nz/

DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [3,EF]:
1r + Dominika Cibulková, 6-1 3-6 6-2
2r - Virginie Razzano [Q], 1-6 5-7

Disappointing results in windy conditions - which don't favour
Daniela - and she missed out on a mouthwatering quarter-final with
Vera Zvonarëva (to whom she lost in the semi-finals here last year).

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Photos
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Search Getty Images for "hantuchova"
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=278875 (pp.1-2)
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=hantuchova
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/gallery?pg=1&cap=1 (for completists)

Daniela's arms look much stronger than they do during one of
her 'lean' periods. Just an observation.

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Video
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(Erakovic v Tu); (Hantuchová v Cibulková):
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yla668

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Audio
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Daily Podcasts (MP3 downloads):
http://www.asbclassic.co.nz/category/Podcast/

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Pretournament quotes from Daniela
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[Re. Dominika Cibulková]
"It's nice. I never played her. We know each other very well, and
it's going to be nice to play her."

[Re. the Casal/Sánchez academy]
"I think they taught me a few things how to do differently on the
court, especially from the tactical point of view, and trying to be a
little smarter with my shot-selection, and being more patient, and
not always going for the winners, and being able to defend well. It's
been a part of my game I've really tried to work hard on.

"The Spanish style of play really suits my game. There's a lot I can
learn, and Angel [Jiménez] has got so much experience, it's exciting."

[Re. Auckland 2006]
"It gave me a really good start to the year, so I wanted to do the
same thing this year.

"If I didn't think that, I wouldn't be doing it. I am much more aware
of what I am doing on court. Before, it was much easier - no one knew
me and I had nothing to lose.

"There was no pressure. Now I feel I am a more accomplished player."

[Re. how to reach the top ten]
"If I knew that, I think I would be there already.

"I'm just trying to do the right things on court, make the right
decisions, work as hard as I can, and hopefully I'll get there soon."

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First round (Tuesday 2nd January)
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Nice winner, nice loser:
+ DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [3,EF] d. Dominika Cibulková, 6-1 3-6 6-2

An intriguing match between the #1 Slovenka and one of the top
slovenské juniorky. Although 17-year-old Dominika is only the #4
Slovenka (world #153), Daniela recently pipped her to win a
Slovakian "top women's player of the year" award for 2006 - the fifth
consecutive year that Daniela has won that gong!

http://www.asbclassic.co.nz/
>>>
Cibulková started nervously, and Hantuchová fed off her errors to
breeze through the opening set 6-1, before the diminutive Cibulková
fought back to take the second 6-3. But the more experienced
Hantuchová steadied herself, dug in, and took the decider 6-2.
<<<

First set
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HANTUCHOV *@*@* * 6
CIBULKOVÁ _____*_ 1


Second set
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HANTUCHOV ___*@*___ 3
CIBULKOVÁ *@*___*@* 6

Domi serving 2-0: Daniela wasted 0/30 and two break-points before
Domi held.

Daniela serving 2-3: Daniela saved 0/30 and one break-point before
holding.

Domi serving 5-3: 0/30 -> 40/30 (SP), 40/40, ad Domi (SP #2),
Domi won the second set 6-3.


Third set
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HANTUCHOV * * *@*@ 6
CIBULKOVÁ _* *____ 2

Domi serving 2-5: 0/15, 30/15, 30/30, 30/40 (MP #1), 40/40,
ad Daniela (MP #2), Daniela won 6-1 3-6 6-2.


Statistics
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Daniela served two aces, but Domi served eight double faults. A big
difference was in points won on second serve: Daniela 62%, Domi 35%.
Daniela converted 5/8 BPs, Domi 2/5.


Daniela quotes
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"The first match of the year is never easy, plus with the windy
conditions, it was not helping us, so it was tough.

"The first set, I played great, but after that, I sort of relaxed a
little bit too much, and started to make too many mistakes. In the
second, I think she started to play well - but I gave her the chances
to do so. In the third set, I started to focus again."

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Second round (Wednesday 3rd January)
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- DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [3,EF] lt. Virginie Razzano [Q], 1-6 5-7

Windy conditions (again) will not have helped Daniela, who has a high
service-toss, and very flat drives with little margin for error,
relying heavily on precision. Without precision, Daniela loses her
confidence, and without confidence, she's in big trouble.

Razzano handles the wind much better, I believe - and, of course,
being a qualifier, she came into the match already on a winning-
streak of 4 matches.

So if it's not too windy at Melbourne, Daniela could still do okay at
the Australian Open - as long as she doesn't allow a result like this
to affect her confidence.

http://www.asbclassic.co.nz/
>>>
No.3 seed Daniela Hantuchová came out with weights in her shoes, and
was simply outgunned in the first set and a half by French qualifier
Virginie Razzano. If you didn't know who was who, then you would have
sworn that on this particular afternoon, Razzano was the one ranked
17 in the world and not Hantuchová, as Razzano built a 6-1 5-2 lead.
<<<

Daniela fought back from *2-5, saving two match-points at
*4-5 (15/40).


First set
---------
HANTUCH ____*__ 1
RAZZANO @*@* *@ 6

Daniela serving 0-2: She squandered two game-points before being
broken.

Daniela serving 1-5: 30/0 -> 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad D, Deuce #2,
ad R (SP #1), Deuce #3, ad R (SP #2), Razzano won the first set 6-1.


Second set
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HANTUCH ___*@__*@*__ 5
RAZZANO *@*__@*___*@ 7

Razzano serving 2-0: Daniela squandered two break-points before
Razzano held.

Razzano serving 3-1: She wasted a game-point with a double fault
before Daniela broke back.
Daniela serving 2-3: She recovered from 0/30 and 15/40, and
squandered four game-points before being broken anyway.

Daniela serving 4-5: 0/30, 15/30, 15/40 (2 MPs) -> 40/40, ad D,
Deuce #2, ad D, held.

Daniela serving 5-6: 0/40 (3 MPs), 15/40, Razzano won 6-1 7-5.

--
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/