=================
PACIFIC LIFE OPEN
(Indian Wells, California, USA; outdoor hard (Plexipave); WTA Tier I)
================= http://www.pacificlifeopen.com/

California, rest in peace
Simultaneous release
California, show your teeth
She's my priestess, I'm your priest

[Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Dani California"]

DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14]:
1r bye
2r + Kaia Kanepi, 6-2 2-6 6-1
3r + FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE [18], 6-2 7-6 (7/3)
4r + MARTINA HINGIS [3], 6-4 6-3
qf + SHAHAR PE'ER [11], 6-2 5-7 7-6 (7/3)
sf + LI,NA [12], 7-5 4-6 6-1
f v SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA [2]

Having elected to skip Indian Wells 2006, it's nice to see Daniela
back at the scene of her greatest triumph, and reliving those five-
year-old memories!

The fourth round was almost an exact repeat of the Indian Wells 2002
final, it made her the only former champion still in the tournament,
and although that remains her only WTA singles-title, she's now
through to her fifth final (third Tier I final - Zürich 2006 was her
second).

After years of choking and underachieving, everything finally seems
to be coming back together for the superfit Daniela, and the
following quote is one I'm sure I'll remember at the end of the year:
"I'm understanding much better: if something goes wrong, it's part of
the game, and it's okay, not to be perfect all the time."

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

http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=hantuchova
http://www.pacificlifeopen.com/2/players/gallery/ (March 14)
Search Getty Images for "hantuchova"

On-court HQs:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=278875&page=15 (to 20)
Off-court HQs:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=278892&page=10 (to 12)

Daniela looked particularly photogenic in her quarter-final! :hearts:

twahumboldt's photos of Daniela practising without a shirt:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=289789

Mike Werner's photos:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=290066

------
Videos
------

(4 minutes of Hantuchová v Hingis) + Daniela-interview:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showpost.php?p=10282479

(6 minutes of Hantuchová v Pe'er) + Daniela-interview:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showpost.php?p=10289045

------------
Second round (Friday 9th March)
------------

+ DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14] d. Kaia Kanepi, 6-2 2-6 6-1

The scoreline implies a typical Daniela walkabout! Why does she have
to go and make things so complicated?

Kanepi is a dangerous hard-hitting player who reached the final of
Hasselt 2006, where she lost 6-3 3-6 6-4 to Kim Clijsters - and from
the highlights I saw of that final, I couldn't tell them apart at all.

So this victory does raise hopes that Daniela will ever beat
Clijsters. ;-)


First set
---------
HANTUC _*@ @*@* 6
KANEPI *__@____ 2

Kanepi serving 2-4: 30/0, 30/15. Double fault. 30/40 (BP), broken.
Daniela serving 5-2: held to love.


Second set
----------
HANTUC ___* *__ 2
KANEPI *@* * *@ 6

Daniela serving 0-3: saved 2 break-points (15/40) before holding.
Kanepi serving 3-1: saved break-point (30/40) before holding.

Daniela serving 2-5: 0/15, 15/15. Double fault. 15/30. Ace. 30/30,
30/40 (SP #1), 40/40, ad Kanepi (SP #2), converted.


Third set
---------
HANTUC @ @*@*@ 6
KANEPI _@_____ 1

Daniela serving 1-0: saved 3 break-points, had one game-point, but
Kanepi converted BP #4.

Daniela serving 2-1: 40/15 -> 40/40, ad Daniela, held.
Kanepi serving 1-3: broken after wasting 3 game-points.

Kanepi serving 1-5: 0/15. Ace. 15/15, 40/15 -> 40/40,
ad Daniela (MP #1), GSM Daniela.

-----------
Third round (Sunday 11th March)
-----------

+ DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14] d. FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE [18], 6-2 7-6 (7/3)

This was the first time Daniela had beaten - or even taken a set off -
Schiavone in three meetings! But the first two were prior to Indian
Wells 2002.

www.dhantuchova.com:
>>>
14-seeded Daniela was involved in a battle for survival against
Italian Francesca Schiavone, eventually claiming 6-2 7-6(3) in 96
minutes.
<<<

First set
---------
HANTUCHOV * *@* *@ 6
SCHIAVONE _*___*__ 2

A very straightforward set, with no deuce-games, and a break to love
in the last game.


Second set
----------
HANTUCHOV __*@ @* * * T 7(7)
SCHIAVONE @*__@__* * *_ 6(3)

Daniela serving 5-5: 30/40 (BP), 40/40, ad Daniela, held.

6-6 tiebreak: 2/2, 4/2, 6/3 (3 MPs), GSM Daniela.

------------
Fourth round (Tuesday 13th March)
------------

+ DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14] d. MARTINA HINGIS [3], 6-4 6-3

It was a repeat of the Indian Wells 2002 final, which Daniela won 6-3
6-4. And she extends her remarkable head-to-head against Hingis to
3:2, following her dramatic recovery to beat her 1-6 6-4 6-4 at Doha.

At Doha, Daniela had recovered from 1-6 *1-4, and she recovered from
*1-3 (with a break-point for 1-4) in the second set this time (albeit
having won the first set - after Hingis had had a game-point for
5-3*).

Daniela saved 10 of 12 break-points against herself, and hit 7 aces.

For Hingis, it's the first time she's failed to reach the quarter-
finals in seven Indian Wells campaigns.

And, when Daniela won, she became the only former champion left in
the draw!


Preview
-------

www.wtatour.com:
>>>
Hingis will have to dig deeper in her next round if she is to take
out No.14 seed Daniela Hantuchová, who prevailed in her third-round
encounter against No.18 seed Francesca Schiavone, 6-2 7-6(3). The
pair is 2-2, but Hantuchová holds wins in what could be considered
their two most relevant match-ups - in the final of this very event
in 2002, and just last week at the Qatar Total Open in Doha.

Their meeting in the Doha quarter-finals last week was a peculiar
one; Hingis went up 6-1 4-1 before Hantuchová started hitting the
mark with her penetrating strokes, prevailing in three sets,
1-6 6-4 6-4.
<<<

Report
------

Jess Plopinio - http://www.teamwta.com/content/view/915/2/
>>>
Third seed Martina Hingis suffered another loss to Daniela Hantuchová
at the fourth-round match of the Pacific Life Open, 4-6 3-6. Hingis'
one-hour-and-forty-minute attempt to exact revenge over Hantuchová
was an exercise in futility as Hantuchová proved superior on court.

Hingis was leading Hantuchová 4-3 in the first set and was up at
40/0, then the Swiss aced was besieged with unforced errors. Having
taken advantage of the erratic play of Hingis, a fired up Hantuchová
went on to win the next 3 games for a first-set win. In the second
set, Hingis again led Hantuchová 3-1, only to falter, and gave the
set and the match away to Hantuchová.
<<<

First set
---------
HANTUC * * *__@*@ 6
HINGIS _* * *@___ 4

Daniela serving 3-3: broken after an incredible TEN deuces, wasting
5 game-points and saving 5 break-points.

Hingis serving 4-3: 40/0 -> 40/40, ad Daniela (BP), broken!
Daniela serving 4-4: 15/40 -> 40/40. Ace. Ad Daniela, held.
Hingis serving 4-5: 0/30, 15/30, 15/40 (2 SPs), 30/40, first set
Daniela.


Second set
----------
HANTUC *___*@*@* 6
HINGIS _*@*_____ 3

Daniela serving 1-1: 40/15 -> 40/40, ad Hingis (BP), Deuce #2,
ad Daniela, Deuce #3, ad Daniela, Deuce #4, ad Hingis (BP #2). Ace.
Deuce #5, ad Hingis (BP #3), broken.

Daniela serving 1-3: 30/0 -> 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad Hingis (BP),
Deuce #2. Ace. Ad Daniela, held.

Hingis serving 3-2: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 30/40, broken.
Daniela serving 3-3: held to love.
Hingis serving 3-4: 0/30, 15/30, 15/40 (2 BPs) -> 40/40,
ad Daniela (BP #3), broken.
Daniela serving 5-3: served it out to love, sealed with an ace!


Daniela quotes
--------------

[Re. the Indian Wells 2002 final]
"I was thinking about it a lot. It was such a joy for me to be out
there. I was enjoying it so much, and can't tell you how many
memories it was bringing back to me. And really, just being on the
court, and with Martina, it was definitely something special.

"I think we both read each other's games very well, and I always
enjoy playing Martina 'cause she really plays, I think, the way
tennis should be played. And I have so much respect for that. And
also, whenever we have a chance to practise, it's always great.
So definitely she brings the best out of me.

"I mean, especially with someone like her, she reads it so well that
you always basically have to come out with something extra that
perhaps against the other players, you wouldn't really need to, but
with her, you /have/ to do it."

[Re. the praise from Hingis]
"I mean, it's nice to hear something like that, for sure. You know,
the same goes with her. She's one of the greatest players around. So
I think I've got the kind of game that can really hurt players like
her, and, yeah, I'm proud of that.

"But at the same time, you know, every day is different, every match
different. So you have to keep your head down and keep work[ing] on
the right things."

[Re. facing break-points]
"You know what, I was not really thinking about the score too much.
I was trying to be focused on my game, try to do the right things.
And as I said, just enjoying every single second."

[Re. her lack of belief when close to winning big matches]
"I definitely agree with that. But it's something I feel it's coming
now. You can't really force that. Unless you have the experiences of
big matches - and I think by now, I've been through them, and through
a lot, and I have learned my lessons. So I think now I'm more
prepared to play the big matches well."

[Why there are so many upsets here]
"It's very, very difficult to play here. In the first few days of the
year I won, I was struggling here. The balls fly a lot, and the court
is pretty tough to play on, so I'm not surprised with these results
at all. [The heat] plays a role, too, and it's, I think, a very, very
difficult tournament to win."

[Re. winning Indian Wells 2002]
"I feel like I'm slowly getting that same feel, so, you know, it
would be great to go as far as I did a couple [five] years ago. But
like I said, I have to make sure I'm ready for tomorrow and take it
one match at a time."

[Re. avoiding the let-down]
"You just have to work on the same things tomorrow. It's another day.
In tennis, you never know what's gonna happen. That's why it's such
[an] interesting sport that you can be the No. 1 player in the world,
like here, Roger [Federer] was beaten by Cańas, then he loses the
next day. So you have to be always ready and prepared to give 100%,
and sometimes it doesn't work. But it's okay. It's like in life."

[Re. being the only former champion left]
"I don't think that makes any difference. As I said, every day is
different, and all these players that are already this far can win
it, and anything can happen. So as long as I give my best, I'll be
happy with that."


Hingis quotes
-------------

{before the match}

"We have a history here. She's similar to Lindsay or Serena, where
you don't have very much time. They're very good ball-strikers, good
servers, and you just have to start to dictate from first point.

"She loosened up in Doha after she broke me back; she won the second
set so she had the momentum, and she flowed with it. She was missing
before. I was playing well, but she started playing better. Once she
loosens up, she's tough."


{after the match}

"I knew from the beginning, when I looked at the draw, that I was
going to play Daniela first. I didn't look at anything else.

"Well, because I gave her the opportunity [to push further inside the
court], I think also. I mean, we know each other's games pretty well,
where our strengths and weaknesses are. I tried to overcome her
backhand, and she goes for my forehand. It's no news for me and her.

"I mean, yeah, she beat here in the finals. I mean, there was a lot
of people after that expected her to catapult into winning a Grand
Slam and things like that. I mean, she's an uncomfortable player
because of these reasons, which I just said.

"Gees, she's just, like, so good, you know? Sometimes I feel like,
what has she done all those years when she beat me here in the
finals? It's just confidence. I mean, she beats the top players. She
can do it, only like if she believes. I mean, I practise with her.
Even she tells me in the locker room, 'With you, I feel like we play
tennis.' That's how I feel, because she knows the game, like it used
to be against Jennifer Capriati or Lindsay or the Williams sisters. I
put her in that group in the past because she knows the name [game?].

"She's smart. She knows what I'm doing. She reads my game. I read
hers. She has great serves. I'm like, okay, you know, that 3-all
game, that took a lot of thinking and doing out of me, because I
didn't get the chance to play my game. But if I don't get to touch
the ball, or I'm outclassed in the returns - I mean, that's always
been my strength. You know, at least get the ball in play and then
we'll see. But she doesn't even let me do that.

"So sometimes it's hard, especially here at, like, I mean usually I
get the chance against other players in the rally, and if they
overpower me, good, you know, if you go for winners all the time. But
she does it /all/ the time, hit or miss.

"She can also stick in the rally. She doesn't just do something
really stupid.
I mean, she goes usually for the right shots. I mean, sometimes it's
like really close to the lines and sometimes she hits it, sometimes
it will miss, but it's never I feel like she's going for the wrong
shot.

"It's just like so much mental with her. It's just amazing how much
the mind can do to you. It's just a little bit - you know, she loses
matches 6-4, 7-6 in the third, and she has in her hands. She lets it
go. But she's done that for five years. I don't know. It's hard.
I mean, you have to ask her what she has to do. I don't know. I think
a lot of people have been trying to talk to her.

"And only last week [Doha], I was up a set and 4-1 against her and I
managed to lose, and today, it was more difficult. That's why she had
the confidence to serve and play, because of last week."

[Re. first set]
"Once I had [control], I gave it up again. Yeah, 4-3, that long game,
and being on up 40/Love, didn't take advantage of that, and 40/15,
her game again. It was a bit frustrating. Yeah, somehow after that,
I lost the nerve.

"I'm still up 3-1 in the second, again, break-point to go 4-1, then
she served. That's why for me it's difficult playing like her or
Davenport in the past, or Serena [Williams], who kind of served well
and put pressure on my serve. So there's no really long rallies. I
mean, you're either on or off. She served well today. I mean, I had
my chances.

"Not the nerve. I mean, just... it takes so much energy out of you,
just like always be on, and she takes so much time. And it's like
you'll be playing that one set forever. It seems it was 15 minutes
and it was only 3-all. It was like, 'okay, you know, I mean, aren't
we ever gonna finish this match?'

"But then you overcome this, and I broke her, and being up 40/Love on
my serve. I mean, I can't miss those shots - which I did, that
backhand down the line. It was like, 'okay, you know, you can't give
her the chances to get back into it.' I mean, that's when finally I
broke her in that game, and then... it's not even worth talking.
I mean, I know where the problems are, so...

"I had a high after Tokyo, and Australia was fine, and I played well.
And I played really well in the first couple matches. And today I've
got a little cold here, and you can't allow yourself to have things
like that. I mean, that stops you from being at the best... but
that's the Tour. You know you have to try to be healthy and be 100%
every day, and if you're not, you're gonna lose.

"I already didn't feel that great going on court, but, you know,
facing Hantuchová, it's not the easiest fact either. I don't want to
blame it on anything."

[Re. Daniela is the only former champion left]
"I mean, that was 2002, and after that I didn't play for three years.
So you have to ask her how she feels. I mean, I'm sure she feels
quite well playing here, quite confident. But I don't know how she
did in the three years after that."

-------------
Quarter-final (Wednesday 14th March)
-------------

+ DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14] d. SHAHAR PE'ER [11], 6-2 5-7 7-6 (7/5)

Daniela does have a habit of making routine wins turn needlessly
complicated, but I have a lot of respect for the game that Shahar is
developing (her power has doubled since they met at Wimbledon 2005,
when Shahar was basically just a retriever), so I'm just pleased that
Daniela won.

Shahar was *5/3 up in the tiebreak, and it might have been a
different story if she had Hawkeye-challenged her forehand being
called out when in fact it was good!

Daniela won the first set in 34 minutes, but it ended up being a
2h53m marathon in the evening-session. I was very glad she had a day
off on Thursday!

Daniela hit 61 unforced errors and 22 FOREHAND winners (Shahar hit
just 10 forehand winners). Daniela broke Shahar's serve four times
(twice in the first set, and twice in the third set where she was
also broken twice).

www.wtatour.com:
>>>
Five years after winning her first and so far only WTA Tour singles-
title, Daniela Hantuchová is on the verge of her second, at the very
site of that breakthrough victory.

A day after beating Martina Hingis in a repeat of the 2002 Pacific
Life Open final, the No.14-seeded Slovak advanced to the semifinals
with a nail-biting 6-2 5-7 7-6 (7/5) win over 19-year-old Israeli
Shahar Pe'er.

Hantuchová needed two hours, 53 minutes to subdue the brave challenge
of Pe'er, who also came tantalisingly close to beating eventual
champion Serena Williams at the Australian Open in January. Pe'er
scraped through the second set and led 5/3 in the subsequent
tiebreak, but her opponent's greater experience won through.

Having prevented Hantuchová from serving the match out at 5-4 in the
third, Pe'er seemed to have the momentum with her, building a healthy
lead in the tiebreak. However, Hantuchová surged to win the last four
points.
<<<

http://www.pacificlifeopen.com/1/news/wta8.asp
>>>
The 14th-seeded Hantuchová, who earned her place in the quarter-
finals with a straight-sets win over former No. 1 Martina Hingis on
Tuesday, appeared on her way to another decisive victory after racing
through a 34-minute first set.

But her game unravelled in the next two sets, as the Slovak committed
a total of 51 unforced errors to allow No. 10 seed Pe'er back into
the match.

Neither player, however, managed to hold onto the lead in the third
set. Pe'er took the early lead in the third set before Hantuchová
earned herself the opportunity to serve for the victory at 5-4. The
Israeli fought back, pushing the set to the tiebreak where Hantuchová
prevailed.
<<<

sportinglife.com:
>>>
The Slovakian easily took the first set, capitalising on Pe'er's
below-par serve to give little indication of the tussle to come.

However, Hantuchová's game fell apart in a second set in which both
players had opportunities, as she committed 51 unforced errors to
allow the 11th-seeded Pe'er to get back into the match.

The third set went all the way with both players breaking the other
twice.

Pe'er took the early lead in the third set before Hantuchová spurned
the opportunity to serve for the victory at 5-4, before eventually
coming out on top in an equally close tiebreak.
<<<

Matthew Cronin for Reuters:
>>>
A day after upending third seed Martina Hingis in straight sets, the
2002 champion needed almost three hours to overcome some stubborn
resistance from Pe'er, who consistently engaged Hantuchová in
punishing rallies from the baseline.

The 23-year-old did well to overcome the disappointment of failing to
serve out the match at 5-4 in the third set, and rallied from a 3/5
deficit in the deciding tiebreaker.

Hantuchová drew level after Pe'er had committed two unforced errors,
and a service-winner gave her match-point, which she took at the
first attempt when her teenage opponent erred with a forehand.
<<<

First set
---------
HANTU @* * *@* 6
PE'ER __* *___ 2

Shahar serving 0-0: 30/30 -> 30/40, broken.

Shahar serving 0-2: 0/15, 15/15, 15/30, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40,
ad Shahar, held.

Shahar serving 2-4: 0/40, 15/40, broken.
Daniela serving 5-2: 30/0, 30/15, 40/15 (2 SPs), 40/30, first set
Daniela.


Second set
----------
HANTU _* *___*@*__ 5
PE'ER * * *@*___*@ 7

Shahar serving 0-0: 0/15, 30/15, 30/40 (BP), 40/40, ad Shahar, held.

Daniela serving 1-2: 0/15, 30/15, 30/40 (BP), 40/40, ad Daniela, held.
Shahar serving 2-2: 15/0, 15/30, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40,
ad Daniela (BP #2), Deuce #2, ad Shahar, held.
Daniela serving 2-3: 0/40 (3 BPs), 30/40, broken.
Shahar serving 4-2: 0/30 -> 40/30, held.
Daniela serving 2-5: held to love.

Shahar serving 5-3: 0/30 -> 30/30, 40/30 (SP #1), 40/40,
ad Shahar (SP #2), Deuce #2, ad Daniela (BP), broken.
Daniela serving 4-5: held to love.

Shahar serving 5-5: 30/0, 30/15, 40/15, held.
Daniela serving 5-6: broken to love.


Third set
---------
HANTU _*__@*@*___*T 7(7)
PE'ER * *@____*@*__ 6(5)

Daniela serving 1-2: Daniela squandered 5 nonconsecutive game-points,
then as soon as Shahar got a break-point, she converted it!

Shahar serving 3-1: 0/30, 30/30, 30/40 (BP), 40/40, ad Daniela
(BP #2), broken.
Daniela serving 2-3: held to love.
Shahar serving 3-3: 30/15, 30/40, broken.
Daniela serving 4-3: 40/0. Double fault. 40/15, held.
Shahar serving 3-5: 30/0, 30/15, 40/15, held.

Daniela serving 5-4: 0/15, 30/15, 30/40, broken.
Shahar serving 5-5: 0/15, 40/15, held.
Daniela serving 5-6: 15/15. Ace. 40/15, held.

6-6 tiebreak: *0/1, 2/1*, 2/2*, *3/2, 3/5*, 6/5* (MP), GSM Daniela.


Daniela quotes
--------------

"With her, it's never easy. She's a great fighter, and I was
expecting that coming to the match, so I knew it was going to be a
battle, which I think the score is proving. I'm just really glad how
I pulled it out at the end.

"I'm understanding much better: if something goes wrong, it's part of
the game, and it's okay, not to be perfect all the time. And just to
try to figure out how to turn things around in my way, and always try
to stay positive."

"I just try to play one point at a time, and not think too much about
the score or what was happening, just try to focus on trying to do
the right things.

"I think we both started to feel it [tired] in the middle of the
third set, because we had long rallies, and also the match yesterday
with Martina was not easy. I was running from one side to another,
but it's a great feeling to be tired like that!

"Definitely I feel like I'm hitting the ball very well, and I'm very
pleased with my choice [of racket]."

[Re. the third-set tiebreak]
"I didn't know it was 5/3. I was I was just trying to think about my
game, and not about the score at all."

[Re. on-court coaching]
"I agree with everything he said. I just needed maybe a little, how
do you say it? I was, you know, a little tense, so I wanted to make
sure he tells me everything that I needed to. I didn't argue with him
or anything. I just was asking a lot of questions to make sure that
he covers everything I needed to know.

"Basically just to try to stay in the points, and not to rush.
Sometimes when I - 'cause I had so many opportunities on her serve,
and a lot of the times I was 30/Love up and haven't used the chances.
So just not to rush, and just try to stay calm and play my game.

"He just told me few things to fix [my forehand], which to have him
on the side really helps and makes a difference. Because sometimes
when you're playing, you don't really realise what you're doing. So,
you know, he just told me to fix a few little things, and then it
seemed to start work again."

[Re. three-set matches]
"I know, I love them. I guess the more time I spend on the court, the
better for me. I always feel like I've got the physical advantage
with the players that I can last a little longer, maybe, than they
can, and that gives me a lot of confidence. Sometimes, even if things
are not going my way, I just know that I can still turn it around."

^[It's true that Daniela is one of the fittest women in tennis - in
both senses of the word! I just wish she wouldn't make such a meal
out of so many of her matches. It's still important for her to
conserve her energy.]

"I think getting through matches like this, it's proving [my
conditioning]. I'm very, very happy about that. I got to take off
tomorrow, though, because I feel like I need it by now. But yeah, I
feel great, and that gives me a lot of confidence."


Shahar quotes
-------------

"I think first set was very bad. I don't know how many percentage of
first serve I had, but it was very little.

"She was dictating from the first ball of the point, each point, and
I was just putting maybe a little bit more first serves, trying to
make her move a little bit, and tried to take control of the point.

"After I won the 5-all to 6-5, I did feel she was a little bit
shaking. I felt I was playing better, but she was serving very well
at 6-5.

"The whole match she was serving unbelievably, and especially in the
tiebreak. She put so many first serves, so it was hard to break her
every time."

[Re. the third-set tiebreak]
"So 5/3 was good point. I mean, I missed my backhand, which was
stupid. But 5/4, she served two first serve, like, I don't know, at
5/4, somebody told me it was good, my forehand that they called out.
So I have to see on the tape. But she was serving first two first
serves, and these two points, and at 6/5, I was just pushing the ball
actually after I hit a good serve. So I was just pushing my forehand
after."

----------
Semi-final (Friday 16th March)
----------

+ DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14] d. LI,NA [12], 7-5 4-6 6-1

Li is a go-for-broke player, who can either be extremely dangerous or
self-destruct. She's like a thin, Oriental version of Ana Ivanovic.
When I watched Maria Sharapova beat Li at Birmingham 2006, Li hit
more winners than Maria, but gift-wrapped Maria's victory with a hail
of unforced errors.

And so it was here: Daniela had a W:UE ratio of 15:31, Li 30:53.


Preview
-------

http://www.pacificlifeopen.com/1/news/wta8.asp
>>>
The winner of the Hantuchová v Li semi-final will enter the Top 15
with the release of the new rankings on Monday. It would mark a new
career-milestone for Li, who achieved her country's best-ever ranking
of No. 16 after reaching the Sydney semi-final earlier this year.

Both semi-finalists are looking to win their second career singles-
title. Hantuchová claimed her sole title at the 2002 Pacific Life
Open, while Li became the first Chinese player to capture a WTA Tour
title when she won at Guangzhou in 2004 as a qualifier.
<<<

Reports
-------

www.wtatour.com:
>>>
Two of the WTA Tour's flashiest power-players were tested but managed
to fight their way into the Pacific Life Open singles-final, as the
semi-finals took the court on Friday afternoon at the $2.1-million,
Tier I event.

Daniela Hantuchová was the first to move into the championship-round,
overcoming an in-form Li,Na in three sets, 7-5 4-6 6-1.

The two women were evenly matched during the first two sets, with
crucial breaks of serve coming towards the end of each: the No.14-
seeded Hantuchová broke in the second-to-last game of the opening
set, while the No.12-seeded Li broke at love in the last game of the
second. But Hantuchová wasn't discouraged.

The last set was a blowout. Aside from holding serve in the fifth
game, Li won just six points in the other six games, ending the match
on consecutive double faults.

Playing in the hot conditions took more of a toll on Li; during the
10-minute break in between the second and third sets, that was
evident.
<<<

Matthew Cronin for Reuters:
>>>
In reaching her second Pacific Life Open final, Hantuchová won her
third three-set match of the tournament, and her ninth this year.

While she is one of the thinnest players on tour, she has shown a
capacity to outlast much more muscular opponents like Li.
<<<

Greg Heakes for Agence France Presse (AFP):
>>>
On Friday, Hantuchová won 11 of 12 points to open the third set. She
broke Li twice early in the set, jumping out to a 4-0 lead.

Li began the match by winning the first seven-straight points. She
found her form in the second set, but then struggled with her serve
in the final set.

The temperatures in the Palm Springs area have been 10 degrees
Celsius above normal the past week. The high was expected to reach
38°C (101 Fahrenheit) on Friday.
<<<

Ken Peters (AP Sports Writer):
>>>
At the end of the 2-hour, 20-minute match when temperatures on the
court topped 100 degrees, Hantuchová thrust her arms skyward, then
beamed as she waved to the crowd.

Li, at No. 17 China's top-ranked player ever and one notch above
Hantuchová, kept it close in the first set, then won the second. But
Hantuchová took control quickly in the third, setting the pace with
well-placed groundstrokes as Li began making mistakes.

Hantuchová, a native of Slovakia who lives in Monte Carlo, beat
Martina Hingis in the final at Indian Wells five years ago.
Hantuchová, who was 18 at the time, went into that tournament as a
relative unknown, upset third-seeded Justine Henin in the fourth
round, then beat the second-seeded Hingis for the title.

That was Hantuchová's first Tour-victory - and she hasn't won since.
<<<

PA Sport:
>>>
Daniela Hantuchová will be bidding for her second Pacific Life title
after overcoming number 12 seed Li,Na in three sets to make the final.

The 2002 champion had to dig deep again after her epic quarter-final
clash with Shahar Pe'er, and eventually came through 7-5 4-6 6-1
against the Chinese player.

The Slovakian took the first set despite being under pressure for
most of it, saving seven of eight break-points as Li tried to take
advantage of an indifferent second serve.

Li levelled the match in the next as she broke her opponent twice,
but the deciding set proved to be a one-sided affair as Hantuchová
claimed three breaks of serve to qualify for the final.
<<<

Wintermute <http://www.wtaworld.com/showpost.php?p=10299818>:
>>>
What impressed me a lot in this match was her positivity on court.
Even despite the heat she was jumping around between points and
shouting "c'mon" and pumping her fist. That sends a message to the
opponent that she could keep going as long as it would take to get
the win.

I also think the on-court coaching helped. Eduard Nicolas (sp?) at
the start of the heat break was telling her "fight like a lion on
every point". Daniela was saying "But she's playing better now" and
he was countering that with really positive instructions. It seemed
to work.

Daniela only went off court briefly towards the end of the 10 minute
break, perhaps to keep her body accustomed to the temperature on
court, while Na went off right at the start. When they came back out
Na's form had taken a dive and Daniela played solidly to rush into a
lead. Na pretty much collapsed in the final game serving two double
faults.
<<<

First set
---------
HA __@* * * *@* 7
LI *@__* * *___ 5

I caught up with live scores from the following thread:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=290169&page=4

The match started at 11:09 PDT.

Li serving 0-0: held to love.
Daniela serving 0-1: 0/40 -> 30/40, broken.
Li serving 2-0: broken to 30. A couple of posters praised
Daniela's "great defence" on the last point.
Daniela serving 1-2: 0/40 -> 40/40, ad D, Deuce #2, ad D, held.

Three break-points saved! :-)

Li serving 2-2: held to 15.
Daniela serving 2-3: 40/0 -> 40/30, held.
Li serving 3-3: 40/15 -> 40/40, ad D (BP), Deuce #2, ad L, held.
Daniela serving 3-4: 40/15 -> 40/40, ad D, held.
Li serving 4-4: held to 15.

Daniela serving 4-5: Daniela forehand wide. 0/15. Return just long.
15/15. Return long. 30/15. Li forehand winner (Daniela made an
incorrect Hawkeye-challenge). 30/30. Li unforced backhand error.
40/30. Daniela held.

Li serving 5-5: Li backhand long. 0/15. Ace #2. 15/15. Daniela
forehand long. 30/15. "Great return." 30/30. Return just in!
30/40 (BP). Li hit a poor dropshot to give Daniela the crucial break!

Daniela serving 6-5: Li netted a forehand. 15/0. Daniela netted a
forehand. 15/15. Service-winner. 30/15. Li played a good point.
30/30. Double fault #2. 30/40 (BP). Return long. 40/40. Daniela
forehand long. Ad Li (BP #2). Saved. Deuce #2. Good serve, return
long. Ad Daniela (SP #1). Daniela defended well, and Li made an
unforced forehand error. Daniela won the first set 7-5 at 12:07
(58 minutes).

hablo: "Daniela told her coach that she has troubles with Li's second
serve cause it's deeper than most girls".


Second set
----------
HA _*__@* *__ 4
LI * *@__* *@ 6

Li serving 0-0: held to 15.
Daniela serving 0-1: held to 30.
Li serving 1-1: held to love.

Daniela serving 1-2: Double fault #3. 0/15. Li unforced forehand
error. 15/15. Return-winner. 15/30. Li backhand winner.
15/40 (2 BPs). Daniela saved the first with a good volley. 30/40.
Li broke with a great return.

Li serving 3-1: 15/0, 15/30, 30/30, 40/30, 40/40, ad D (BP). Daniela
wasted it with a second-serve return miles wide. Deuce #2, ad D (BP
#2). Daniela broke back on an unforced backhand error from Li.

Daniela serving 2-3: 40/15 -> 40/40, ad D. They had to replay the
point when Li correctly challenged her return, but Daniela held to
level the set.

Li serving 3-3: held to love.
Daniela serving 3-4: 30/0 -> 30/30, 40/30, held.
Li serving 4-4: held to 15.

Daniela serving 4-5: Daniela forehand wide. 0/15. Daniela poor
dropshot. 0/30. Double fault #4. 0/40 (3 SPs). Li won the second set
6-4 at 12:52 (second set 45 minutes, match so far 1h43m).

Wintermute <http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=290169&page=37>:
>>>
I don't know why but I had a feeling that was gonna happen when she
came up to serve that game. Daniela's coach should tell her that in
tight situations she should never use a dropshot, but she always
seems to.

Daniela's coach is telling her to "fight like a lion".
<<<

They took a "10-minute" heat-break, and play resumed at 13:04.


Third set
---------
HA @*@* *@ 6
LI ____*__ 1

Li serving 0-0: Li unforced backhand error. 0/15. Li unforced
forehand error. 0/30. Li backhand winner. 15/30. Li unforced backhand
error. 15/40 (2 BPs). Li handed Daniela the break with an unforced
forehand error.

Daniela serving 1-0: held to 15.
Li serving 0-2: Li backhand wide. 0/15. Li forehand wide. 0/30. Li
forehand winner. 15/30. Li made two unforced forehand errors to give
Daniela the double break.

Wintermute: "Errors are back for Na and Daniela has come out really
solid."

Daniela serving 3-0: held to love.
Li serving 0-4: held to love.
Daniela serving 4-1: held to love.

Li serving 1-5: Li backhand long (unforced). 0/15. Li crosscourt
backhand winner. 15/15. Li unforced forehand error. 15/30. Li hit a
good smash. 30/30. Daniela hit a screaming crosscourt forehand return-
winner! 30/40 (MP #1). Daniela netted a forehand. 40/40. Double fault
#2. Ad Daniela (MP #2). Make that a quadruple fault!
Daniela won 7-5 4-6 6-1 at 13:28 (third set 36 minutes including the
heat-break, match 2h19m).


Daniela quotes
--------------

{before the match}

"Yeah, you know, exciting to be in the semi-finals. It's gonna be a
great match. She's a great player, great fighter, so it's going to be
again, very, very difficult match. But I'm looking forward to it, and
I'm gonna give it my best. I know it's gonna be tough, so I have to
be ready."


{after the match}

"It was tough, because it was so hot and the conditions were very,
very difficult. So I knew in the third set it was going to be a
battle, but I felt like physically I was feeling much better on the
court.

"Especially the first few games in the third set were very important,
and I just tried to save my energy for the points - not to waste it
in between - and tried to play very smart.

"I definitely felt like I had the edge in the third set. I felt very,
very good. Mentally it helped me that I felt I could have stayed
there as long as it took to get through."

[Re. the heat-break]
"I changed my dress, tried to drink a lot, had a banana, Gatorade. I
tried to use the heat-break to get some energy back, and drink a lot,
and just try not to think too much about it."


Li quotes
---------

{before the match}

"I play Hantuchová twice in last year. So for this woman, every round
is top match, so I can't say, 'Oh, I will easy to win the match or
something.' I can't say."


{after the match}

"I was a little bit tired. I just wanted to hit a lot of winners,
because I didn't want play long points. So I missed a lot. And she
never missed."

[Re. the heat-break]
"I was sitting on a golf-cart and drinking lots of Gatorade. When I
came back to the court, I don't know why, I just couldn't serve in
the court. My legs felt very heavy, and I couldn't jump or hit big
serves.

"If I start thinking the weather was hot, so the weather was /more/
hot. Maybe next time, I will just keep telling myself the weather is
cold!"

-------------
Final-preview (Saturday 17th March)
-------------

* DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14] v SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA [2]

Daniela is 2:5 head-to-head against Kuznetsova, who will rise from #4
in the rankings to a career-high #3 on Monday (Daniela will be back
in the top 15).

Daniela won their first meeting at Leipzig 2003 (7-5 6-2), and also
beat Kuznetsova 6-4 6-2 to reach the Zürich 2006 final.

But Kuznetsova won perhaps their two most significant match-ups: in
the Eastbourne 2004 final, Daniela served for the title at 6-2 6-5
(30/30), but Kuznetsova won 2-6 7-6 (7/2) 6-4.

And just two weeks ago in the Doha semi-finals, Kuznetsova beat
Daniela 6-4 6-2 - Daniela must have been exhausted after playing two
three-setters in the two days before that match!

Daniela may have had a 2h19m match in 38°C heat in the semi-finals
yesterday, but Kuznetsova had a 2h40m marathon - also in scorching
heat - that finished 4h31m hours later than Daniela's at 17:59 PDT!

So, with Daniela being one of the fittest players on the WTA Tour (in
both senses of the word!), she could well have the edge over
Kuznetsova today.

www.wtatour.com:
>>>
Hantuchová is no stranger to championship-matches, having played five
finals before. Although she has only earned one victory in those five
finals, the location of that lone title-win is certainly encouraging
for this year's final.
<<<

Daniela quotes
--------------

"There is definitely something very special about this place for me.
It's a fantastic feeling to be back on the court in the finals again,
and I'm going to enjoy it and have a great time. Really, it's amazing.

"I think I've matured a lot [since Indian Wells 2002]. I've learned
some lessons - not only on the tennis-side, but also in my life. On
the court, especially even if I don't play 100%, it's okay. I can win
matches playing maybe 80% of my game, and just figure out how I can
get through them. Even if I don't feel great, no matter how good the
opponent is, how well they play. There's always a way I can get
through.

"When I was younger, I was always expecting everything to go my way
and be perfect. And I realise it's okay not to be like that all the
time.

"Before, even though I had great results, it was too much up and
down. I was never really stable. But now I know what it takes to win
big tournaments, to have great wins.

"I think with being mentally much, much stronger, I feel like the
best times are still ahead."

[Re. playing Kuznetsova]
"She's a great friend of mine. We know each other's games very well,
which can be sometimes little tricky because she knows what I'm gonna
do. I know what she's gonna do. So sometimes that can play a role.

"It's exciting, especially for the [Casal/Sánchez] academy. I'm in
the final, I'm just gonna go out there and enjoy it and play my
tennis, and see what happens."


Kuznetsova quotes
-----------------

"It's easier in the mind, you know, because [when you] come up with
somebody with whom you most of times lose, it's tough. But still
doesn't matter anything. I just want to go out there and give my
best, and see what happens.

"She's more dangerous indoors, but she's starting to get her level up
again, and she has improved a lot. I'm looking forward to playing
her. I played her in Doha and I came up strong. I know how to play
her, but it's going to be a very tough match because she is playing
well and she's in good shape now."

--------------------------
Order of play for Saturday
--------------------------

Stadium 1 (start 12:00 PDT = 19:00 GMT)
1. MS sf: ANDY RODDICK [3] v RAFAEL NADAL [2]
2. (14:00 PDT) WS f: DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ [14] v SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA [2]
3. (16:30 PDT) MS sf: NOVAK ĐOKOVIC [12] v ANDY MURRAY [13]

So it starts at 21:00 GMT, subject to Roddick v Nadal having finished.

--
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/