--- In danielahantuchova@yahoogroups.com, "paolo4180" <neclord@b...>
wrote:
> criag you are one of dani's biggest supporters,heck,you started
this
> group and your fansite is brilliant but you are like me and maybe
> many other Daniela fans,CLINGING ON TO FALSE HOPE!.
> yes i agree that Daniela could start winning again,no,it isnt
> impossible but just check the facts ,look at it as i do now,she
just
> hasnt deliverd!!,you say,give it another yr or the next and she
will
> discover her form,well yeah maybe,but every yr more and more
better
> players are coming through and the more Daniela loses the less
chance
> she will have of ever come back,.
>

Paolo, she's only 21 still. Lots of older players, Davenport, Farina-
Elia etc. have shown that older, wiser players can still thrive at
the top.

Seems to me that these days the average age of top players is higher
now than it was 20 years ago-ish, when players like Austin and
Jaeger were at the top aged 14-15 - they were 'burnt out' before
they were 20 (or thereabouts) - seems different now. Players go on
longer.

> you say she should start playing more teir3's,well she hanst got a
> choice now has she?,out of the top 50,no-way can she play a tier
> 1,the only ones she can compete are the tier 2 and 3.
> and the players in them are no push-overs either,what if she keeps
> losing to them aswell?.
> what she needs is a complete overhaul of everything,new
> management,defaintly a new coach(your strangely quiet on that
issue)
>

Gossip might be completely wrong but the goss on wtaworld that I saw
Jan-Feb time was that coaches were avoiding Daniela, not queuing up
to coach her. More fool them I think in the long run.

Daniela played like a goddess in 2002 didn't she, with Nigel, he
must have good coaching credentials.

> maybe what she really needs is just to start again,qualifying
again
> for tier 2,getting through them working her way back slowly,but
can
> she do it?..how can one player keep making 40 odd errors a
> game?,because that's what her average is,cut those errors out and
she
> can beat anyone,but losing to asagoe 6-1 6-3 just sickend me,that
is
> a shit display against someone very average

Asagoe is a good player, she played fantastically at Wimbledon
didn't she.

But it was clay Paolo, not to be taken seriously!

,Daniela should have been
> bursting to get to her,to destroy the one player who caused her so
> much grief and embarrssment,she should have gone out there on the
> court with a face like thunder,like mike fucking tyson ready to
rip
> her throat out,but instead she limps out 6-1 6-3, she seems to
have
> to much respect,too nice,she needs to develop a killer
instint ,she
> needs to get gladitorial in there!..."YOU MADE ME CRY AT WIMBLEDON
> BITCH NOW YOU PAY!!

hehehe that would have been great! some snarling and cursing! I read
somewhere that Daniela was coming out with some disgustingly (hehe)
awful language in Slovak during the match at Wimbledon. How cool
would it be if she did it in English in some match. Might do her
some good to 'lose it' on court one day, it never did Mac any harm
did it.

You can't recover from all that happened to Daniela in 2003 in a few
months, I haven't followed things too closely this year and more may
have emerged for all I know about what actually caused the loss in
weight, the loss in confidence, the tears, possible/probable
depression, complete breakdown in form - but whatever caused it all,
I'm sure you can't get over it all quickly. It's only been four
months since the Australian Open - no time at all!

It's been ages since I saw one of her matches on TV but anyone
(Paolo?) who has seen any lately, does Daniela look like she is
enjoying her tennis these days? Does she smile ever on court
nowadays?

Daniela slumped to a disappointing first-round defeat - her first in
a Grand Slam since the US Open 2001 - against Shinobu Asagoe out on
Court 3 on Tuesday. While it's not surprising that Daniela lost on
clay to the perpetrator of her traumatic, tearful Wimbledon 2003
defeat, I expected it to be a lot closer than 6-1 6-3 in 66 minutes.
At least Daniela didn't have to go through a 2h46m ordeal of choken
leads (except 2-0 and 3-1 in the second) and missed match-points. ;-)


I followed live score-updates at www.rolandgarros.com. The match
started at 11:16 CEST.

Daniela was in trouble from the very start, as she went 0/30 down on
serve, and faced two break-points at 15/40. She saved them both, but
after three deuces and three more break-points, she succumbed.

Asagoe led 30/0 on serve in the second game; Daniela made it 30/30,
but Asagoe won the next two points to hold for 2-0. Things went from
bad to worse as Daniela was broken in the next game (after saving
one break-point at 0/40) to go 3-0 down with a double break.

The only game Daniela won in the first set was on Asagoe's serve at
3-0, when Daniela broke to 15 (after 0/30).

But Asagoe's double break was quickly restored as Daniela squandered
a lead of 40/15 to get broken for 1-4. Asagoe held to 15 in the next
game, forcing Daniela to serve to stay in the set at 1-5.

Daniela dropped the first point, then led 30/15, but then found
herself facing set-point at 30/40. Asagoe won the first set 6-1 at
11:45 CEST.


Daniela struck back at the start of the second set: although Asagoe
led 30/0 on serve, Daniela won three points in a row to get a break-
point at 30/40, and did break after one deuce.

Daniela was also fortunate to hold in the second game, as she was
0/30 down, then won four points in a row for 2-0. She won the first
point against Asagoe's serve, but Asagoe held to 30.

Struggling in every single game, Daniela recovered from 0/15 and
15/30 to hold serve to 30 for a lead of 3-1, and it really felt like
we were heading for a third set at this stage.

But Daniela then lost five games in a row, starting with Asagoe
holding to 30 for 2-3. Daniela recovered from 15/30 and 30/40 in her
next service-game, but, after one deuce, was broken back to 3-3.

Daniela had 0/15 and 15/30 against Asagoe's serve, but Asagoe held
to 30 for 4-3. Daniela led 30/0 on serve, but lost four points in a
row to drop her serve for the sixth time in the match. Thus Asagoe
served for the match at 5-3.

Asagoe won the first point, but Daniela made it 15/15... 30/15...
30/30... 40/30 (match-point). Asagoe won 6-1 6-3 at 12:22 CEST.


Daniela made 35 unforced errors against 14 from Asagoe, and four
double faults (along with two aces). Both players hit 15 winners,
but a winner:UE ratio of 3:7 is not at all healthy for Daniela.

Daniela got 58% of first serves in (which is okay against players
outside the top 16 or so), but won only 42% of points on both first
and second serve - that's the statistic I'm most ashamed of. Daniela
broke two times from three break-points, Asagoe 6 times from 12.


Daniela: "Of course I'm very disappointed because I had big
ambitions here in Paris and felt very good in the practice, but
that's tennis. I have to learn from the mistakes I did and move on."
[www.dhantuchova.com]

The last sentence is exactly what she said - so tearfully - after
losing to Asagoe at Wimbledon 2003. Unfortunately she seems to be
moving in circles at the moment as far as her form and confidence
are concerned.


I can only hope that the transition from clay to grass will bring a
radical change to Daniela's fortunes, in a year when she has only
won seven singles matches on the WTA Tour (i.e. not including Hopman
Cup) so far.

If things are still going as badly as this after Wimbledon, then she
will have to consider dropping down not to Tier III/IV tournaments,
but back to the ITF Women's Circuit (aka challengers) to get those
confidence-boosting victories that she needs so badly now. I'm not
being facetious - I know that the WTA Tour is tough on all levels
these days, and that the true pushovers are only to be found on the
ITF circuit and in the zonal qualifying groups of the Fed Cup.

But right now (or at least after she has completed her Roland
Garros "triathlon"), Daniela's priorities must be Birmingham,
Eastbourne and above all Wimbledon!


Daniela's French Open page:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/bios/ws/wtah394.html

Daniela is playing women's doubles with Dinara Safina. They play
eighth seeds Maria Vento-Kabchi and Angelique Widjaja in the first
round (not before Thursday). The mixed-doubles draw hasn't been
announced at the time of writing.

--
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/jeldani/

criag you are one of dani's biggest supporters,heck,you started this
group and your fansite is brilliant but you are like me and maybe
many other Daniela fans,CLINGING ON TO FALSE HOPE!.
yes i agree that Daniela could start winning again,no,it isnt
impossible but just check the facts ,look at it as i do now,she just
hasnt deliverd!!,you say,give it another yr or the next and she will
discover her form,well yeah maybe,but every yr more and more better
players are coming through and the more Daniela loses the less chance
she will have of ever come back,.

you say she should start playing more teir3's,well she hanst got a
choice now has she?,out of the top 50,no-way can she play a tier
1,the only ones she can compete are the tier 2 and 3.
and the players in them are no push-overs either,what if she keeps
losing to them aswell?.
what she needs is a complete overhaul of everything,new
management,defaintly a new coach(your strangely quiet on that issue)

maybe what she really needs is just to start again,qualifying again
for tier 2,getting through them working her way back slowly,but can
she do it?..how can one player keep making 40 odd errors a
game?,because that's what her average is,cut those errors out and she
can beat anyone,but losing to asagoe 6-1 6-3 just sickend me,that is
a shit display against someone very average,Daniela should have been
bursting to get to her,to destroy the one player who caused her so
much grief and embarrssment,she should have gone out there on the
court with a face like thunder,like mike fucking tyson ready to rip
her throat out,but instead she limps out 6-1 6-3, she seems to have
to much respect,too nice,she needs to develop a killer instint ,she
needs to get gladitorial in there!..."YOU MADE ME CRY AT WIMBLEDON
BITCH NOW YOU PAY!!
bet she even smiled when they shook hands at the end

--- In danielahantuchova@yahoogroups.com, lucia plavakova
<luplik@y...> wrote:
> I think it's not that simple just say that she is not a champion,
she had done a great great wins in her carreer and also a nice
matches against top players like Venus Williams for example on
Australian Open a long time ago. But unfortunately she is down so
deep that I don't expect her to climb back. It would be great
surprise if she will ever reach top 20. Until now it was still I
hope, I hope... but I see that I must face the truth she is in a big
big trouble and Sears will never make this.
>
> Sorry Dani, I really think you are great person a tennis player
but it's really time to make something to get back on the tour.
>
> LUCIA

Mostly, I agree with you - Daniela is too deep and the way back is
almost impossible - in theory it's possible, but practically - under
status quo - no chance ! She would have to change too many things
and I don't think she is ready for those changes. I have been
talking about drastic changes in the last two years, most of you
were against them - so now, after two years here you have the
outcome...I am afraid that she will "end up" as Anna Kournikova -
she will get to the stage when she will not be able to beat anybody
()she is very close to the stage !!!) and than she will decide to
end her tennis career. That would be very sad and a huge loss for
tennis. There are few examples of players who were able to come back
from the total bottom - like Andre Agassi, Jenifer Capriati and also
Spadea - I remember him to lose in first round of 15 (or more?)
consequent tournaments - it was a record on the tour - people were
joking about him...but he was able to recover - and now he is back,
he is beating TOP10 players and he seems to be happy about it. I
would like to know what Spadea did to climb back.
Daniela desperately needs to change coach and the whole team - she
needs to make something otherwise her talent will be lost and
wasted. She needs top change her game - what is the point to play
any game when you beat yourself???
  There is a lot of examples of players who ended up as Daniela
(although I still hope that Daniela did not end up) and very few
examples of players like Agassi or Spadea. Daniela is still very
young and she could make it to the "second group" - group of
recovered players - but she needs to deal with it, not just postpone
it because time is running out.
  I don't think that Daniela is the best Slovak player now - I expect
she would lose to at least three Slovak women now...
  We'll see whether Daniela could get some smile in the doubles, I
wish she would play lot of double matches in Paris, so she could
kind of forget the total dissapointment from singles....Let's
hope !!!

--- In danielahantuchova@yahoogroups.com, "paolo4180" <neclord@b...>
wrote:
> heart because SHE IS THE MOST EXCITING PLAYER IN THE WORLD..

Amen to that Paolo! Tennis just isn't worth watching without her
being in some sort of form. The WTA does not deserve to have Daniela
as a marketable 'asset' - the tour is run by muppets who screwed up
badly last year by not protecting her. End of Story. Not! Daniela
will be back in title winning form, if not now, if not this year,
sometime, some year and when it happens it will be glorious, like
Indian Wells all over again.

She'd be winning titles now, or very close to winning them, if she
played lower tier tournaments. Am I right? I'm not wrong!

Paolo, it doesn't really matter how long it takes her to get back to
the top does it? So long as she is happier off court now than this
time last year. I hope so. But I've still no doubts she will get
back up there, sooner or later.

I'd love to see her the same way she was the first match I saw of
hers, the semi at Birmingham in 2001. Daniela was spectacularly
belligerent that day, and I thought - hurrah! Here is the female
McEnroe, come to wake up women's tennis! Anyone who didn't see that
match, Daniela was *that* firey. That might be the real Daniela,
would be great to see it again.

Chill Paolo, she'll be back. You know what I think, Daniela was
probably clinically depressed last year (for whatever reason or
reasons) - takes a bit of coming back from, certainly longer than a
few months. If she's happy now that's the main thing isn't it?

I think it's not that simple just say that she is not a champion, she had done a
great great wins in her carreer and also a nice matches against top players like
Venus Williams for example on Australian Open a long time ago. But unfortunately
she is down so deep that I don't expect her to climb back. It would be great
surprise if she will ever reach top 20. Until now it was still I hope, I hope...
but I see that I must face the truth she is in a big big trouble and Sears will
never make this.

Sorry Dani, I really think you are great person a tennis player but it's really
time to make something to get back on the tour.

LUCIA

paolo4180 <neclord@...> wrote:
lets just face the the cold hard facts ,Daniela is not a
champion,2002 was a fluke yr just like some players have a fluke
tournemount where they play above themselves and then revert back to
their normal playing level,well Daniela's lasted a yr,now she is
proving she dosent have what it takes,quality has a habit of coming
through ,look at henin,she was out for 6 weeks prior to coming to the
french,she had a tough 1st rd draw against testurd which could have
seen her out,in fact she was broken 3 times but she came back and won
the match,why?,because she is a champion that's why!,look at
davenport ,out for 7 months comes back and straight off the bat she
is in 5 or 6 finals,serena williams comes back after injury and wins
her comeback tournemont,could Daniela do this?..no way could she,well
not anymore if she ever could,look at her indian wells win against
hingis,hingis had only lost one match all yr and Dani destroyed her
and then what does she do after beating one of the best players
ever?..lose the week after to cara black ranked 75!!.She could'nt
even keep her form for a week!
if anybody out there has a convincing case to think why she could
ever win a slam I would like to see it,her wrost enemy is herself,she
cant get rid of the errors, she makes more errors in a yr than steffi
graf did in her entire career,  nigel sears is facing a losing
battle ,and theres another thing,why have him as coach?,the man is
useless!!,apart from tim henman who have the british got?,no-one!,so
why have a rubbish british coach?,go to america find a decent coach
who can really help!,sears has done nothing to improve Daniela since
2002,or go back to your homeland and find a slovak who is on the same
wavelength and culture as you,anyone apart from that cretin who calls
himself a coach,but Daniela is just dumb,she is comfortable with
sears so he's allowed to stay on,she would never have the courage to
do what ,say,federear did and sack peter lungrun after he had won
wimbledon.
we have all been taken in by the beauty that plays 7 or 8 decent
games a yr,the legs ,the grace,the chrisma that shines like a beacon
from all the robotic williams clones that have appeared,it breaks my
heart because SHE IS THE MOST EXCITING PLAYER IN THE WORLD..god i
want to proved wrong,i really hope she does,but Daniela is a dream
and dreams fade in the cold light of reality


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

lets just face the the cold hard facts ,Daniela is not a
champion,2002 was a fluke yr just like some players have a fluke
tournemount where they play above themselves and then revert back to
their normal playing level,well Daniela's lasted a yr,now she is
proving she dosent have what it takes,quality has a habit of coming
through ,look at henin,she was out for 6 weeks prior to coming to the
french,she had a tough 1st rd draw against testurd which could have
seen her out,in fact she was broken 3 times but she came back and won
the match,why?,because she is a champion that's why!,look at
davenport ,out for 7 months comes back and straight off the bat she
is in 5 or 6 finals,serena williams comes back after injury and wins
her comeback tournemont,could Daniela do this?..no way could she,well
not anymore if she ever could,look at her indian wells win against
hingis,hingis had only lost one match all yr and Dani destroyed her
and then what does she do after beating one of the best players
ever?..lose the week after to cara black ranked 75!!.She could'nt
even keep her form for a week!
if anybody out there has a convincing case to think why she could
ever win a slam I would like to see it,her wrost enemy is herself,she
cant get rid of the errors, she makes more errors in a yr than steffi
graf did in her entire career,  nigel sears is facing a losing
battle ,and theres another thing,why have him as coach?,the man is
useless!!,apart from tim henman who have the british got?,no-one!,so
why have a rubbish british coach?,go to america find a decent coach
who can really help!,sears has done nothing to improve Daniela since
2002,or go back to your homeland and find a slovak who is on the same
wavelength and culture as you,anyone apart from that cretin who calls
himself a coach,but Daniela is just dumb,she is comfortable with
sears so he's allowed to stay on,she would never have the courage to
do what ,say,federear did and sack peter lungrun after he had won
wimbledon.
we have all been taken in by the beauty that plays 7 or 8 decent
games a yr,the legs ,the grace,the chrisma that shines like a beacon
from all the robotic williams clones that have appeared,it breaks my
heart because SHE IS THE MOST EXCITING PLAYER IN THE WORLD..god i
want to proved wrong,i really hope she does,but Daniela is a dream
and dreams fade in the cold light of reality

Unfortunatelly, Daniela did not make me eat my own words...what a
pitty, what a shame. It was in an hour and 6 minutes, according to
statistics Daniela could not hold her own serve, few years back -
the serving used to be a strong side of Daniela's game. Where did it
go???  I expected the loss of Daniela but at least some fight, some
close set, a tie break or even winning one set. It's dissapointing
and very similar as with Jelena Dokic - what has happened when they
wennt so deep down? Daniela was No.50 entering French Open, that's
already a history . It really looks like she is not able to beat
anybody below her rankings. I expect similar results in doubles,
especially woman doubles, in mixed doubles maybe a victory in 1st
round - depending on the draw. Let's just forget the first two Grand
Slams - there is a hope for Wimbledon - the best surface for
Daniela, but it's a long, long way - maybe she should learn how to
serve...jsut kidding. Daniela's performance and results on grass
tournaments before Wimbledon will tell a lot - she desperately needs
to win at least 3-4 matches on grass, otherwise - let's be real -
this season is over for our Tennis Beauty...

> Henin-Hardenne is in no shape to win a Grand Slam at the moment,
and
> it will take much more than winning two matches for her to be 100%
> back. Would Daniela be 100% back if she won two matches?

Henin might not be in shape to win a Grand Slam at this moment, I
agree, but this is just the first week of the story....I don't think
that she is physically weaker than before the illness, she really
needs to survive the first week...Like Serena after such a long
break - she won the tournament, although she was not ready and lost
in the following events. Let's see and wait.


>
> I can't see Henin-Hardenne having any chance against Amélie
> Mauresmo, Serena Williams or Jennifer Capriati at the moment - in
> fact it would be a remarkable achievement for Henin-Hardenne to
> reach a semi-final against Mauresmo.

Amelia is in great shape, but mentally she is a little unstable and
unpredictable and in Paris I think it's even more serious - the
performance in the first round proves it. Serena and Jenifer are
playing well, but I expect also a big attack of Russians...



>
> Today, Henin-Hardenne struggled past Sandrine Testud 6-4 6-4 - yes,
> against the player who retired after Wimbledon 2002 to have a baby.
> This kind of form will not be enough for Henin-Hardenne to beat
> Emilie Loit in the third round.

Henin in no shape still able to beat Testud...Daniela beat Testud
only because of w.o., otherwise the result would be probably
different and Daniela would lose...


>
> Daniela /has/ played close to that level since Indian Wells 2002 -
> we've just tended to overlook it because it's been in early rounds
> against lesser players, and she has not sustained her form to win
> the tournament. She was awesome in the second set against Marion
> Bartoli in the first round of Wimbledon 2003, for example.

Marion Bartoli...who is she??? I mean to beat an unknown player by
6:0, 6:0 does not necessary mean too much...If Daniela would beat
somebody from TOP 5 even 7:6, 0:6, 12:10 - that would be for sure
more important and valuable. Daniela should beat Serena, Venus,
Jenifer, Lindsay, Amelie, Kim or Justine - at least once, but she did
not and in contrary - she was losing to them much easier than before
Indian Wells.

>
> Now you're being too pessimistic, and Daniela will make you eat
your
> words!

I wish you were right !!!


>
> Sure, Daniela has a very tough draw. But it was a major surprise
> that she lost to Asagoe at Wimbledon 2003, and I think she has at
> least a 50% chance of beating Asagoe this time. She is far more
> talented than Asagoe.

  Yes, of course, you are right - but still Daniela lost to her on
Daniela's favorite surface. On clay - that's a different story - the
only cahnce is that Asagoe does not like clay more than Daniela, than
it might be a chance for Daniela to win. 50 to 50 - yes, but Asagoe
does not struggle with her confidence that's why I think she is a
favorite. Asagoe does not have to fight against her own opponent (low
or no confidence), so for her it's easier to win.


>
> She did have a very bad loss to Patty Schnyder recently, but she
can
> certainly beat her, as she did at the Australian Open 2003 and
twice
> in 2002 (and Daniela's other losses to Schnyder have been like 7-6
> in the third).

But this is clay - the favorite surface for Patty - if Daniela lost
to her very badly on a hard court, the chance to beat her on clay is
minimal - something like total mental breakdown of Patty or injury,
but my guess is that there is not going to be a match between Daniela
and Patty at Roland Garros this year.. I expect that Daniela will
lose in the first round just as Jelena Dokic did yesterday...

What a pitty for Lubica Kurhajcova - she was leading 6:0, 5:0 against
Lisa Raymond and she still managed to lose 6:0, 5:7, 3:6... so now it
looks like there will be no Slovak woman in 2nd round of
singles...unless Daniela makes me eat my own words

All courts start at 11:00 CEST (Paris time)
= 9:00 GMT
= 10:00 BST (UK time)

Court 3
1. WS 1r: Shinobu Asagoe v DANIELA HANTUCHOVÁ
2. WS 1r: schiavone v cohen-aloro
3. MS 1r: dupuis v novák
4. MS 1r: almagro v kuerten

Full order of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/

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

tenms1 wrote:
>
>> but if Daniela were to draw top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne, who
>> has only just recovered from a virus and will be searching
>> desperately for form, I think we could see a big upset!
>
> But only in case if Daniela would be in a good form, confident,
> etc...With game Daniela is showing in last 3-4 tournaments, the
> only chance against Henin is that Justine will give it up - alias
> she will not finish the match due to injury. Justine even not
> playing any match in the last two months can still win the whole
> thing, just look how she will get better in each round...She will
> be hungry after tennis, well rested, she just need to survive
> first two rounds and she will be 100% back.

Henin-Hardenne is in no shape to win a Grand Slam at the moment, and
it will take much more than winning two matches for her to be 100%
back. Would Daniela be 100% back if she won two matches?

I can't see Henin-Hardenne having any chance against Amélie
Mauresmo, Serena Williams or Jennifer Capriati at the moment - in
fact it would be a remarkable achievement for Henin-Hardenne to
reach a semi-final against Mauresmo.

Today, Henin-Hardenne struggled past Sandrine Testud 6-4 6-4 - yes,
against the player who retired after Wimbledon 2002 to have a baby.
This kind of form will not be enough for Henin-Hardenne to beat
Emilie Loit in the third round.


>> Something less: when Daniela is on top form, it doesn't matter
>> who she's playing - it's all about Daniela.
>
> That's quite possible, but ...Daniela being in the top form - I
> think it has happened only once in 4 years, in the Indian Wells
> where she won the whole tournament. In the following 2 years she
> has not got even close to the level what she played in the final
> against Hingis.

Daniela /has/ played close to that level since Indian Wells 2002 -
we've just tended to overlook it because it's been in early rounds
against lesser players, and she has not sustained her form to win
the tournament. She was awesome in the second set against Marion
Bartoli in the first round of Wimbledon 2003, for example.


>> I still hope that everything will change in Paris but let's talk
>> rationally, even a third round would be a huge surprise.
>>
>> Lucia
>
> Your optimistic mood is nice, but I think you are too optimistic...
> Third round in Roland Garros??? Now??? I think it would not be a
> huge surprise, but an unbelievable miracle...Realisticly, I expect
> expect that Daniela will fight in the 1st round against Asagoe and
> she might even win  a set or go into a tie break, but she will not
> get through. It would be quite a surprise for me if Daniela would
> reach 2nd round - where if playing Patty Schnyder and on the clay -
> no chance...

Now you're being too pessimistic, and Daniela will make you eat your
words!

Sure, Daniela has a very tough draw. But it was a major surprise
that she lost to Asagoe at Wimbledon 2003, and I think she has at
least a 50% chance of beating Asagoe this time. She is far more
talented than Asagoe.

She did have a very bad loss to Patty Schnyder recently, but she can
certainly beat her, as she did at the Australian Open 2003 and twice
in 2002 (and Daniela's other losses to Schnyder have been like 7-6
in the third).

Go Daniela!

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

> I still hope that everything will change in Paris but let's talk
rationally, even a third round would be a huge surprise.
>
> Lucia

  Your optimistic mood is nice, but I think you are too
optimistic...Third round in Roland Garros??? Now??? I think it would
not be a huge surprise, but an unbelievable miracle...Realisticly, I
expect that Daniela will fight in the 1st round against Asagoe and
she might even win  a set or go into a tie break, but she will not
get through. It would be quite a surprise for me if Daniela would
reach 2nd round - where if playing Patty Schnyder and on the clay -
no chance...

> but if Daniela were to
> draw top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne, who has only just recovered
> from a virus and will be searching desperately for form, I think
> we could see a big upset!

  But only in case if Daniela would be in a good form, confident,
etc...With game Daniela is showing in last 3-4 tournaments, the only
chance against Henin is that Justine will give it up - alias she
will not finish the match due to injury. Justine even not playing
any match in the last two months can still win the whole thing, just
look how she will get better in each round...She will be hungry
after tennis, well rested, she just need to survive first two rounds
and she will be 100% back.


> Something less: when Daniela is on top form, it doesn't matter who
> she's playing - it's all about Daniela.

That's quite possible, but ...Daniela being in the top form - I
think it has happened only once in 4 years, in the Indian Wells
where she won the whole tournament. In the following 2 years she has
not got even close to the level what she played in the final against
Hingis.

Daniela's sector (113-120):

PATTY SCHNYDER (16) v Anikó Kapros
Shinobu Asagoe v Daniela Hantuchová
Gisela Dulko v Martina Navrátilová (WC)
qualifier v CONCHITA MARTÍNEZ (20)

A nightmare draw for Daniela. I had a feeling she might draw Shinobu
Asagoe before the draw was made. To recap: Daniela played Asagoe in
the second round of Wimbledon 2003. Daniela won the first set 6-0,
but lost the second 4-6 as Asagoe began to mix up her shots. Daniela
led 5-2 in the third, served for the match at 5-3, had three match-
points... but was in tears as she failed to convert that lead, and
eventually lost 10-12.

It will be very interesting to see how Daniela reacts to the ghost
of that match now. Her personal and physical problems of 2003 may be
behind her, but she has a long way to go to repair her confidence,
not to mention her ranking (#49 to Asagoe's #51). And the problems
she had in putting the ball away against Asagoe on grass, will
certainly be magnified on the slow red clay. But the result will not
be decided on court so much as in Daniela's mind before the match.
She's just got to go out there feeling determined, relishing the
prospect of revenge, even feeling somewhat amused!

The second round could be even tougher against world #17 Patty
Schnyder, who beat Daniela 6-2 6-2 a couple of weeks ago. Schnyder
is a dangerous claycourter and an awkward left-handed player, but
she withdrew mid-tournament from both Berlin and Rome with an upper
left-arm strain, which may give Daniela an easier (but still tough)
second round against Anikó Kapros.

The third round would be tougher still against the experienced
claycourt expert Conchita Martínez, who can mess up Daniela's rhythm
with her exaggerated topspin and slice, and who beat Karolina Šprem
in the second round of Rome after Šprem had thrashed Daniela 6-2 6-2
in the first round.

And if Daniela should come through all that, she would be facing
Serena Williams in the fourth round - Daniela's draw certainly has a
steep difficulty-gradient!

With a draw like this, Daniela needs to chill out and treat the
French Open primarily as preparation for Wimbledon - the very
attitude which took Michael Stich to the final of the French Open
1996!

--
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/jeldani/

I was just wondering if most of you are in Europe?  it
seems that lots of you get attend mathes. (jealous)
Thanks to all for keeping us lazy Americans up to date
with Dani!  Cheers!

kristian
--- lucia plavakova <luplik@...> wrote:
>
> Daniela was looking quite confident in Wien and she
> was really happy that her grandma had the
> opportunity to see her in action. Unfortunately it
> hadn"t last too long and Daniela was out after a
> match against Alicia. I can agree that Alicia is not
> very well opponent for Daniela nowaday because
> Alicia is really really confident about playing
> Daniela at any time. On the other hand if Daniela
> would be in a great form Alicia would be out of the
> court in a hour or less.
>
> I still hope that everything will change in Paris
> but let's talk rationally, even a third round would
> be a huge surprise.
>
> Lucia
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70/year
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>

Daniela was looking quite confident in Wien and she was really happy that her
grandma had the opportunity to see her in action. Unfortunately it hadn"t last
too long and Daniela was out after a match against Alicia. I can agree that
Alicia is not very well opponent for Daniela nowaday because Alicia is really
really confident about playing Daniela at any time. On the other hand if Daniela
would be in a great form Alicia would be out of the court in a hour or less.

I still hope that everything will change in Paris but let's talk rationally,
even a third round would be a huge surprise.

Lucia








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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

tenms1 wrote:
>
> Very interesting interview, according to her words it looks like
> she is back, but definitely she is not, it's not as easy as she
> was raising in ranking some 3-4 years ago, the way back where she
> has already been is much more difficult. But there is still a
> hope, especially after everybody is saying that she has gained
> some weight and strength. As to her confidence, she must be just
> right at the bottom...1:7 in a tie-break against - let's be
> honest - an average player like Molik.

Molik is a dangerous floater, against whom Daniela has had some bad
experiences. It was a tough draw for her... unfortunately there are
just too many dangerous players these days, so Daniela must rely on
her game, not the draw, to get those wins. Tokyo in February was a
prime example of this: Daniela beat Molik and Maria Sharapova back
to back!


> I am not surprised that she lost to Molik and I expect similar
> results and game in Roland Garros - how many rounds Daniela will
> play in triathlon depends only on one thing - the draw - nothing
> more, nothing less. Let's hope Daniela will be lucky...

Something more: it's how Daniela reacts to the draw that counts.
It's one thing to draw Alina Jidkova, and struggle against her
because the pressure would be all on Daniela, but if Daniela were to
draw top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne, who has only just recovered
from a virus and will be searching desperately for form, I think we
could see a big upset!

Something less: when Daniela is on top form, it doesn't matter who
she's playing - it's all about Daniela.

--
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/jeldani/

Interesting interview.  I agree with what she says.
It's all about her confidence at this point.  She
feels good physically, she's just gotta believe!
C'mon Dani!  You can do it!  Keep it up.

wayside
--- andrewbroad <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> There's an interesting interview with Daniela here:
>
>
http://www.inside-tennis.net/index.php?action=article&id=48
>
> Commiserations on the loss to Alicia Molik. :-(
>
> --
> 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/jeldani/
>
>

Very interesting interview, according to her words it looks like she
is back, but definitely she is not, it's not as easy as she was
raising in ranking some 3-4 years ago, the way back where she has
already been is much more difficult. But there is still a hope,
especially after everybody is saying that she has gained some weight
and strength. As to her confidence, she must be just right at the
bottom...1:7 in a tie-break against - let's be honest - an average
player like Molik. I am not surprised that she lost to Molik and I
expect similar results and game in Roland Garros - how many rounds
Daniela will play in triathlon depends only on one thing - the draw -
  nothing more, nothing less. Let's hope Daniela will be lucky...

There's an interesting interview with Daniela here:

http://www.inside-tennis.net/index.php?action=article&id=48

Commiserations on the loss to Alicia Molik. :-(

--
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/jeldani/

I have just uploaded my report on Daniela's Wimbledon 2003 campaign
(tears and all) to my website. I saw some of both her singles
matches on TV, so this report contains actual observations and a lot
of insight.

http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/hantu/wimbledon2003.html

Some of you may have read my Wimbledon 2003 report before, but this
is a new, expanded version.

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

P.S. Congratulations to Daniela on the win at Vienna, and good luck
against Alicia Molik today.

tenms1 wrote:
>
> To be honest, I expected that Daniela would lose to Sprem, but not
> 2:6, 2:6, it sounds too easy and too quick. I guess Daniela is
> going to be out of TOP 50 entering French Open and it really looks
> like any victory in Paris would be a success and maybe even a
> shocking surprise. The question is whom can she beat now??? My
> guess is that not many players..Dokic is in a similar situation
> and probably in similar form (or better said out-of-form) - the
> match between Daniela and Jelena in the 1st round of French Open
> would be really interesting and it might be the only match where
> both Daniela and Jelena could win...

Yes, it's sad to admit, but maybe it /would/ be the best chance for
either of them to get a win if they played each other in the first
round of the French! :-o  I think Daniela would narrowly beat Jelena
on current form, although Jelena is more apt to have a sudden burst
of form these days (e.g. r/u Zurich 2003, sf Tokyo 2004).

It would be a mouthwatering match if they did meet (in tennis-terms,
not just sex-appeal). They might both have major problems at this
point in their careers, but they would still play a high-paced,
flairsome, entertaining three-set thriller. And I can't deny it
would add to the intrigue that Jelena would be looking anxious and
grunting like a lost kitten, while Daniela would be bursting into
tears every time she missed a match-point! ;-)

Given equal luck with the draw (although Jelena is the one who'll be
seeded), I think Daniela has a better chance of winning her first
match at the French Open than Jelena. At least Daniela has been
losing to dangerous opponents, whereas Jelena lost to Maria Elena
Camerin in Rome, who is better known for her beauty
[http://digilander.libero.it/mollyweb/mariaelenacamerintennis.htm ]
than for her tennis-skills.


> Daniela playing smaller tournaments - it might help her, but...
> There is a big, fat but - in the out-of-shape she is now I am
> almost sure she is not able to beat players bellow her rankings -
> it means roughly under TOP 50, so my guess is that Daniela would
> not do better in smaller tournaments either - at leats, at this
> point. Confidence is important, but without physical condition you
> just cannot achieve too much. Daniela lost to Sprem 2:6, 2:6 and
> Sprem lost in the next round to Conchita Martinez ?!?!? Yes, to
> big, fat, old, slowly moving Conchita who obviously is in better
> physical condition than tall, thin, young, moderately moving
> Daniela.

Ha ha, too funny! ;-) Martínez is a very awkward opponent for young
players in particular, as she messes up their rhythm with vicious
slice and topspin (the slice being particularly effective on grass,
the topspin on clay). She is a claycourt expert with plenty of
titles (including Wimbledon 1994) and vast experience on her side.
Playing Martínez was a very different type of challenge for Šprem
than playing Daniela.

Daniela is in much better physical condition than a year ago - this
is evident both from photos and from the comments of Nigel Sears
(see Message 6756), who has never been one to shy away from brutal
honesty.

Daniela still has a way to go to repair her form and confidence.
These was going in the right direction after Miami; unfortunately
they have slipped back in the claycourt season, due in part to some
unlucky draws - especially Karolina Šprem, who is on the form of her
life right now.


jeff_gray03@y... wrote:
>
> I mentioned the smaller venues to help improve at least the self
> confidence aspect of it. Although most everyone disagrees, or
> questions how small, there is a WTA event coming to Cincinatti in
> August (couple weeks prior to the U.S.) which would be a great
> entree for Daniela. There is only one guaranteed top ten player to
> be there, the rest I would expect would be top twenty on back.
> I know this is a long ways off but it would be a great start if
> action isnt taken sooner, as well as a great warm up for the
> U.S. Open!

You don't happen to live in or near Cincinnati do you? ;-)

Daniela is playing Vienna next week. Since both of next week's
tournaments (Vienna and Strasbourg) are Tier III, she doesn't have
much choice. She's gone from overplaying last year to being short of
match-play this year, due to a light tournament-schedule combined
with recent early exits. She's right to play a tournament next week.

It's okay for Daniela to play the occasional Tier III, but I don't
believe it's the answer to her slump in general. She needs to stick
it out for the long haul, and eventually the good results will come -
  regardless of what level of tournaments she plays because she's
talented enough to succeed at the highest level.

--
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/jeldani/

Daniela playing smaller tournaments - it might help her, but...There
is a big, fat but - in the out-of-shape she is now I am almost sure
she is not able to beat players bellow her rankings - it means
roughly under TOP 50, so my guess is that Daniela would not do better
in smaller tournaments either - at leats, at this point. Confidence
is important, but without physical condition you just cannot achieve
too much. Daniela lost to Sprem 2:6, 2:6 and Sprem lost in the next
round to Conchita Martinez ?!?!? Yes, to big, fat, old, slowly moving
Conchita who obviously is in better physical condition than tall,
thin, young, moderately moving Daniela. I ahve a bad feeling about
Daniela - she is trying very hard and she is putting everything to
improve or at least to return to the point where she has already
been, but it looks like she or her team chose wrong journey...It's
still time to change it, but also it's true that time is running and
new and betetr players are growing very fast...


<jeff_gray03@y...> wrote:

> I mentioned the smaller venues to help improve at least the self
confidence aspect of it. Although most everyone disagrees, or
questions how small, there is a WTA event coming to Cincinatti in
August (couple weeks prior to the U.S.) which would be a great entree
for Daniela. There is only one guaranteed top ten player to be there,
the rest I would expect would be top twenty on back. I know this is a
long ways off but it would be a great start if action isnt taken
sooner, as well as a great warm up for the U.S. Open!
>
>
>
> andrewbroad <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> Maria Sharapova's trailblazing upset of Elena Dementieva aside,
> yesterday was a black day for me as Daniela and Jelena both lost in
> the first round of the Italian Masters! :-((
>
> The only positives for me are that they both lost to nice players.
>
>
> Daniela lost 6-2 6-2 to Karolina Šprem, a 19-year-old up-and-coming
> Croatian I've never seen play, but I've read great things about
> her "stunning array of winners and controlled aggression"
> [www.wtatour.com] and "she plays like iva, but with about as much
> power as lucic. she hits amazing angles and dtl winner  and her
> serve is HUGE!" [croat123 at www.wtaworld.com - Iva's Divas forum].
>
> So Šprem has very impressive-sounding tennis-qualities (I must
admit
> I expected a result like this, considering Šprem's recent form),
and
> is rather cute too! ;-)
> http://photo910.tripod.com/sfotohtm/spr1318s.htm
>
> Daniela photos:
> http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=114342
>
>
> It's so hard for me to see Daniela and Jelena slumping
> simultaneously, and going into the French Open with such low
> confidence. At least Maria Sharapova is doing well - in fact very
> well! :-)
>
> --
> 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/jeldani/
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups SponsorADVERTISEMENT
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> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I mentioned the smaller venues to help improve at least the self confidence
aspect of it. Although most everyone disagrees, or questions how small, there is
a WTA event coming to Cincinatti in August (couple weeks prior to the U.S.)
which would be a great entree for Daniela. There is only one guaranteed top ten
player to be there, the rest I would expect would be top twenty on back. I know
this is a long ways off but it would be a great start if action isnt taken
sooner, as well as a great warm up for the U.S. Open!



andrewbroad <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
Maria Sharapova's trailblazing upset of Elena Dementieva aside,
yesterday was a black day for me as Daniela and Jelena both lost in
the first round of the Italian Masters! :-((

The only positives for me are that they both lost to nice players.


Daniela lost 6-2 6-2 to Karolina Šprem, a 19-year-old up-and-coming
Croatian I've never seen play, but I've read great things about
her "stunning array of winners and controlled aggression"
[www.wtatour.com] and "she plays like iva, but with about as much
power as lucic. she hits amazing angles and dtl winner  and her
serve is HUGE!" [croat123 at www.wtaworld.com - Iva's Divas forum].

So Šprem has very impressive-sounding tennis-qualities (I must admit
I expected a result like this, considering Šprem's recent form), and
is rather cute too! ;-)
http://photo910.tripod.com/sfotohtm/spr1318s.htm

Daniela photos:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=114342


It's so hard for me to see Daniela and Jelena slumping
simultaneously, and going into the French Open with such low
confidence. At least Maria Sharapova is doing well - in fact very
well! :-)

--
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/jeldani/


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

To be honest, I expected that Daniela would lose to Sprem, but not
2:6, 2:6, it sounds too easy and too quick. I guess Daniela is going
to be out of TOP 50 entering French Open and it really looks like any
victory in Paris would be a success and maybe even a shocking
surprise. The question is whom can she beat now??? My guess is that
not many players..Dokic is in a similar situation and probably in
similar form (or better said out-of-form) - the match between Daniela
and Jelena in the 1st round of French Open would be really
interesting and it might be the only match where both Daniela and
Jelena could win...

Maria Sharapova's trailblazing upset of Elena Dementieva aside,
yesterday was a black day for me as Daniela and Jelena both lost in
the first round of the Italian Masters! :-((

The only positives for me are that they both lost to nice players.


Daniela lost 6-2 6-2 to Karolina Šprem, a 19-year-old up-and-coming
Croatian I've never seen play, but I've read great things about
her "stunning array of winners and controlled aggression"
[www.wtatour.com] and "she plays like iva, but with about as much
power as lucic. she hits amazing angles and dtl winner  and her
serve is HUGE!" [croat123 at www.wtaworld.com - Iva's Divas forum].

So Šprem has very impressive-sounding tennis-qualities (I must admit
I expected a result like this, considering Šprem's recent form), and
is rather cute too! ;-)
http://photo910.tripod.com/sfotohtm/spr1318s.htm

Daniela photos:
http://www.wtaworld.com/showthread.php?t=114342


It's so hard for me to see Daniela and Jelena slumping
simultaneously, and going into the French Open with such low
confidence. At least Maria Sharapova is doing well - in fact very
well! :-)

--
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/jeldani/

--- In danielahantuchova@yahoogroups.com, andrewbroad <no_reply@y...>
wrote:
> >
> (Reminder) The photos that I took at Eastbourne are in the Photos
> and Files sections of the following Yahoo! Group:
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/daniela-hantuchova/
>
> Enjoy!

Interesting photos Andy!! You really must invest in a BIG ZOOOOOOOOM
lens!!!!

Graham

Some BIGGER pictures of Daniela at Eastbourne ...
www.pbase.com/grahamd

I have just uploaded my Eastbourne 2003 report for Daniela to my
website. I actually attended the tournament myself, so my report
contains personal experiences, observations, and a lot of insight.

http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/hantu/eastbourne2003.html

Some of you may have read my Eastbourne 2003 report before, but this
is a new, expanded version.

(Reminder) The photos that I took at Eastbourne are in the Photos
and Files sections of the following Yahoo! Group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/daniela-hantuchova/

Enjoy!

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

P.S. My expanded Wimbledon 2003 report (I watched some of Daniela's
matches on TV) should be ready in a couple of weeks.

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