==========================
WISH-ME-LUCK INTERNATIONAL
(Bali, Indonesia; outdoor hard; WTA Tier III)
========================== http://www.wismilakinternational.com/
Photos
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"News & Photos" on tournament-website
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/photogallery/ (Bali)
http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?c=news_photos&p=bartoli
Search Getty Images for "bartoli"

Judging by recent photos, Marion seems to have lost weight since I
saw her at Birmingham and Eastbourne, when she was... how should I
put it... distinctly circular! ;-) Her recent results have been
encouraging, too.

------------
Early rounds
------------

MARION BARTOLI [6]:
1r + Ayu Fani Damayanti [Q], 6-1 6-0
2r + Casey Dellacqua, 6-1 6-3
qf + Olga Poutchkova, 6-2 6-4

Marion: "This has been a great week for me, and to be in the semi-
finals with Svetlana, Patty and Lindsay gives me a lot of
confidence. I'm just going to try my best against Patty tomorrow and
see what happens."

-----------
Semi-finals (Saturday 16th September)
-----------

+ MARION BARTOLI [6] d. PATTY SCHNYDER [2], 6-4 6-4

This snapped Schnyder's 10-match winning-streak over Selesian
players - including Marion at the US Open! :-)

Barry Wood for www.wismilakinternational.com:
>>>
We don't know too much about Bartoli yet, but she's on the rise. And
the way she tore into Schnyder should be a warning to every other
player that she meets. She played brilliantly, pounding the ball
deep from the baseline, and coming in to hit some very good volleys.
But. She used up so much energy winning the first set and going 3-1
up in the second that she almost couldn't finish the match. She
began to cramp, and had she not managed to break Schnyder at 4-4,
she might have been heading for the airport.
<<<

Reuters:
>>>
Bartoli, who began 2006 by winning the Auckland title, pressured
Schnyder by coming forward and striking some fine volleys, as well
as hitting her groundstrokes hard and deep. But she played at such a
furious pace that she almost paid a heavy price in the second set.

After she had built a 3-1 lead she lost 12 of of the next 14 points
as she began to cramp. But after she held serve in a lengthy game at
4-3 Bartoli broke to love when Schnyder netted a smash, and then
served out the match.
<<<

Marion quotes
-------------

"In the second set when I lost my serve and was starting to cramp,
it wasn't going the right way, but I finally put it together and I
finished well. I was maybe hitting the ball better than Patty today,
but she was physically better than me, so I knew I had to finish in
straight sets in order to win it.

"This is a very good win for me, and I'm glad to finally get a win
over her. I'm really happy to be in the final; I'll need to play as
well again tomorrow, if not better, aggressively and smart."


Schnyder quotes
---------------

"Credit to her: she played a great match and deserved the win. I
just couldn't find the right game-plan.

"I'm really disappointed. I tried so hard, and had the feeling in
the second set I was so close to turning the match. I knew if I won
the second set I'd have a good chance to win the third, but I just
didn't take advantage of her getting tired."

-----
Final (Sunday 17th September)
-----

- MARION BARTOLI [6] lt. SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA [1], 5-7 2-6

These two met in the Girls' Singles final of the US Open 2001, which
Marion won 4-6 6-3 6-4!

Kuznetsova's victory was tarnished by a nasty incident in the warm-
up. Marion was at the net, and Kuznetsova from the baseline hit a
hard shot into Marion's left forearm, which interrupted the warm-up
and made Marion cry.

www.wtatour.com:
>>>
Kuznetsova, the top seed, hung tough with the No.6-seeded Bartoli to
pull out the first set, eventually grabbing the crucial break of
serve in the last game on a double fault. She picked up steam from
there, dictating play with huge serves and forehands in front of a
thrilled capacity crowd, ending it in straights for her third career
Bali singles title.

Bartoli was playing in her second career Tour singles final. In
January, she took home her maiden title, at the Tier IV event in
Auckland. Her win over Schnyder in the semis represented the second
complete Top 10 win of her career; she beat Nadia Petrova just a few
weeks ago in New Haven. She had taken out two other Top 10 players
previously, but both of those matches ended in retirement wins.
<<<

Barry Wood for Reuters:
>>>
Kuznetsova, who won in Miami in March and was runner-up at the
French Open and Warsaw, withstood an aggressive performance from her
sixth-seeded opponent, matching her in the fiercely contested
rallies.

Bartoli, who injured her left arm in the warm-up, showed no ill-
effects as she held a break-point in the opening game. Kuznetsova
staved off that threat, and broke to lead 2-0, but then surprisingly
dropped the next 10 points, conceding her serve with a double fault.

Games in the baseline battle then went with serve, with Kuznetsova
failing to convert two set points on Bartoli's serve at 5-4, holding
off a break-point at 5-5 with an ace, but then breaking for the set
when Bartoli double-faulted.

Kuznetsova struggled to hold serve to begin the second set, fighting
off a break -point before holding on her fifth game point, but then
she closed out her next service game with consecutive aces.

An easy putaway at the net earned her a 3-1 lead, and although
Bartoli broke Kuznetsova to love, with the Russian hitting her ninth
double fault on break-point, Kuznetsova in turn broke Bartoli to
love to lead 4-2.

Kuznetsova's 10th ace gave her a 5-2 lead and a further break gave
her victory.
<<<

Barry Wood for www.wismilakinternational.com:
>>>
Whenever Svetlana Kuznetsova plays the Wismilak International she
wins. First in 2002, then in 2004 despite being exhausted from just
having won the US Open. And now in 2006. Her only challenge now is
to win it TWO YEARS IN A ROW.

Seeded number one at a Sony Ericsson WTA tournament for the first
time in her career, Sveta defeated Marion Bartoli, the number six
seed from France, 7-5, 6-2. If you thought Bartoli was weary after
cramping on Saturday as she overcame Patty Schnyder, you are right,
and that explains the second set.

It was certainly close, though, for a set and a half. Kuznetsova had
to battle hard against a determined opponent, as Bartoli held a
break-point in the opening game, and although Kuznetsova broke to
lead 2-0, she then lost the next 10 points as Bartoli levelled.

Kuznetsova then failed to win two set-points on Bartoli's serve at
5-4, but broke for the set when the Frenchwoman double-faulted.

After a competitive start to the second set, Kuznetsova broke to
lead 3-1 with an easy volley. Although the Russian then immediately
surrendered her serve to love, she broke again to lead 4-2, and
again for the match against her tiring opponent.
<<<

Benny Mailili (Tennis Observer) for www.wismilakinternational.com:
>>>
A match between first seed Svetlana Kuznetsova (21) from Rusia – two
times winner (2002, 2004), against Marion Bartoli (22) from France
who are in the same generation, provided a spectacular international
caliber finals match during Wismilak International Bali 2006.

From the first match, both players showcased extensive technical
skills, high physical endurance and competitive mental spirit.
Svetlana showcased her strong abilities in using the power baseline
technique, and was complimented by Marion Bartoli's ability to
provide great defense. Both players were excellent in their services
and returns. The score was very tight during the first set, 2-0 then
2-2, and eventually 5-5, and the set ended with victory for Svetlana
at 7-5.

Svetlana Kuznetsova provided a high level of offence to her opponent
through her speed, power baseline technique and crisscrossing balls
across the court, while Marion Bartoli provided great defense, even
though many unforced errors were shown in Svetlana's play.

In the second set, Marion Bartoli's stamina decreased while trying
to maintain good defense, therefore the score was easily won by
Kuznetsova: 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 4-2 and 6-2.
<<<

Marion quotes
-------------

"I started the match very well. I kept up with her for much of the
time, but I began to feel a little tired in the second set after
such a big match last night.

"I think I played good in the first set. I played the same level as
yesterday, but Svetlana was a little more consistent, and created
more topspin to her ball, not allowing me to hit as hard as I would
have liked.

"I tried to attack her backhand, as her forehand is the stronger
shot, and it worked earlier in the match. But she was just too tough
in the end; that's what makes her so good.

"Then in the second set I was feeling the tiredness from yesterday,
and it was hard to come back although I fought to the end. But
reaching the final was a great achievement for me."

[Re. the warm-up incident]
"She hit the ball hard straight at me. It didn't affect my game, but
it was a shock. It was quite a weird feeling. You go to the net to
warm up, and she hit as hard as she could right in front of me. It's
not really nice, and it was painful, but I got through it.

"Of course she apologised, but it's not really a great thing to do.
If she came to the net to warm up, I wouldn't hit straight to her as
hard as I could. That's not the way you warm up somebody!


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

"Mentally it was a little bit hard, because yesterday was a tough
match, and I gave a lot of me out there. I was trying to do my best
today, but maybe I was not so motivated as yesterday, because
yesterday was very exciting to play Lindsay, you know.

"I would like to have won the match a little easier, but I managed
to play well when I needed to. I served well after getting into some
difficult spots, but after the first set it looked like she was
getting tired.

"I could have won easier, but I won in two sets so I'm pretty happy
about it. I didn't play my best out there, but I still fought for
every point somehow. But definitely I could have done much better."

[Re. the warm-up incident]
"She was standing just at the net; I was hitting from behind the
baseline, and we were hitting hard. When she saw that ball coming,
she didn't seem to move. I'm sorry it happened, but I couldn't do
anything else - I couldn't take the shot back.

"I saw tears in her eyes and felt terrible. I didn't mean to hit
somebody. I was just using her power and hit straight to the middle.
I don't think it was my fault. She has to expect the ball to come
back at the same power, but she was standing so close to the net."

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/seles/selesians.html

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/selesians/