TOP SEEDS HANTUCHOVA AND SCHNYDER REACH QUARTER-FINALS

by Barry Wood

Top seeds Daniela Hantuchova and Patty Schnyder advanced to the quarter-finals of the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic on Wednesday, but it wasn’t as easy as Daniela would have liked.

The Slovak came through 6-1 7-5, but after controlling the first set with her stinging forehand and fine serving and returns, she was involved in a real battle once 121st-ranked Olga Savchuk got into her rhythm.

Hantuchova faced two break points in the opening game of the second set, saving both with service winners, and two more at 3-3. She saved those as well, one with an excellent forehand winner, but she found her back against the wall when the Ukrainian qualifier finally broke to lead 5-4.

But Hantuchova rose to the challenge, breaking for 5-5 when Savchuk hit a volley long, and after holding for 6-5 she broke once more with a fine crosscourt forehand winner.

It was a welcome victory for Hantuchova, who has struggled since returning from injury with just three wins in her last nine matches before she arrived in Bali.

"Obviously, she picked her game up a little bit in the second set," said Hantuchova. "She was more aggressive on her service games and was tough to break, and in the game she broke me she hit two very good returns.

"After she broke me I just tried to stay in there and break her right back, which I did. I was very pleased with that, and overall I was very pleased with my game, actually. It was a good test for me and I felt like I handled the big points pretty well."

Schnyder’s match also had some drama, although not because of the score. It rained on match point.

The Swiss left-hander was easily the better player as she faced 98th-ranked Meng Yuan of China. Maybe too much the better player, because Schnyder sometimes looked a little too casual after she had built a decent lead and taken the first set 6-2.

In the second set, Yuan’s persistence in the baseline rallies was rewarded when she broke for 2-1, forcing an error with a lob. But Yuan double-faulted to allow Schnyder to level again at 2-2, and Schnyder went on to serve for the match at 5-3.

Yuan, though, broke again and then held for 5-5, before Schnyder also held and then earned two match points on Yuan’s serve. Yuan saved the first, and then it rained as she faced a second. After play resumed, Schnyder finally closed out the match on her third match point, winning 6-2 7-5.

"I still don’t have 100 percent rhythm and it’s really, really tough after such a great US Open to find your intensity aand concentration and get into a tournament again. That’s what I have to improve," said Schnyder.

The other two matches of the day were routine, with fifth seed Francesca Schiavone beating Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3 6-2, and Marta Domachowska outlasting Jill Craybas 6-3 6-7(5-7) 6-4.

Comments:

Yudi | 10 Sep 2008 11:09 pm

1 - Well done Marta, and congrats for Schiavone, Hantuchova and Schnyder.

Alessandro | 11 Sep 2008 12:09 am

2 - Bravissima Francy, Forzaa!!

Gairy Myers | 11 Sep 2008 12:52 am

3 - Congrats Patty, I hope you win in the singles as well as the doubles with Anna-lena Groenefeld!! Poppe Suisse!! I luv my peppermint Patty!!

Daniela Fan | 11 Sep 2008 01:30 am

4 - I'm so happy for Daniela! I love her. She's my favourite player and I really hope she regains her good form from the beginning of the year. I hope she wins in singles and doubles. I hope to see Patty in the final too because I like her very much too. Good luck for Marta and Flavia too. They're both good players!

Madelaine Dimino | 11 Sep 2008 01:35 am

5 - Congratulations Daniela! in singles and doubles with Flavia. Keep on going !

Charlie | 11 Sep 2008 02:16 am

6 - COME ON DANIELA!
YOU ARE THE BEST!

Ratan Gaurav | 11 Sep 2008 02:54 am

7 -
I love Daniela's attitude on the court. She seems to be very confident this time and I wish her good luck for rest of all matches. I always try my level best not to miss her match. Its very good to have her back and I wish her good luck and please take good care of yourself. see ya.

Andrew | 11 Sep 2008 03:17 am

8 - Let's go, Daniela! She is the best player at this tournament and deserves to win it. I hope she becomes healthier soon.

Bobby_USA | 11 Sep 2008 06:21 am

9 - Congratulations Marta. Good luck against Schnyder tomorrow!

Charles | 11 Sep 2008 08:31 am

10 - Way to go Daniela!!
Win this one Daniela

Cyril Nuere | 11 Sep 2008 10:30 am

11 - Good Luck Daniela!!!! Hopefully you sweep all your matches to win your first tittle of the season...

Anya | 11 Sep 2008 12:26 pm

12 - Congrats Daniela, bt i do wish for Patty to win
GO PATTY!!!!!
Sry......

Andre Janis | 11 Sep 2008 01:23 pm

13 - I have a Jakarta-Denpasar ticket for 9AM flight tomorrow and the return ticket for flight at 9AM on Monday. Anybody in Jakarta who wishes to use mine, feel free to contact me. I am forced to be in Jakarta this weekend.

Michael_Poland | 11 Sep 2008 02:25 pm

14 - Super Marta. First quartetfinal this year, good luck tomorrow.

daniel | 11 Sep 2008 05:17 pm

15 - Go for it Daniela...see you again in Australian Open next year...

Filo21 | 12 Sep 2008 01:27 am

16 - Daniela si najlepšia! Držím palce, superforma z Australian open sa čoskoro vráti.