PASZEK UPSETS HANTUCHOVA, MEETS SCHNYDER IN FINAL

by Barry Wood

Daniela Hantuchova’s quest for the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic title was thwarted by Austrian teenager Tamira Paszek, and Patty Schnyder, after two semi-final defeats, will be her opponent in Sunday’s final.

Top seed Hantuchova had not looked at her best all week as she works her way back into form after a lengthy injury break, and she was beaten 6-2 5-7 6-4 in a match that lasted two hours 32-minutes. The Slovak had sprayed a lot of balls around in her quarter-final but still managed to win, and she was all over the place again in the first set against Paszek.

The plucky 17-year old took full advantage and claimed the opening set quite comfortably, but Hantuchova settled down in the second set and made far less errors. But she never looked like making her vast experience count for much against her confident opponent. Even so, Hantuchova’s determination eventually paid dividends when she broke at 6-5 and took the second set on her fourth set point.

The final set looked as if it was heading for a tiebreak, but Paszek broke for 5-4 when Hantuchova netted a forehand, and she then calmly served out the match.

From what she said afterwards, you would have thought Paszek had lost.

"I didn’t move so well and I missed too many returns and I didn’t serve well, so it was tough to win," she said. "So I’m very happy I made it to the final."

Hantuchova admitted she had made too many errors on easy chances near the end of the match, but having struggled since Wimbledon she was happy that she had made a semi-final again, her first since the Australian Open in January.

"Overall I’ve been very pleased with the way I’ve played here, coming from a first round loss at the US Open," Hantuchova said. "I was really looking forward to playing some matches, and that’s what I did so it was a great week for me."

Although that was a close match it was not a great match. The other semi-final came close to being a great match, because of the way Schnyder played in beating fourth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova 7-5 6-1.

"This was my best match ever at Bali, I'm so happy to be in the final," said Schnyder. "I served well and moved her around on the court, and I attacked her second serve and held back a bit on my shots until I saw which way she was moving."

There’s usually a lot of big hitting in almost every match these days, but this match was different. Both players entertained with some delightful and intricate rallies, and for a while it was extremely close. Up until 4-4 Schnyder had dropped only two points on serve, and Petrova five. Not a hint of a break point.

But then Schnyder broke for 5-4, failed to serve out the set, and then broke again for 6-5 when Petrova hit an expensive double-fault. Schnyder then served out the set, and used her artistry to earn a 4-0 lead in the second. Her angles and drop-shots often left Petrova helpless, and after fighting off some late resistance from Petrova, who held four break points at 4-1, Schnyder broke a final time to reach her first final since mid-2005.

Comments:

Thomas | 13 Sep 2008 09:24 pm

1 - Go Mimi! Win it all!!!

Fan | 13 Sep 2008 09:32 pm

2 - Schnyder!!!!!

Stephanie | 13 Sep 2008 10:10 pm

3 - For all the Paszek fans that screamed unuseful things tried to insult Daniela.. in the court.. JUST SHUT YOUR MOUTH!! GO TO HELL!!!

Thomas | 13 Sep 2008 10:11 pm

4 - Some bitterness, Stephanie?

Please act like an adult and not like a dumb teenager ...

Yudi | 13 Sep 2008 10:26 pm

5 - Same thought like Thomas, the fact is, Daniela is lose....Go Paszek....Go Schnyder....You both are amazing....

Michelle | 13 Sep 2008 10:28 pm

6 - I think Stephanie didn't act like teenager. well,I watched it in the court too, I saw that some of Paszek fans did lots of thing that bothered us that watched the game..

Wayan | 13 Sep 2008 10:35 pm

7 - Well,I never watched a game where people that quite miss behave.It's bothered us. All of us paid to watch it.stop acting stupid!

Stephanie (not steph no.3) | 13 Sep 2008 10:38 pm

8 - I'm a Schnyder fans 'n I love her. But, I quite don't like the way express their likeness to Schnyder in the court. If u really love her, behave nicely man!

Emmett | 13 Sep 2008 10:45 pm

9 - Well, some of Paszek fans in the court really couldn't make us concentrate to the game... A guy from the south side even told them to shut up..

Emmett | 13 Sep 2008 10:48 pm

10 - Ya, I heard that too.

Laila | 13 Sep 2008 10:50 pm

11 - What do u mean by u heard it too, Emmett?

Emmett | 13 Sep 2008 10:53 pm

12 - I mean I heard some guys that screamed stupidly.

Cindy | 13 Sep 2008 11:03 pm

13 - For all the official, please stop all that guys, it's really annoying.

Mathilda | 13 Sep 2008 11:08 pm

14 - What song was they sing? I mean that guy? It's quite cool, but annoying.

Sharapova_Fans | 13 Sep 2008 11:13 pm

15 - Cindy, they had stopped them, but it's too late. They acted lately!

Yoseph | 13 Sep 2008 11:16 pm

16 - So, did u guys watch the guy that screamed ask them to shut up 'n all people clapped their hand? hahaha.
Ya man, for all the stupid guy, just stop acting stupid.

Maya | 13 Sep 2008 11:21 pm

17 - For Yudi, ya, it's the fact.. I agree with him, but I hope the security have to work faster next time to stop that guy.

Cheryl | 14 Sep 2008 12:46 am

18 - I love Schnyder. I agree with u steph! You're my man!

azmina dossani | 14 Sep 2008 10:38 am

19 - GO MIMI you are few steps from Mount Kilimanjaro - papi's home town all families from Calgary, Toronto, Montreal Edmonton Ottawa are routing for you GO MIMI

ame268 | 14 Sep 2008 07:21 pm

20 - i love u sooooooooow much!

Madelaine Dimino | 15 Sep 2008 01:33 am

21 - Daniela sorry you lost today but happy you made it to the semifinals. You've proven yiu can rebound like last year. You stuck through the humps and continued on. Yeah for you! Keep on going! loyal fan! see you in the champioships this year! Have a good week in Tokyo!