Mixed results for Martina in 's-Hertogenbosch over the last two days. Yesterday, she lost her first round singles match to Claudine Schaul 4-6 6-1 6-4. Today, along with Anna-Lena Grönefeld, she won her first round doubles match over Klara Koukalova and Lucie Safarova 6-7 6-4 6-3.
Yesterday's singles loss was definitely a heartbreaker. Martina found herself down 1-3 at the start of the match but quickly recovered, winning 6 of the next seven games to go up a set and a break - a familiar position as in her matches last year against Sequera at Amelia Island and Dulko at Wimbledon. But like those two previous matches, Martina couldn't build on that lead. She proceeded to lose the next 9 consecutive games, going two breaks down in the third. Martina rallied at that point, spurred on by the crowds - she managed to get one break back but ultimately capitulated at 4-5 with three consecutive unforced errors.
Martina and Anna-Lena survived a stiff challenge from their Czech opponents today and now find themselves in the semifinals after their quarterfinal opponents, Elena Dementieva and Michaela Krajicek, pulled out due to Dementieva's shoulder injury.
For photos from yesterday's singles match, click on the following links: Photo One, Photo Two, Photo Three, Photo Four. For two articles, featuring Martina's post-match comments, click on the following Reuters links: Article One, Article Two. For an interview with Martina on NOS Dutch television, click here. A translator speaks over her in Dutch but you can understand most of what she says.
Yesterday's singles loss was definitely a heartbreaker. Martina found herself down 1-3 at the start of the match but quickly recovered, winning 6 of the next seven games to go up a set and a break - a familiar position as in her matches last year against Sequera at Amelia Island and Dulko at Wimbledon. But like those two previous matches, Martina couldn't build on that lead. She proceeded to lose the next 9 consecutive games, going two breaks down in the third. Martina rallied at that point, spurred on by the crowds - she managed to get one break back but ultimately capitulated at 4-5 with three consecutive unforced errors.
Martina and Anna-Lena survived a stiff challenge from their Czech opponents today and now find themselves in the semifinals after their quarterfinal opponents, Elena Dementieva and Michaela Krajicek, pulled out due to Dementieva's shoulder injury.
For photos from yesterday's singles match, click on the following links: Photo One, Photo Two, Photo Three, Photo Four. For two articles, featuring Martina's post-match comments, click on the following Reuters links: Article One, Article Two. For an interview with Martina on NOS Dutch television, click here. A translator speaks over her in Dutch but you can understand most of what she says.
No comments:
Post a Comment