Gisela Dulko is a very fine tennis player who possesses a wide variety of shots, and who hits the ball much harder than her small frame would indiate. When her serve is on, it's excellent. Dulko's career, however--like her serve--has been plagued by inconsistency, so one is never quite sure which Dulko is going to make an appearance.
This evening, a winning Dulko showed up in Indian Wells and took out wild card Justine Henin 6-2, 1-6, 6-4. Between them, the two players committed 17 double faults, but we have become accustomed to that sort of thing. Dulko served for the match at 5-4 and held at love.
Henin wasn't the only major player to fall. Qualifier Elena Baltacha defeated 7th seed Li Na, 7-6, 2-6, 7-6. Li held three match points in the tiebreak.
Other seeds who lost were Alona Bondarenko (20), Anabel Medina Garrigues (29) and Aleksandra Wozniak (30). Anna Chakvetadze and Sabine Lisicki (here we go again) both retired with left ankle injuries.
4 comments:
Hi Diane,
Anabel Medina Garrigues lost to Alicia Molik! It's good to see the old names back again on tour.
Mel
It's especially interesting to see hers because she said she would return to doubles only. I'm glad she changed her mind.
I have no idea what is going on with Sabine. The ankle injuries are baffling to me. Does she not tape her ankles for matches? I do not think I have ever seen her ankles taped. If you are susceptible to turning ankles while playing you should tape your ankles. I am thisclose to taking her off my list of favourite players because it just seems as if she does not take care of herself health wise. Last season she spent most of it on the sidelines. The season is just starting up and already I think this is her second retirement. She is what, 22-23 years old and she has a very fine game but she just cannot seem to stay healthy. And AnnaC - girlfriend you do not retire with just one more game left to play. Stay and finish the match even if you cannot play.
Lisicki is 20, which is still old enough to know better. She plays well--sometimes very well--gets injured, then regresses to the way she used to play, then gets better, then gets injured again, etc.
I saw every match she played in Charleston last year, and I know how really good she can be. But she has to stop getting sick and injured.
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