Hantuchova sends Wozniacki out of Paris

There are a couple of things that have given Daniela Hantuchova trouble throughout her career--playing on clay, and keeping her head together when she's winning. Lately, her clay performance has improved so much that I believed she would be competitive in Paris. The other part, however, I wasn't too sure about. But when keeping her head together meant a whole lot today, she carried off the task beautifully, and--in doing so--dismissed top seed Caroline Wozniacki from the French Open.

It wasn't a difficult match for Hantuchova; she allowed the world number 1 to win only four games. Hantuchova had first and second serve percentages of 76 and 61, she won at the net in seven of nine approaches, and she hit more than three times as many winners as Wozniacki. In an hour and 13 minutes, it was over, and Hantuchova--the very essence of sangfroid--had won, 6-1, 6-3.

Hantuchova performed at this level on clay (albeit green clay) last year when she took Jelena Jankovic out of the quarterfinals in Charleston. When she hits her groundstrokes consistently, she hits up and down both lines, and she's hard to beat, especially given her skills at the net. Hantuchova can hit hard and soft, and we saw both today, as she prevented Wozniacki from developing any kind of consistent rhythm.

Wozniacki does require a consistent rhythm, and when she doesn't get it, she can lose her way. Expectations that she would win the French Open were held by some; yet if Wozniacki lacked aggression in Paris, what will she do at Wimbledon, playing on faster courts? She insists there is "no pressure," but the fact of the matter is that she does not perform at the same level in majors as she does in some other events. In some form or other, that has to be a partly mental phenomenon.

Wozniacki, we heard a few weeks ago, is supposed to start working a bit with Martina Navratilova. Not that anyone has asked for my advice--but I think the player who could most benefit from working with Navratilova is Sam Stosur. Stosur has a lot going for her, but needs to overcome her discomfort with moving forward. (Piotr Wozniacki, by the way, made a point of saying that he and Caroline would have to pay for Navratilova's consultation "out of our own pockets" and that Navratilova's services were not inexpensive--sorry, I'm just not feeling the indignation.)

There were some notable "firsts" today. Hantuchova beat a number 1 player for the first time in her career (that is so hard to believe), and for the first time in the Open Era, the two top seeds (Kim Clijsters went out yesterday) made an exit from a major before the round of 16.

We're down to 24, and there are still a half dozen Russians in the draw, by the way. The chances are fairly good that--after tomorrow--there will still be a half dozen Russians in the draw. The way this tournament is going, however, nothing seems too certain. On the other hand, observers shouldn't really be surprised to see Wozniacki and Clijsters upset on clay,

Still hanging around, I should mention, is 6th seed Li Na, who has never before done especially well on clay courts. And 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is always unpredictable, is also still going strong in Paris.

Bartoli and Petkovic to compete for Strasbourg title

Top seed Marion Bartoli advanced to the final of the Internationaux de Strasbourg today by defeating three-time champion Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1, 6-2. Medina Garrigues' formerly slumping career has turned around recently, but she was stopped short in France by Bartoli. Medina Garrigues was seeded 7th in this year's tournament.

Bartoli will play 2nd seed Andrea Petkovic in the final. Petkovic defeated 6th seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a match that lasted over two hours and 42 minutes.

Doubles 2nd seeds Natalie Grandin and Vladamira Uhlirova have also reached the Strasbourg final, in which they will play 4th seeds Akgul Amanmuradova and Chuang Chia-Jung.

Hantuchova & Radwanska win Miami

Daniela Hantuchova and Agnieszka Radwanska have won the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open doubles championship, defeating 3rd seeds Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova. Hantuchova and Radwanska won the first set in a tiebreak, then Huber and Petrova quickly took the second set 6-2, but the winners prevailed 10-8 in the super-tiebreak.

Hantuchova will be playing doubles with Maria Kirilenko at the Family Circle Cup, which begins tomorrow. Huber will team with Lisa Raymond, and Petrova will be paired with Meghann Shaughnessy. Radwanska will not be in Charleston.

Peschke & Srebotnik make second straight first-round exit

Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik, seeded 2nd at the Sony Ericsson Open, were defeated 7-5, 7-6 yesterday in the first round by Shahar Peer and Peng Shuai. They were also defeated in the first round in Indian Wells, where they were the defending champions.

Indian Wells champions Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina upset 5th seeds Chan Yung-Jan and Zheng Jie, and advanced to the second round.

In singles, Daniela Hantuchova came back from a 1-6 first set loss against Caroline Wozniacki, and sent the second set into a tiebreak. Both before and during the tiebreak, Hantuchova had opportunities to win the set, but she was unable to utilize them. Serving at 7-8 in the tiebreak, she double-faulted, giving the top seed the victory. This dynamics of this match were not unusual for Hantuchova: She figured out how to beat her opponent, but she could not go the extra step and execute her plan.

16th seed Maria Sharapova had an easy time of it against wild card Sabine Lisicki, who is less than a shadow of the player she was in 2008. Lisicki has been troubled by illnesses and injuries since winning Charleston, and has not been able to make any type of comeback. Sharapova's next opponent is 4th seed Sam Stosur.

Bartoli and Wickmayer go to BNP Paribas Open semifinals

It wasn't easy for her, but Marion Bartoli became the first player to advance to the semifinals in Indian Wells today. Troubled by the heat, the 15th seed engaged with 19th seed Ana Ivanovic in a match that contained thirteen breaks serve, eight of which occurred in the second set. Bartoli said that the cooler weather in the first set definitely helped her, and in the second set, she just had to slow down and take her time. Bartoli is, of course, known for a certain degree of physical fragility; today, she fought through it and defeated Ivanovic 6-4, 7-6. Ivanovic, I should add, certainly wasn't the player she was in the previous round.

The second quarterfinal match was a more efficient affair. 23rd seed Yanina Wickmayer took control of the match right away, and never let go. She defeated 10th seed Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-3. Wickmayer had a solid 74/60 first and second serve win percentage.

In doubles quarterfinal play, 3rd seeds Liezel Huber and Nadia Petrova were defeated 6-4, 6-3 by Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy. Also, 4th seeds Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova were stunningly upset 6-1, 6-0 by Daniela Hantuchova and Agnieszka Radwanska. (Last year, Daniela Hantuchova said that she was dropping doubles, but she has evidently changed her mind; you have to have a chart to keep up with who's who on the doubles teams.)

Hantuchova and Peer enter Family Circle Cup

2011 Pattaya City champion Daniela Hantuchova has entered the 2011 Family Circle Cup. Hantuchova was a semifinalist last year after she upset Jelena Jankovic in what was probably the tournament's best match. Hantuchova is currently ranked number 29 in the world, and has enjoyed particular success in her career in doubles.

Also entering in Charleston is world number 11 Shahar Peer. Peer is currently playing in Dubai, where she has reached the third round. She made it to the third round of the Australian Open, and is now enjoying the highest ranking of her career.

The Family Circle Cup, which is played on green clay, will be held April 2-10 at the Family Circle Tennis Center. The Center features a 10,200-seat stadium, a Grand Lawn, and 17 courts, including the Althea Gibson Club Court, where fans can get very close to the action.

Passing shots

Stephanie Cohen-Aloro has retired from professional tennis. The Frenchwoman held her highest singles ranking, 61, in 2003.

Simon Reed believes that Petra Kvitova is the real thing.

If Caroline Wozniacki reaches the semifinals in Dubai, she will again be number 1 in the world. Paris champion Petra Kvitova was defeated in the first round today in double tiebreaks by Ayumi Morita, which clears one of Wozniacki's potential obstacles.

Recently retired WTA Tour star Justine Henin is considering undergoing surgery for her elbow. She is going to take a few months to think about it, and hopes to be able to skip the operation.

Pattaya City champion Daniela Hantuchova experienced dizziness during her first-round match against Anna Chakvetadze in Dubai. She and Paris champion Petra Kvitova were both defeated in the first round. Kvitova cited exhaustion and a painful stomach muscle.

There may eventually be night matches at the French Open.

In World Team Tennis, the New York Buzz and the New York Sportimes have merged. The new team will be called the New York Sportimes, and all but two of its matches will be played at Randall's Island in New York City. The other matches will be played in Albany, the home of the New York Buzz.

Hantuchova wins Pattya Open

Daniela Hantuchova, seeded 4th at the 2011 Pattaya Open, easily won the title today when she defeated 8th seed Sara Errani 6-0, 6-2. This is Hantuchova's fourth WTA Tour singles title.

Errani, with partner Roberta Vinci, won the doubles title. Errani and Vinci defeated Sun Shengan and Zheng Jie 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.

Kvitova in Paris final

Petra Kvitova was involved in some very long, mentally draining matches this week, but she made quick work of Bethanie Mattek-Sands in today's Paris semifinals, winning 6-2, 6-0 in just under an hour. 4th seed Kvitova will play new world number 1 Kim Clijsters in the final. Clijsters defeated 3rd seed Kaia Kanepi 6-1, 7-5.

In Pattaya City, top seed Vera Zvonareva's quest for a third straight title was stopped by Daniela Hantuchova. Zvonareva had problems with some of the line calls (which, I've heard, left a lot to be desired), and wound up getting a point penalty at a crucial time. What would have been her ad point was ruled by the chair umpire to be re-played, and Zvonareva's objection was deemed to be over the line. A referee made the final decision, and a penalty was enforced, giving Hantuchova match point, which she converted. Hantuchova won with a score of 7-6, 6-4.

Hantuchova, who is seeded 4th, will play 8th seed Sara Errani in the final. Errani didn't have an easy time of it, either: She had to play friend and long-time doubles partner, Roberta Vinci, in the semifinals. Errani and Vinci will play in the doubles final, in which their opponents will be Sun Shengan and Zheng Jie.

The Paris doubles final will feature 3rd seeds Mattek-Sands and Meghann Shaughnessy, who will play against Vera Dushevina and Ekaterina Makarova.

Miscellany

Katarina Srebotnik will stand aside, and Ana Ivanovic will play mixed doubles with Nenad Zimonjic at the Australian Open. It is assumed that Ivanovic and Zimonjic will pair for the 2012 Olympic Games, and the Australian Open will give them a chance to compete as a team. According to Women's Tennis Blog, Zimonjic will resume playing with Srebotnik at the other three 2011 majors.

Jelena Jankovic underwent minor eye surgery on Thursday; her stitches will be removed in about a week.

"Your matches were never boring...." That's one (and perhaps my favorite) of the many things fans said to Elena Dementieva after she announced her retirement.

Anastasia Rodionova recently relaxed for a couple of days at Port Sea with Cara Black and her husband.

Daniela Hantuchova spent some time in Hungary, where she did a photo shoot for a calendar to support her work for House of the Smile, a hospital in Cambodia for children with HIV.

Schnyder to play Petkovic in Linz semifinals

Patty Schnyder beat her long-time rival, Daniela Hantuchova, for the first time in five years today at the Generali Ladies Linz. The unseeded Schnyder went down a break in the first set, but came back to take it 6-4. At 3-all in the second set, Hantuchova went down 0-40, but she managed to win the game. Schnyder broke at 4-all, however. In the second set, Schynder didn't seem as sure of herself, but after winning a very long game, she was able to pull some errors out of the 2nd seed and to break her at 4-all. When she served for the match, Schnyder--not atypically--became nervous, and she went down 0-30 right away. Once again, though, she steadied herself, and won the quarterfinal match 6-4, 6-4 on her first match point.

7th Ana Ivanovic won her quarterfinal match against Julia Goerges. The first set was close, and Ivanovic won it in a tiebreak. She then relied on her serve to take the second set 6-2. Of all the players who have had service problems, Ivanovic is the only one who has returned to form.

She may have her hands full in the semifinals, however. She will play Roberta Vinci, whose so-called "old school" (I call it clever and interesting tennis) game gave her a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over countrywoman and doubles partner Sara Errani. Errani was seeded 9th.

Finally, 6th seed Andrea Petkovic defeated qualifier Eleni Daniilidou 6-3, 6-2. Petkovic will play Schnyder in the semifinals.

In Osaka, Kimiko Date Krumm upset 1st seed and defending champion Sam Stosur, and Tammy Tanasugarn defeated Chang Kai-Chen. 2nd seed Marion Bartoli defeated Jill Craybas 6-1, 6-2, and 3rd seed Shahar Peer defeated 7th seed Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-0.

Schnyder advances to 3rd round in Linz

Linz has always been a good tournament for Patty Schnyder. She played in the final in 2005 but injured her hand in the middle of the match and couldn't do much after that (the winner was Nadia Petrova, collecting her first tour victory). Schnyder made it to the semifinals in 2006, but lost to Maria Sharapova (7-5, 7-5). She was a finalist again in 2007, when Daniela Hantuchova, Schnyder's long-time rival, took the title.

Today, Schnyder advanced to the third round with a 6-2, 6-0 win over 8th seed Klara Zakopalova. Hantuchova, who is seeded 2nd, also won her second round match. 5th seed Petra Kvitova, however, was upset 6-2, 6-1 by Julia Goerges.

In the next round, Schnyder and Hantuchova will play each other for the 19th time. Their victories are currently split at 10-8, with Hantuchova taking the lead. Hantuchova has, in fact, won the last five times they have played. Schnyder's last victory over Hantuchova took place in Linz in 2005.

In Osaka, the seeded players--Kimiko Date Krumm, Shahar Peer and Iveta Benesova--all won their second round matches today. Also, Jill Craybas defeated Olga Savchuk 6-1, 6-1.

Top seeds advance to 3rd round at U.S. Open

For Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams, Sam Stosur, and Francesca Schiavone, the second round of the U.S. Open was a straight-set affair. Clijsters, the second seed and defending champion, defeated Sally Peers in the night match, and 5th seed Stosur--who I thought would have more trouble dealing with her countrywoman--defeated Anastasia Rodionova. Schiavone defeated Maria Elena Camerin.

Venus Williams' match was interesting. For many of us, it was a first look at Rebecca Marino, the Canadian qualifier who had never before competed against a top-50 player. Marino is six feet tall with long legs, and she can fire a forehand in a most impressive way. Her serve looked good, too. She hit eight aces, and her kick serve was high enough to reach Williams' head on at least one occasion. Also, Marino's demeanor was calm and composed throughout the match; even when she became a little upset, she got past it quickly.

The match, not surprisingly, presented a scenario we have seen many times before: Marino was good enough to force a first-set tiebreak, but when she failed to win it, a straight-set loss was practically an inevitability. In fact, it was hard to imagine her winning the tiebreak because of the speed, efficiency and experience of her opponent. Williams knew how to win the tiebreak, reeling off six points in a row, and she knew how to get through the second set pretty quickly. I wouldn't say that Marino wilted--"wilted" just doesn't seem to fit her persona--but she became less sure-footed after she lost the first set.

She did have a bit of a comeback, though, getting a break point when Williams served for the match at 5-3 in the second set. Marino hit a wild forehand, though, and that was the end of her break chance. Marino hit 27 winners and made 23 unforced errors, compared with Williams' twelve.

Williams won, 7-6, 6-3, and moves to the third round, in which she will not play Tsvetana Pironkova. It can't hurt the 3rd seed's mood that Pironkova, a nemesis on the court, was taken out (and served a New York bagel) by qualifier Mandy Minella. Minella defeated Polona Hercog in the opening round, so she's having a nice run. As for Marino--I hope I get to see her again soon. She played well, and she had a great attitude.

Elena Dementieva, Flavia Pennetta and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova also advanced in straight sets. Pavlyuchenkova was troubled by an elbow injury (it's always something, lately), but it didn't appear to be very serious.

Wild card Virginie Razzano upset 13th seed Marion Bartoli, and Sara Errani upset 28th seed Alisa Kleybanova. Ana Ivanovic ran over 21st seed Zheng Jie, 6-3, 6-0...and then there was Daniela Hantuvhova. She and Vania King went at it for two hours and 51 minutes, with King taking the first set 7-5. I enjoy watching both of these players because they throw in a little bit of everything. Hantuchova, the 23rd seed, won the second set 6-3, and served for the match at 5-2 in the third, but was broken. She eventually won the set 6-4, and hit a lovely drop shot for match point. Hantuchova served nine aces and hit 50 winners.

Radwanska & Kuznetsova to play for San Diego title

Two players I especially enjoy watching are Agnieszka Radwanska and Daniela Hantuchova, so it was a treat to see them compete against one another in the San Diego semifinals. Radwanska has a very clever all-court game, and Hantuchova has a rather elegant game. Both play no-nonsense tennis, and I watch them whenever I have a chance.

Tonight, both players were in fine form, but it was the often-overlooked athleticism of Radwanska that gave the 4th seed the edge, and kept her in the excellent form she displayed against Shahar Peer yesterday. She defeated Hantuchova 6-4, 6-1.

In her quarterfinal match, Radwanska made only nine unforced errors. In tonight's match, she also made nine, and seven of those were made in the first set. She executed a couple of successful over-the-shoulder backhands, a winning one-handed backhand, and a number of stunning volleys. Hantuchova raised her level and saved seven match points on her own serve at 1-5, and--after a ten-deuce game (in which both of Radwanska's second-set unforced errors occurred)--she held for 2-5. The 20-minute game provided some high drama, and showed Hantuchova at her very best. Radwanska, however, then served for the match and won it 6-4, 6-2 on her eighth match point.

The match was choice entertainment. Indeed, the 20-minute game was choice entertainment on its own.

In the other semifinal match, 5th seed Flavia Pennetta's glory was cut short by Svetlana Kuznetsova, who looked better than she has in a while. However, it was also cut short by Pennetta herself, whose serve sometimes goes completely to pieces. Today was one of those times. Kuznetsova played quite well, but--as the match wore on--Pennetta offered less and less resistance. Kuznetsova won 6-4, 6-0.

Bartoli & Wickmayer out of San Diego tournament in 1st round

Yesterday, Daniela Hantuchova upset San Diego 6th seed Marion Bartoli 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the first round. Also going out was 8th seed Yanina Wickmayer, who was defeated 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 by Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Yaroslava Shvedova defeated Nadia Petrova, 7th seed Shahar Peer defeated Ana Ivanovic, and Melanie Oudin defeated lucky loser Jamie Hampton.

In doubles, the 3rd seeds, Alisa Kleybanova and Nadia Petrova, were upset 6-1, 6-3 by Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Yan Zi.

Pre-Wimbledon miscellany

Chris Oddo asks ten very good questions about Wimbledon.

Tennis Channel is showing Wimbledon classics this week. Today, both the 2004 and 2005 women's finals were featured. Unfortunately, I was not able to watch them, but I did see the last parts of both of them. So many memories...a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova taking it to Serena Williams, and the thriller Venus Williams won against Lindsay Davenport. Those are both unforgettable matches.

Venus Williams and co-author Kelly E. Carter will release their book, Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries On How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession, on June 29.

Daniela Hantuchova says that the grass court season is her favorite time of the year.

Before traveling to England, Jelena Jankovic spent her post-French Open time practicing on indoor carpet.

And finally, just in time for Wimbledon, here is Clive James' "Bring Me the Sweat of Gabriela Sabatini."

"You do the Hantuchova and you turn yourself around..."

In professional tennis, there is never a shortage of significantly mannered players. Because of the individual nature of the sport, and because of the preparation time involved in serving, the more mannered players on both tours are easy for even casual fans to spot.

One cannot think of Mary Pierce without recalling all the times chair umpires let her get away with exceeding the service preparation time. (I can't find the link, but once, during the French Open, Pam Shriver left the broadcasting booth to go confront the umpire with the fact that Pierce was taking too much time.) One wouldn't have been surprised if Pierce had pulled out a compact and freshened her makeup before serving, so involved was she in painstakingly getting everything "just right" before serving.

Before she began designing her own clothes, Venus Williams used to tug on her top so much, you might have confused her with Andy Roddick. Maria Sharapova's three (now it's two) precise ball bounces, followed by the left hand sweeping the hair back on each side--all accompanied by a stern facial expression--was easy to imitate, and Novak Djokovic had some fun with it during his more light-hearted "entertainer" days.

Ana Ivanovic's close-to-the-body mini-fist pumps drive some people to distraction. Kim Clijsters turns her racquet and stares at it intently, as though the answers to the match are hidden somewhere in the strings.

But the mannerist queen of the current tour is undoubtedly Daniela Hantuchova. Hantuchova's service preparation is a project unto itself. She walks quite a distance behind the baseline and turns her back to the net. The she turns back around, approaches the baseline, and bounces the ball repeatedly with her racquet as though she were dribbling a basketball. This causes her to get very animated. When this routine is done, she bounces the ball slowly and deliberately five times--never four, never six. Then she serves.

But that isn't all. Hantuchova often walks away from the baseline and turns her back to the net before her opponent serves. Given the rule that the server determines the pace, anyone serving to Hantuchova would be within her rights to serve to her back, but no one does. Hantuchova has been questioned about this behavior, and she maintains she is just collecting herself before she receives serve.

Players' mannerisms help define their on-court personalities, and make watching matches more interesting.

Miscellany

Exactly one week ago, it was reported that Venus Williams would not play in the Fed Cup semifinals. As of today, according to the AP, she is still trying to make up her mind. I can't keep up.

Jelena Jankovic and Daniela Hantuchova are both stranded in Florida, unable to travel to Europe because of the volcanic ash problem. Serbia plays its Fed Cup match against the Slovak Republic this weekend. The Russian team's doctors, coaches and captain are likewise stranded, with Shamil Tarpischev already going through problems with his visa--again.

 Vera Zvonareva was delayed in New York for twelve hours, but made it back to Moscow from Charleston.

Poor Victoria Azarenka had trouble getting out of the U.S. After a failed flight opportunity, she went back to the airport, hoping to get a different flight. ("If not I don't care anymore, I will just live in Chicago.") She was then able to fly to Rome, but could not get out of Rome and into Paris. The flights were cancelled, of course, there were no remaining seats on the trains, and--according to Azarenka--the taxis are not safe. She finally found a car service, but then--on the next leg of the trip--she had problems with her train ticket. She did finally make it to Paris.

Yesterday was Maria Sharapova's 23rd birthday.

According to Peter Bodo, "...none of the very top players was in Charleston...," so perhaps, to some, the number 2 ranking has also taken on a negative meaning.

Stosur defeats Hantuchova and advances to Family Circle Cup final

Daniela Hantuchova lost the first set of her semifinal in Charleston today. Her opponent, 4th seed Sam Stosur, out-served her and took the set 6-3. Hantuchova, struggling with her own second serve, was dominated not only by her opponent's serve, but also by her savvy net play. But--just like in the quarterfinals--the 8th seed staged a comeback, finding the lines again with her winning backhand, and taking advantage of Stosur's errors. She played so well, in fact, that she went up 5-2, and it certainly looked as though there would be a third set.

When Stosur served at 2-5, the game went to deuce, but she held. Hantuchova then served for the set, but was broken. Stosur saved two set points on her own serve at 4-5, and finished the game with an ace. Down 5-6 and 0-30, she hit an ace at 112 mph., and then another one, at 117 mph. She then followed the pair of aces with a forehand winner.

Stosur went up a mini-break right away in the tiebreak, and dominated Hantuchova, who won only two points. Stosur's 6-3, 7-6 win put her into the final, where she will meet 2008 finalist and 7th seed Vera Zvonareva. Zvonareva won her semifinal match when her opponent, Caroline Wozniacki, retired because of an ankle injury.

Hantuchova stops Jankovic in Charleston

Daniela Hantuchova was tired this morning, after playing for two and three-quarter hours on a hot court late yesterday afternoon at the Family Circle Cup. Nevertheless, her match was scheduled first, and it appeared that she might well fade away when 2nd seed Jelena Jankovic broke her four times to take the first set 6-1.

The crowd was in for a surprise, though. Hantuchova, the 8th seed, broke seed Jankovic straight away in the second set. Jankovic broke back in the third game, and the fourth game was a mini-thriller all to itself, featuring a series of deuce points, and exchanges of both forehand and backhand down-the-line shots. Hantuchova also hit two aces in that game, and eventually held. If ever there were a turning point, that was it. The 8th seed, steadily gaining momentum and confidence, won the second set 6-3, setting up a tense final set which began with a break by Jankovic.

But Hantuchova would not go away. Though both players hit a number of backhand winners, Hantuchova hit them flat and right on the lines during big moments, taking away Jankovic's opportunities to engage her in really long rallies. Hantuchova served for the match at 5-3, and faced a break point at 30-40. That break point was saved when Jankovic hit a forehand out. Hantuchova then earned a match point, and converted it with a forehand winner.

Hantuchova, of course, is not known for mental toughness, but her comeback in this match was impressive, and it clearly got into Jankovic's head. Hantuchova hit a total of 39 winners, and was successful at the net. She went for more than her opponent did, and she was rewarded with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory. Her opponent in the semifinals will be 4th seed Sam Stosur.