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Koukalova, Safarova in All-Czech Final at WTA 's-HertogenboschPosted on June 18, 2005 The WTA grasscourt final at 's-Hertogenbosch will be an all-Czech affair on Saturday after No. 8 seed Klara Koukalova rolled American Meghann Shaughnessy 6-1, 7-5, and unseeded Lucie Safarova ousted No. 6 seed Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-3.
For Koukalova it is the second consecutive 's-Hertogenbosch final, last year losing to Mary Pierce. "Today I was a little nervous before my match because I knew that Meghann has a very good serve and I had to focus on returning it," said Koukalova, who overcame four break points in her first service game. "The first set went very quickly. I played well but I was also lucky that she didn't hit many big serves." Koukalova is 0-5 in WTA finals for her career, with Saturday her best opportunity to break the jinx. "I like this tournament very much," Koukalova said. "I wanted to win this match and be able to play in another final. Right now, grass is definitely my best surface." The 18-year-old Safarova is experiencing her best career effort on grass after winning her first career title earlier in the year on clay at Estoril. "I think the final tomorrow will be good," said Safarova on facing Koukalova for the first time in WTA play. "We have been practicing together all week and I know that she hits the ball very hard so I will have to play a good match to win." The doubles final will be (3) Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues/Safina (d. (2) Groenefeld/M.Navratilova in the semis) vs. the unseeded Czech/Spanish pair of Benesova/Nuria Llagostera "Pancho" Vives (d. (1) Petrova/Shaughnessy by walkover with Petrova pulling with a groin strain). |
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