Safina Will Face Schultz-McCarthy in Ordina Open Quarters
Posted on June 21, 2006'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, The Netherlands -- No.2-seeded Dinara Safina picked up on grass where she left off on clay by winning her first Ordina Open match on Tuesday. The Russian ousted Maria Elena Camerin 46 62 61 to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Dutch veteran Brenda Schultz-McCarthy.
Safina entered her first grass court event of the season in good spirits. Two weeks ago, she upset Maria Sharapova on her way to the Roland Garros quarterfinals. Her win over Sharapova was her sixth career Top 10 victory and fourth of the season. Last month, Safina had a terrific run to the finals of Rome, posting consecutive wins over Kim Clijsters, Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"I think that for my first match on grass, I played well," said Safina, the sister of former world No.1 tennis star Marat Safin. "She was a tough opponent, and I was happy that I could fight through. She didn't give me any free points. She moves very well so I had to play well against her to win. I didn't play so great in the first set, but I kept fighting. I think I served well and used my drop shots well."
No.8-seeded Jelena Jankovic ousted Dutch wild card Marrit Boonstra 63 60 and will next face qualifer Alona Bondarenko in the second round. Two years ago, the Serb teenager upset top seed Nadia Petrova in the second round here en route to the quarterfinals. Shortly after the tournament, she broke into the Top 50.
Wild card Schultz-McCarthy collected her second match win in the main draw of a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournament since making her 2006 comeback. The 35-year-old toughed out a 76(4) 67(3) 63 battle with Marta Domachowska on Tuesday. Plagued by back injuries, Schultz-McCarthy did not compete in any Tour events between 2000 and 2005. Even though she has been playing professionally since the 1980s, she only competed in her home event once, in 1996, when the tournament was still held in Rosmalen.
Other Tuesday winners were Paola Suarez and Eleni Daniilidou. Suarez beat Jelena Kostanic 62 60 and Daniilidou eliminated No.7 seed Gisela Dulko 63 63. Bondarenko advanced when Li Na retired due to a neck sprain.
-- WTA
Safina entered her first grass court event of the season in good spirits. Two weeks ago, she upset Maria Sharapova on her way to the Roland Garros quarterfinals. Her win over Sharapova was her sixth career Top 10 victory and fourth of the season. Last month, Safina had a terrific run to the finals of Rome, posting consecutive wins over Kim Clijsters, Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"I think that for my first match on grass, I played well," said Safina, the sister of former world No.1 tennis star Marat Safin. "She was a tough opponent, and I was happy that I could fight through. She didn't give me any free points. She moves very well so I had to play well against her to win. I didn't play so great in the first set, but I kept fighting. I think I served well and used my drop shots well."
No.8-seeded Jelena Jankovic ousted Dutch wild card Marrit Boonstra 63 60 and will next face qualifer Alona Bondarenko in the second round. Two years ago, the Serb teenager upset top seed Nadia Petrova in the second round here en route to the quarterfinals. Shortly after the tournament, she broke into the Top 50.
Wild card Schultz-McCarthy collected her second match win in the main draw of a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournament since making her 2006 comeback. The 35-year-old toughed out a 76(4) 67(3) 63 battle with Marta Domachowska on Tuesday. Plagued by back injuries, Schultz-McCarthy did not compete in any Tour events between 2000 and 2005. Even though she has been playing professionally since the 1980s, she only competed in her home event once, in 1996, when the tournament was still held in Rosmalen.
Other Tuesday winners were Paola Suarez and Eleni Daniilidou. Suarez beat Jelena Kostanic 62 60 and Daniilidou eliminated No.7 seed Gisela Dulko 63 63. Bondarenko advanced when Li Na retired due to a neck sprain.
-- WTA