Medina Garrigues Goes for 4th Consecutive in Palermo Final
Posted on July 23, 2006
PALERMO, Italy -- Three-time Palermo champion Anabel Medina Garrigues is in prime position to increase that title to four, as the Spaniard advances to her fourth final in Palermo and eighth in her career.
Second-seeded Medina Garrigues posted a solid result over No.4 seed Lucie Safarova, 64 64. The win gives Medina Garrigues the opportunity to be a three-time consecutive champion in Palermo, a first for the 17-year-old event, and a four-time champion.
The Spaniard has ruled this red clay court event in her eight-year career. She won her first title here five years ago, made the semifinals in 2003 and added two more crowns in 2004 and 2005. Since losing her semifinal match to Katarina Srebotnik in 2003, she has managed to win 12 consecutive matches here without dropping a set.
The only thing standing in Medina Garrigues' way is formidable Italian player, Tathiana Garbin. Garbin, a wildcard this week, defeated fellow Italian Roberta Vinci in the semifinals, 62 62. She has not lost a set en route to the final, losing only 21 games thus far.
Garbin will be making her fourth career final appearance and first since Modena last year, when she was forced to retire at 6-6 in the first set against Smashnova due to heat illness. She owns one singles title, winning Budapest in 2000.
This serves as the fifth meeting between Medina Garrigues and Garbin, with Medina Garrigues holding a 3-1 edge. Most recently, they met in February at the Paris Indoors, with Medina Garrigues barely edging out a 63 16 75 win.
In doubles, Janette Husarova and Michaella Krajicek teamed together for the first time and took home their first title as a pair, routing qualifiers Alice Canepa and Giulia Gabba, 60 60. Husarova records her 20th career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles title and Krajicek takes her first.
-- WTA
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