GOLD COAST, Australia - In completely different fashion, Martina Hingis and Dinara Safina both reached the final of the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts on Friday, setting up a championship clash between the Tier III event's two highest seeds.
The top-seeded Hingis was the first to move through, winning when unseeded semifinal opponent Tathiana Garbin retired while ahead 4-3 in the first set due to breathing problems caused by a viral illness.
"She started really well - that's the best she has ever played against me," Hingis said. "I started slowly, just like last night, and I was just starting to get my rhythm when she retired. That's the first time anyone has retired against me while leading."
"I was disappointed because I'm playing my best tennis," said Garbin, who took out No.4 seed Groenefeld in the first round and eventually reached her semifinal slot. "I've been sick for a few days; it started in my second round match and has gotten worse. In practice I had real problems breathing, and didn't know if I could play, but I thought about my match yesterday against Vesnina, and that I felt bad before that too. Today was the worst though and I just couldn't continue."
After Garbin retired, Hingis stuck around a little while and entertained the crowd by hitting with some of the ball kids, letting them use her racquets.
The most impressive comeback victory of the new year came during the feature night semifinal, as No.2 seed Safina beat No.5 seed Shahar Peer, 46 76(1) 61. It was a match of two halves; Peer won the first set and stormed out to a 5-1 lead in the second, only to have her momentum halted one game later (after Safina held for 5-2) by a freak rainstorm that blew through the stadium then stopped play for five minutes as the court was dried. The match turned upon resumption and after two hours and 15 minutes, it was the Russian who prevailed.
"She was playing like No.1, I couldn’t believe it," Safina said. "Then, she had 64 51 and I just started going for my shots. I held serve then we had the rain break. I saw her and she seemed to be a little nervous, and I thought, this is it, I have to go for it. I suppose I was a little lucky, but my shots just started going in."
"I'm not happy; you can't be up 64 51, lose a match and be happy," Peer stated. "I didn't feel differently after the rain, but until 51 I was not missing anything and then I started missing. Maybe I lost concentration. I'll make sure I'm in this position again, I take advantage and close it out on my first service game."
On paper, Hingis is the favorite to win on Saturday. Not only is she 2-0 lifetime against Safina, both coming in her 2006 comeback season and both in straights, but she also has more experience in Tour finals, going 42-24 to Safina's 4-3.
"The match will be different from any I've played this week," Hingis said. "Safina is a tall girl and she really hits the ball; I've played her a couple times and won. I've watched her matches, and the quality was very high. I'm going to have to play well. I'm confident. You have to be when going into a final."
"I still have to play doubles tonight so then I'm going to think about it," Safina said. "It's the last day tomorrow; I'm just going to give it everything I've got."
