Gonzo Pain in Nadal Ass, Clijsters Tops Hingis at Aussie Open
Posted on January 24, 2007
Clijsters, Sharapova Book Aussie Open Semifinal Meeting
Kim Clijsters weathered some inconsistent play and a crafty opponent to reach the semifinals at this her last Australian Open before retirement, coming from a set down to defeat Martina Hingis 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
"When you're not seeing the ball the only thing you can do is fight and hopefully turn things around...and I managed to do that," said Clijsters who totalled 62 unforced errors. "It definitely has to be better."
"Better" is how the Belgian hopes to come out against soon-to-be world No. 1 Maria Sharapova, who moved into a semifinal meeting with Clijsters after overcoming blisters for an ugly 7-6(5), 7-5 win over fellow Russian and No. 12 seed Anna Chakvetadze.
"I was a little bit up and down, a bit scratchy and I'm definitely glad I got through," said Sharapova, who was down a break 2-4 in the first to Chakvetadze. "The next one is going to be even tougher."
Sharapova had treatment by a trainer for blisters in the second set.
"It's just the heat, you normally get a few blisters but I cover them up and keep going," Sharapova said.
Hingis looked in control of Clijsters with an opening break in the third set before the Belgian took command.
"It's my most disappointing loss against her," said Hingis, who is 0-4 against Clijsters since her comeback last year. "I always tried to give her a different look at a ball, that's why she made so many unforced errors. That's my game. It worked for a set and a half, but you have to keep it going."
Clijsters is looking claim her first Australian Open title in her last attempt, announcing she will retire from tennis at the end of the year. Sharapova, who will take over the No. 1 ranking from Justine Henin-Hardenne after the event, is looking to capture her second consecutive Slam after last year's US Open.
Sharapova and Clijsters will have to rebound quickly on Thursday as their semifinal follows the (10) Nicole Vaidisova vs. Serena Williams semi, tipped for 1:30 p.m. local time in Melbourne.
"I don't think anyone thought I would get this far except me and my mum," the unseeded Williams said of facing Vaidisova in the semis. "I don't listen to what the commentators and writers say, it's amazing the negativity towards me and that's why I don't read the papers. No one knows what I have been through off the court, but I always believe in myself."
Gonzalez Goes Gonzo on Nadal, Haas Wins at Aussie Open
Chile's Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez continued his high form Wednesday at the Australian Open, crushing injured world No. 2 Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 to gain his first Grand Slam semifinal where he will face Germany's Tommy Haas.
"I am playing great tennis, I can do more things on the court, that makes me very happy," said Gonzalez, who has added extra dimension to his game with coach Larry Stefanki, adding to his once-forehand-dominated gameplan. "I have been in the (Slam) quarterfinals a few times and I've never won a match, but today I played really unbelievable tennis and I hope to continue this way."
Nadal left the court in the third set for a medical time-out.
"I have problems in my leg, so I cannot run," Nadal said. "It was difficult playing a match like this, quarter-finals of a Grand Slam, not being in the best condition. When I am on court, I am trying to run. Well, I can't. It was difficult and disappointing for me...Well, it's not just the one place. I have pain here, in my famous ass (smiling). After I feel a little bit here, too (pointing to the inside and outside of the thigh). That maybe it's just tired, no? But down this way and in the ass is very, very painful, no?"
It was Gonzalez's third win in four meetings with Nadal. The Chilean should be the fresher on Friday against Haas, who outlasted No. 3-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko in five sets 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Haas was sterling on serve in the first set, while Davydenko improved his serving to take the second. Haas appeared fatigue while the Russian ran out the third set 6-1, but in the fourth set drew on his reserves to himself run away with a 6-1 set. In the fifth set the two traded breaks midway, then Haas double faulted twice to give the Russian a match point in the 10th game before recovering. The German then broke in the 11th game and served out the match.
"It was bad luck because I get match point on his second serve...but I don't know what happened then," Davydenko said. "OK, I did big mistake, I didn't give a chance to play. But then he played well and played fast...he make pressure all match and that's why he won in five sets. I did so many mistakes from baseline and he beat me from baseline -- that was surprising."
Haas, formerly No. 2-ranked in the world before a bout of shoulder surgeries, said he was driven by memories of past Slam failures.
"I was just trying to hang in there and the memories of that US Open loss kicked back in," Haas said. "That loss was really tough to swallow for a couple of weeks so I just tried to hang in there today. I don't know how I did it because he is tough to play on this court."
Haas almost completely lost his composure when getting rolled in the third set, berating himself fiercely when the weather conditions and flying pigeons made life difficult.
"Yeah, the cold breeze. Sometimes, I don't know, like my eyes don't do well with that," Haas said. "They just got really watery, like I'm almost crying, a lot of water coming out of my eyes...Then just lost my head just a teeny bit...That's when that (talking to himself) starts happening. My eyes got watery. The shade started coming. So it was a few things that kept going into my head. There were pigeons flying around in the stadium. I was focusing on many other things as I sometimes can do."
The German's problems didn't go unnoticed by Davydenko.
"I think Haas going crazy," Davydenko said. "He speak by himself in the match. He talk, just he talk, he can't play in Australia good any more, and something like this."
Haas will now face Gonzalez in their first meeting on hardcourt.
On court Thursday is the first semifinal, the heavyweight match-up of (1) Roger Federer vs. (6) Andy Roddick which sees the American trying to reverse a 1-12 record against the Swiss, not including a confidence-boosting exhibition with for Roddick coming into the event.
"I said before we played in Kooyong, if I had won there I'm not going to come in acting like it's some huge match," said Roddick of his exo win. "But given the choice going in to win a match or lose a match, you choose to win it. That's kind of the way I've been looking at it. I said for the past probably five or six months, the gap has either been closing a little bit or just he hasn't been extending it, which he's probably done the last three years or so. That's a good thing."
Federer said the revitalized Roddick is a positive change from the pre-Jimmy Connors Roddick.
"His serve kind of got lost all of a sudden," said Federer of the American. "He didn't get the same free points any more. He couldn't really, yeah, put the pressure on the opponent because it was too easy to return his serve. I don't know if it's due to change of tactics or change of conditions. All of a sudden, got really slower. He's definitely picked that up again. Ever since, he's been a great player again."
Federer and Roddick will play under the lights following the women's semifinals. Federer is one win away from his seventh consecutive Grand Slam final.
TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Justine Henin-no-longer-Hardenne breaking the silence on her website: "The last few weeks were difficult for me and my team. First I must announce to you that Pierre-Yves and I have decided to separate; the reasons are personal. I request of you to respect my privacy. I want to particulary (sic) thank you for the great many messages of support sent during these last few weeks -- it really touched me. On the tennis side of things, I have begun training again. I also have slightly altered my schedule. I will play at the Open Gaz De France in early February. It's not far from my home, and it's always pleasant for me to be in Paris. This will be my first tournament for the season. I hope to find my form, and as usual will give all of myself. I'm looking forward to once again giving you exciting emotions. Still thanking you for all the support."...From the ATP: "The ATP and Tretorn, the outdoor lifestyle brand, announced today the establishment of a premier series of 22 ATP Challenger Series tournaments to be known as the Tretorn SERIE+ ("serie plus"). The 22 premier ATP Challenger Series tournaments -- all with prize money of $100,000 or greater -- will be part of the SERIE+, unifying an elite series of tournaments across much of Europe, as well as Asia and North Africa. Much like the ATP Masters Series has done with top-tier ATP tournaments, the SERIE+ will provide cohesive branding to each event and will honor the SERIE+ season-long champion at the end of the year."...ESPN.com headline: "Haas, Gaonzalez reach Aussie Open semifinals" -- Ouch...James Blake on the ATP's round robin experiment at select events: "I'm still interested to hear more importantly what the fans have to say about it because we can adjust we can find ways to play and get used to it if that's what it takes, but as long as the fans enjoy it then I think it's good for the game. I think it's great that it's good for the tournament and hopefully in the long run it's good for the players. If it's good for the tournament and the tournament is able to secure more sponsorship and that ends up being more prize money for us so hopefully that's good. But again as long as the fans are coming in, then that's what we're eventually looking for."
Also see:
Aussie Open: Live or Memorex?
http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2007-01-24/134.php