Krajicek, Safina Reach Final at Ordina Open
Posted on June 24, 2006'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, The Netherlands -- Dutch teen Michaella Krajicek will look to match the exploits of her older brother Richard on Saturday, as she contests the final of the $175,000 Ordina Open.
The now-retired Richard, a grass court powerhouse in the 1990s, won the 1996 Wimbledon title in addition to the 's-Hertogenbosch crown in 1994 and 1997.
On Friday, 17-year-old Michaella scored her first-ever Top 10 victory, coming from behind to oust top seed and world No.8 Elena Dementieva, 16 76(5) 64. The big-hitting teenager saved a match point on her own serve trailing 5-4, 40-30 in the second set. It is the second narrow loss Dementieva has suffered at this Tier III event, having led 3-1 in the third set against Eleni Daniilidou in the 2002 final, only to fall 36 62 63.
"In the first set, I don't think I really believed that I could play up to her level," Krajicek stated, "but in the second set, I told myself that I could do it, so I played differently. Then, I think I played my best tennis in the third set.
"This was the best match of my career."
"I played very well in the first set and even in the second set," Dementieva said after the match. "When I lost that match point and eventually the set, I still felt I could win, but it was really tough to keep my concentration and it was difficult to play."
With the earlier semifinal victory of No.2 seed Dinara Safina, Dementieva's loss prevented the third all-Russian final of 2006 and the fifth final between a tournament's Top 2 seeds. Krajicek is through to her third career final, having won titles at 2005 Tashkent and Hobart in January.
Safina, 20, also needed three sets Friday to reach her second final of 2006. Unseeded Daniilidou, who beat fellow losing semifinalist in the championship match here four years ago, was appearing in her first semifinal of 2006 and put up a brave fight against the Russian before falling 63 36 64 in one hour, 57 minutes.
"She gave me a tough match," said Safina. "In the second set, I was up a break two times but I couldn't take advantage of those chances. During the set break, I told myself that I had to make the most of those opportunities in the third set and I did that."
Safina, who recently reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in Paris, has made considerable strides in the past 12 months, but acknowledges there is still the need to keep improving.
"I think I need to get used to coming to the net; I practice it and I know I can do it, but I need to bring it into the match. I need to get more experience of coming into the net during matches because that's important on grass."
"She's very good and because it's on grass, again, I will need to dominate the court; I can't make any mistakes.
"So far, this has been a very good preparation for me. I played a lot of matches on clay, and I'm happy that I was able to switch my mind to grass and be able to make those adjustments to a very different surface."
The singles champion takes home $28,000 while the runner-up pockets $14,750.
Reigning Australian Open champions Yan Zi and Zheng Jie collected their fourth doubles title of 2006 and sixth of their fledgling careers. The top-seeded Chinese duo defeated the unseeded pairing of Ana Ivanovic and Maria Kirilenko, 36 62 62.
--WTA
The now-retired Richard, a grass court powerhouse in the 1990s, won the 1996 Wimbledon title in addition to the 's-Hertogenbosch crown in 1994 and 1997.
On Friday, 17-year-old Michaella scored her first-ever Top 10 victory, coming from behind to oust top seed and world No.8 Elena Dementieva, 16 76(5) 64. The big-hitting teenager saved a match point on her own serve trailing 5-4, 40-30 in the second set. It is the second narrow loss Dementieva has suffered at this Tier III event, having led 3-1 in the third set against Eleni Daniilidou in the 2002 final, only to fall 36 62 63.
"In the first set, I don't think I really believed that I could play up to her level," Krajicek stated, "but in the second set, I told myself that I could do it, so I played differently. Then, I think I played my best tennis in the third set.
"This was the best match of my career."
"I played very well in the first set and even in the second set," Dementieva said after the match. "When I lost that match point and eventually the set, I still felt I could win, but it was really tough to keep my concentration and it was difficult to play."
With the earlier semifinal victory of No.2 seed Dinara Safina, Dementieva's loss prevented the third all-Russian final of 2006 and the fifth final between a tournament's Top 2 seeds. Krajicek is through to her third career final, having won titles at 2005 Tashkent and Hobart in January.
Safina, 20, also needed three sets Friday to reach her second final of 2006. Unseeded Daniilidou, who beat fellow losing semifinalist in the championship match here four years ago, was appearing in her first semifinal of 2006 and put up a brave fight against the Russian before falling 63 36 64 in one hour, 57 minutes.
"She gave me a tough match," said Safina. "In the second set, I was up a break two times but I couldn't take advantage of those chances. During the set break, I told myself that I had to make the most of those opportunities in the third set and I did that."
Safina, who recently reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in Paris, has made considerable strides in the past 12 months, but acknowledges there is still the need to keep improving.
"I think I need to get used to coming to the net; I practice it and I know I can do it, but I need to bring it into the match. I need to get more experience of coming into the net during matches because that's important on grass."
"She's very good and because it's on grass, again, I will need to dominate the court; I can't make any mistakes.
"So far, this has been a very good preparation for me. I played a lot of matches on clay, and I'm happy that I was able to switch my mind to grass and be able to make those adjustments to a very different surface."
The singles champion takes home $28,000 while the runner-up pockets $14,750.
Reigning Australian Open champions Yan Zi and Zheng Jie collected their fourth doubles title of 2006 and sixth of their fledgling careers. The top-seeded Chinese duo defeated the unseeded pairing of Ana Ivanovic and Maria Kirilenko, 36 62 62.
--WTA