Daniela's on the practice schedule for today on Court 15 11:30 - 12. I'm guessing that she's going to be in qualifying we'll see how she does. She probably couldn't get direct entry into Hobart so she may as well try to qualify for the bigger tournament. I saw a bit of Bonaventure's match against Azarenka and Bonaventure played pretty well in the first set and actually hit more winners than Azarenka in the match so Daniela lost to someone in a bit of form. I don't know how Daniela will do here and it would be very difficult for her against anyone in the main draw. She needs some matches before the Australian Open.

It says a lot about what's happened to Daniela over the past year that she's not seeded for qualifying. Ostapenko's one of the up and comers who won Quebec last year so it'll be a tough match. She had a very contentious and acrimonious match in Auckland this week against Broady where she was nearly disqualified after hitting a ball boy with her racquet and she lost the match from 5-1 up in the third set, so there has to be some emotional scar tissue there. A lot will depend on Ostapenko's mental state and also how Daniela is physically. A win would be such a huge boost for Daniela ahead to the Australian Open. The winner of this plays either Zheng Saisai, who Daniela beat twice last year, or Anna Tatishvili, but Daniela just has to take this one match at a time and focus on beating Ostapenko. QS.jpg

Daniela did show a spark last week when she came from 1-4 down in the second, winning the last 5 games. However, I worry that she's staring at a serious beat down today, and that this may be one of the last times I get to do this.

That said....Away we go.

0-1 Daniela broken to 30.
(Last week she lost her first 5 service games.)
1-1 Daniela breaks back on her 2nd BP chance.
2-1 Daniela holds to 30, featuring ace #1.
2-2 J.O. holds to 30.
3-2 Daniela holds at love.
4-2 Daniela breaks to 30. (J.O. foot faulted on game point for her 3rd DF so far.)
4-3 Daniela broken to 15.
5-3 Daniela breaks back to 30.
5-4 Daniela broken to 30, DF#1 came while up 30-15.
6-4 Daniela breaks after 1 deuce to win 1st set.

0-1 Daniela broken to 30.
(This has long past become ridiculous!)
0-2 J.O. holds to 30.
1-2 Daniela holds after 1 deuce.
2-2 Daniela breaks to 15.
3-2 Daniela holds to 30.
3-3 J.O. holds to 15.
3-4 Daniela broken after 2 deuces and a missed game point.
4-4 Daniela breaks back to 15.
5-4 Daniela holds to love.
6-4 Daniela breaks to 15 and wins on 1st match point.



On June 1, 2012, in their 50th year of existence, Johan Santana pitched the first no-hitter in the history of the New York Mets. Upon the final pitch, Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen captured the moment with these three words, which apply quite well to this match:

IT HAS HAPPENED!!

Yeah! Woo hoo! After 170 days, let the celebration begin! (When will we learn not to write her off? Me included.)

Of course it didn't come easy. Dani got merely 52% of her first serves in, and lost half of those points. She was broken 5 times. Here are the key stats: Ostapenko earned thank you cards from all of us for 8 DF's (Dani had 3). Daniela won 16 of her 29 second serves. This one I don't think I've ever seen before: Ostapenko had 27 2nd serves. Dani won 23 (seriously!) of those points.
So #543 is finally in the record books. YES! Looks like many of you will awaken to very pleasant news!

Daniela next faces Falconi on Court 9. Play starts around 11AM (7 PM in New York); two matches are ahead of Dani's.

Hantuchova progresses

Another veteran, Daniela Hantuchova, moved into the second round with a 6-4 6-4 win over impressive teenager Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia.

The 32-year-old Hantuchova, a former world No.5 yet now ranked 83rd, said she was happy to experience that winning feeling again after closing her 2015 season with five straight losses.

“I was really glad to do the things I worked on in the off-season. It’s always tough in the beginning of the year, you’re trying to find your game. So I’m really happy,” she said.

“There’s still things I need to improve to get to the level where I want to be. But I had a great off-season, (I have a) great team around me, so I’m just really happy with where things are at the moment, even if maybe the ranking or the results don’t show it yet.”

Hantuchova says that despite turning pro almost 17 years ago, she remains motivated and passionate about her career.

She enters 2016 following a productive pre-season in China with Carlos Rodriguez, the former coach of women’s stars Justine Henin and Li Na.

“He’s an incredible person to be around. I learned so much. It was very tough, very intense, but it was great,” the Slovak said.

“I feel like I’m very thankful to still be able to compete and play and be healthy. I don’t look too far ahead of myself; I’m just trying to give my best every day.

“People ask me when I’m going to stop or whatever, but as long as I enjoy it, I’ll keep doing it. One day if I wake up and I feel like I’ve had enough, then I’ll stop. But it hasn’t came so far yet, which is good.”

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Daniela can punch a ticket into the main draw by beating Lauren Davis. First match on Court 3, shortly after 11AM in Sydney, 7 PM here in New York.

Daniela's playing double with Jelena Jankovic and they start against Roberta Vinci & Svetlana Kuznetsova.