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The Championships, Wimbledon
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Author:  asj001 [ 19. June 2009 11:28 ]
Post subject:  The Championships, Wimbledon

imageDates: June 22 - July 5, 2009
Category: Grand Slam
Draw: 128M/96Q/64D
Surface: Grass - outdoors and indoors
Tournament Director: Ian Ritchie

www.wimbledon.org

2008 Performance: lost in R2 to Kleybanova 3-6 6-4 1-6

Singles:
1R: Daniela Hantuchova def. Laura Robson (GBR) 3-6 6-4 6-2
2R: Daniela Hantuchova def. Jie Zheng (CHN) 6-3 7-5
3R: Daniela Hantuchova def. Ai Sugiyama (JPN) 6-4 6-3
4R: Serena Williams (USA) def. Daniela Hantuchova 6-3 6-1

Doubles:
1R: Hantuchova/Sugiyama def Paszek (AUT) / Savchuck (UKR) 6-0 6-1
2R: Kleybanova (RUS) / Makarova (RUS) def. Hantuchova/Sugiyama 4-6 7-6(5) 6-2

Author:  pmrd44 [ 19. June 2009 12:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

She did great for herself, no question about it. The first round draw is pretty much all you can hope for and she's away from a legit top player until round four. Zheng reached the semis here last year, but she's done nothing since to suggest that wasn't a fluke. She's a legit top 25/30 type player, but nothing more than that as her ranking is inflated by that result from last year. A match with Daniela is a 50/50 proposition and there are a lot of draws that would have seen Daniela a strong underdog in a potential round two. Should it get as far as Schnyder, that's a favorable third round matchup all things considered. Here's hoping the match with Robson is similar to match she had with a not-ready-for-primetime Pavluychenkova a couple of years back: Daniela won losing 1 game and I think something like 25 points total. As an aside, both L. Jon Wertheim and the hapless Peter Bodo picked her to lose that match. :)

Jie Zheng CHN (16) v. Kristina Barrois GER
Daniela Hantuchova SVK v. Laura Robson GBR

Tamarine Tanasugarn THA v. Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP
Ai Sugiyama JPN v. Patty Schnyder SUI (21)


Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova RUS (31) v. Petra Cetkovska CZE
Roberta Vinci ITA v. Magdalena Rybarikova SVK

Lucie Safarova CZE v. Jarmila Groth AUS
Neuza Silva POR v. Serena Williams USA (2)

Author:  asj001 [ 19. June 2009 12:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

Well, all in all, this draw is terrible! Laura Robson is definately a potential banana skin, and could send Daniela crashing out of a grand slam in the first round for the second straight time. If Daniela overcomes Robson (which she should), she will most likely play last years semi-finalist Zheng Jie, seeded 16th this year. This, in my oppinion, is a very tough second round match since Zheng is a good grass court player and seems to compete well when up against the top players on the tour. I don't think there is much point in looking beyond the first two rounds since Daniela will have her work cut out just to get into round 3 this year.

Author:  pmrd44 [ 19. June 2009 12:34 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

Well, all in all, this draw is terrible! Laura Robson is definately a potential banana skin, and could send Daniela crashing out of a grand slam in the first round for the second straight time. If Daniela overcomes Robson (which she should), she will most likely play last years semi-finalist Zheng Jie, seeded 16th this year. This, in my oppinion, is a very tough second round match since Zheng is a good grass court player and seems to compete well when up against the top players on the tour. I don't think there is much point in looking beyond the first two rounds since Daniela will have her work cut out just to get into round 3 this year.

I don't see how you can ask for a better opponent than Robson in round one. She's 15 and ranked #484 and the list of 15 year-olds who have won at Grand Slams before is really small. Pavlyuchekova was a better junior than Laura and Daniela destroyed her at the same age.
As for Zheng, if the rankings system weighted more recent stuff more heavily than stuff a year ago, which of course it should, she would be outside the top 25. A match against Zheng won't be easy, but Daniela could have drawn any seeded player and I don't see that are too many seeded players who would be easier than Zheng. Prior to last year, Zheng was only 2-2 at Wimbledon and her run last year was aided by good fortune (drawing Vaidisova in the QF, Szavay in the round of 16) though she did beat Ivanovic easy.

Author:  asj001 [ 19. June 2009 12:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

Well, all in all, this draw is terrible! Laura Robson is definately a potential banana skin, and could send Daniela crashing out of a grand slam in the first round for the second straight time. If Daniela overcomes Robson (which she should), she will most likely play last years semi-finalist Zheng Jie, seeded 16th this year. This, in my oppinion, is a very tough second round match since Zheng is a good grass court player and seems to compete well when up against the top players on the tour. I don't think there is much point in looking beyond the first two rounds since Daniela will have her work cut out just to get into round 3 this year.

I don't see how you can ask for a better opponent than Robson in round one. She's 15 and ranked #484 and the list of 15 year-olds who have won at Grand Slams before is really small. Pavlyuchekova was a better junior than Laura and Daniela destroyed her at the same age.
As for Zheng, if the rankings system weighted more recent stuff more heavily than stuff a year ago, which of course it should, she would be outside the top 25. A match against Zheng won't be easy, but Daniela could have drawn any seeded player and I don't see that are too many seeded players who would be easier than Zheng. Prior to last year, Zheng was only 2-2 at Wimbledon and her run last year was aided by good fortune (drawing Vaidisova in the QF, Szavay in the round of 16) though she did beat Ivanovic easy.

Robson took a set of Benesova last year in Luxembourg, and has improved alot since then. There is no point comparing her to Pavlyuchenkova because in my oppinion she is alot better than the Russian and has far more potential. I think Daniela will beat her if she plays reasonably well, I'm just pointing out that Robson could well challenge Daniela and potentially take a set off her. Robson will have huge home support this year since she won the junior title last year, and if Daniela doesn't play particularly well then it could end up being a tough match.
Regarding Zheng, again it is an opponant that Daniela can beat in straight sets if she plays well. If not, then its another tough match. With a draw like this the third round seems a long way away. If she does get there, then she has a real chance of a fourth round finish, since she would mostly likely meet Schnyder, Tanasugarn or Sugiyama (players that Daniela is very capable of beating). Being in Serena's section means that a better result seems highly unlikely right now.
At the moment though, I don't see any point in looking that far ahead. In the words of Chungwit: let's take it "one match at a time".

Author:  martin [ 19. June 2009 13:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

Great draw, two seeds you would like to play, Zheng ain't in good form which is illustrated by her loss to Rybarikova and Patty who hates grass and is prone to tanking Wimbledon. Tanasugarn and Sugiyama seem to be the more tricky opponents in this section. Robson is a promising player, but still very young and not experienced with playing at this level, Daniela should be able to deal with her.

Author:  Benji [ 19. June 2009 13:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

Well that draw could have been a lot worse. Daniela should be aiming high and lookng to make the second week for the rematch with Serena! :P

Having said that she'll probably deliver an OAF performance against Robson.

Author:  chungwit [ 19. June 2009 13:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

Considering Daniela's not seeded this is a pretty decent draw. Robson is a tricky first round opponent as she's the junior champion, she'll have home support and she did fairly well when she entered Luxembourg. It's one of these matches where Daniela is expected to win and has a lot to lose. It's similar to the Dell'acqua or Oudin matches where Daniela plays a tricky underdog with home support.
Daniela should have too much experience and as long as she plays well she should win.

Zheng's a decent seed to play in the second round as her recent form hasn't been exceptional. Zheng's mostly lost to good players, but she hasn't beaten a really good player except perhaps Cornet in Miami. It's a test of Daniela's level as their form has been pretty similar this year and if Daniela plays well she's got a good chance. Zheng's 20 points ahead of Daniela in the race so a win there boosts Daniela's ranking and damages Zheng's. Daniela had a good win in their only previous match at Indian Wells last year.

Third round would be pretty decent as well as Schnyder, who's the seed, has a losing record at Wimbledon and Daniela's has a great record against Ai outside of North America, plus neither of them are in top form. Probably the most likely third round opponent would be Tanasugarn who beat Safina at Rosmalen and Zvonareva and Jankovic at Wimbledon last year.

However, it is one match at a time and Daniela has to beat Robson first.

Author:  asj001 [ 19. June 2009 13:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

At the moment though, I don't see any point in looking that far ahead. In the words of Chungwit: let's take it "one match at a time".
However, it is one match at a time and Daniela has to beat Robson first.
;)

Author:  MartinH [ 19. June 2009 15:34 ]
Post subject:  The Championships, Wimbledon

Doubles draw, Danielas quarter

(6) Hantuchova/Sugiyama (SVK/JPN) - Paszek/Savchuk (AUT/UKR)
Kleybanova/Makarova (RUS) - Cibulkova/Husarova (SVK)
Hrdinova/Vaidisova (CZE) - Ditty/Dzehalevich (USA/BLR)
A. Radwanska/U. Radwanska (POL) - (10) Mattek Sands/Petrova (USA/RUS)

(15) Chuang/Mirza (TPE/IND) - Craybas/Gullickson (USA)
Dominguez Lino/Parra Santonja (ESP) - Kudriavceva/Niculescu (RUS/ROU)
Rodionova/Voskoboeva (RUS/KAZ) - Safarova/ Uhlirova (CZE)
Hlavackova/ Hradecka (CZE) - (2) Medina Garrigues/Ruano Pascual (ESP)

Author:  danielitsa [ 19. June 2009 16:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

on paper its fantastic draw

Author:  Radwanska [ 19. June 2009 17:34 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

You can't compare Wimbledon 07 vs. Pavlyuchenkova and Wimbledon 09 vs. Robson. Danka was very confident then and had some great results in that year. Pavlyuchenkova struggled in 2007 even on ITF. Robson has the support of the crowd and won the junior event with 14 years. Danka has never played her before and I think that young girl would like to show that she can score a good win, especially because British Womens Tennis (apart from Keothavong in 09) is horrible. That could be a tricky match, but I can see Danka getting trough this one.

Author:  krima [ 19. June 2009 17:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

As Daniela isn't seeded I think this is really a great draw. It only depends on how Daniela is able to show her good form in the first round.
Second round against Zheng is also a good draw IMO and possible third round against Schnyder will be easier then second one.

Author:  Benji [ 19. June 2009 17:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

So Daniela drew an Australian in Melbourne,a French girl at Roland Garros and now a Brit at Wimbledon. Maybe she will complete the grand slam and draw an American at Flushing Meadows!(it's fine with me unless the surname is Williams :P )

You can't compare Wimbledon 07 vs. Pavlyuchenkova and Wimbledon 09 vs. Robson. Danka was very confident then and had some great results in that year. Pavlyuchenkova struggled in 2007 even on ITF. Robson has the support of the crowd and won the junior event with 14 years. Danka has never played her before and I think that young girl would like to show that she can score a good win, especially because British Womens Tennis (apart from Keothavong in 09) is horrible. That could be a tricky match, but I can see Danka getting trough this one.This is all true but Laura has hardly played this year,and Daniela should have too much veteran savvy for her. Crowd pressure works both ways.

Author:  BMC [ 20. June 2009 05:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: The Championships, Wimbledon

The only worrying thing is that Daniela is going to have to play good tennis from the get go. Robson playing at home, will probably have a tonne of confidence and play freely (she has nothing to lose) and Zheng has had excellent results here, regardless of whether or not we thought her results were a "fluke" she's going to have a winning vibe about her - this is the tournament that put her on the map! Daniela always manages to post some victories at IW, so i'd say Zheng's having moved deep into Wimbledon, last year, she'll be thinking in her own mind that this is a surface she can play on. Although, by the same token she might be worried about the amount of points which she has to defend in which case Daniela might have the edge, so who knows.

In saying all of that, i think it's almost the best we could have hoped for. If i had to choose a first round opponent it'd be someone like Robson, although a lack of home town support wouldn't have gone astray ;)

And out of all of the seeds Zheng is someone Daniela has the potential to beat, so again, it's not horrible.

I think we forget that given Daniela's lack of seeding she could have drawn Venus round one, so in comparison to that i'm pretty satisfied.

Daniela's drawn players she can beat if she plays well in the first 3 rounds, so hopefully she can string another 3 wins together.

Her first round match might be televised given who she's playing. Same situation to Dellacqua in Australia.

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