Daniela's doubles match is ready to begin. And away we go.

0-1 Daniela/Karin broken to 30.
0-2 Chuang/Zhang hold to 15.
(Chiang/Zhang....somewhere there's a great one-liner here, but it's too late at night to come up with one.)
1-2 Daniela/Karin hold on 3rd game point after evading two BP.
2-2 Daniela/Karin break from deuce after being down 15-40.
3-2 Daniela/Karin hold from deuce, saving 2 more BP.
(They're 0-9 on 2nd serve.)
3-3 Chuang/Zhang hold to 15.
4-3 Daniela/Karin hold to 15. Game pt. was their first won on 2nd serve. (19-24 on 1st serve.)
5-3 Daniela/Karin break to 30.
6-3 Daniela/Karin hold to 30.

0-1 Chuang/Zhang hold to 30.
1-1 Daniela/Karin hold from deuce; 4 more BP danced around.
(They're 8-9 saving BP and 2-2 converting.)
2-1 Daniela/Karin break to 30. (3-3 now converting BP.)
3-1 Daniela/Karin hold to love.
4-1 Daniela/Karin break to 30. (4-4!)
5-1 Daniela/Karin hold after 4 deuces, another BP saved!
5-2 Chuang/Zhang hold to 30.
5-3 Daniela/Karin broken from deuce, dropped 2 match points at 40-15.
6-3 Daniela/Karin break to love.

Had they fell behind 0-3 in the first set, I was ready to kiddingly say next partner, please. But once they began to click, they dominated. Of course, judgment is reserved until they face a top team. But quite an encouraging debut!

After all the fun she had in ITPL, I'm a bit surprised that Daniela isn't playing mixed.

Tennis-Australian: Hantuchova after losing to Muguruzovou: "She played unbelievable" (2)

Melbourne January 22 (TASR) - Slovak tennis player Daniela Hantuchcvá failed in the second round of singles at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Semi-finalist in 2008 losing to Spaniard Garbine attached dvadsaťštvorkou Muguruzovou Blanco in three sets 1: 6, 6: 1, 0: 6th Aug neodplatila last year's defeat of Stanford.

"Muguruzová played amazingly. I am glad that I managed to turn the second set, the initial Dejstvo Sukau one winner for druhým- The third set was according to my idea, despite losing 0: 6 But there were gems, where I had the chance. Aug won deservedly so. It is a player who goes to the one-two punches and hard against him seeking the rhythm. The good thing is that in the second set I managed it controls. I tried to be aggressive and push it. In the past, I have such matches losing 1: 6, 2: 6, " Hantuchova said in a conference call with the Slovak media.

@ google translate


Hantuchova: "Hit me so surprising"
Hantuchova (61st position in WTA) losing Muguruzovou-Blanco and other mutual match. This time it was the combat completely different sets. In that first experienced 31-year-old Slovakian never once did not win its administration and one gem after a counterattack got the score 0: 3rd

The second set was very similar to the first, but this time in favor Hantuchova. Aug authorized a single game in the state 3: 0 by her let her service. The decisive third set Hantuchova and didn't work for 33 minutes earned'kanára'. Spaniard in his administration turned the fifth match point.

The result, however, in the words of Slovak toys little distorted, it was more balanced than it seems. Statistically Muguruzová-Blanco most dominating force in I. Filing (66% - 41%) and also made significantly fewer unforced errors (18-33). The winning return it was Draw24 - 24th

"In the first set she played a grueling winning hit after another. So I am glad that I managed to break in the second set and win it. Of course, the third set did not go according to my idea, but even if it was 0: 6, more gemoch I had the chance. It was a game with great intensity beats and aug won deservedly. The positive to see that in the past I would be so lost the match 1: 6, 2: 6 and now I found a way to turn it in the second set. " Hantuchova said in a conference call for the Slovak media.

When asked how it is possible that the scores of the individual sets have been diametrically opposed, Hantuchova SITA replied: "She is such a player that goes into the one-two punches and a good service. Either they are all WINNERY or fences. .. In the second set, I tried to be more aggressive. I tried to push it to RETURN the service as soon as possible. In the third set, it managed to turn it over. Hit me up so surprising, since both like playing aggressive style and either It is based on one or the other. "

Experienced Hantuchova fifteen appearances at the Australian Open only the fifth time did not pass through the second round. Its maximum is final in 2008, which was not enough to Serb Ana Ivanovic. Before Melbourne played in tournaments in Hobart and Auckland, where every wrecked in the 2nd round.

"Overall, the Australian tour evaluate quite positive. Some matches I won, then turn played. Due to good preparation in medzisezónnom machined but I have a good foundation to the whole of the tennis year," said D. Hantuchova.

@ google translate

Lost 3-6 7-6(5) 2-6. Really fun match to watch,and Daniela was both in a good mood(smiling at the overly amorous males in the crowd),and playing well with some excellent volleying. Unfortunately Martina was lights out for the first two sets,and Flavia picked up the slack in the 3rd. If Daniela/Karin could have broken at 1-4 they might have had a chance a Hingis was dead on her feet,but it wasn't to be. So it goes.

Ach, it would have been great if Daniela & Karin had won and they had their chances but Hingis & Pennetta played well. Daniela played well and she can take quite a few positives from the tournament.

Daniela & Karin seem to get on pretty well so they should stay together for a while and see what happens. It will take a few tournaments to really build an understanding and on-court partnership but Daniela & Karin have made a promising start.

I felt that Daniela & Zahlavova-Strycova had the makings of a good team last year but that didn't continue. A lot depends on where Daniela's playing and who else is there and available to play. In 2013, Daniela partnered Hradecka, Hsieh, Hlavackova & Vesnina - all of whom won slams that year - but because of withdrawals she was only able to play one & a bit matches with them so that would have been a good test of what Daniela could have done with a top partner.

Tha last good team Daniela was in was her & Aga Radwanska and they won Miami together in 2011 and before that it would be Ai Sugiyama. The rest of the time she's not had a top partner or been with anyone long enough to build a partnership.


Daniela may do some commentating like she did last year. It would be great if she did.

Just wondering....if the WTA traded Hingis to the USA Women's Soccer Team for Hope Solo, would anyone be able to tell the difference?!

I should have asked Hingis if Sol Campbell had ever said who threw that pizza at Alex Ferguson but I didn't.

The week before Pattaya is the Fed Cup tie against Netherlands on 7 & 8 February then Daniela plays Pattaya. She plays Acapulco in the last week of February then Monterey in the first week of March. I don't know if she's entered Dubai or not but she'd probably have to qualify.