QUALIFYING 2016

Here is the entry list into the qualifying draw of Katowice Open 2016:
1. Kristyna Pliskova (Czechy, 103 WTA)
2. Andreea Mitu (Rumunia, 112 WTA)
3. Stefanie Voegele (Szwajcaria, 114 WTA)
4. Klara Koukalova (Czechy, 115 WTA)
5. Pauline Parmentier (Francja, 116 WTA)
6. Kateryna Kozlova (Ukraina, 131 WTA)
7. Viktorija Golubic (Szwajcaria, 137 WTA)
8. Tereza Smitkova (Czechy, 141 WTA)
9. Jana Fett (Chorwacja, 146 WTA)
10. Sorana Cirstea (Rumunia, 148 WTA)
11. Paula Kania (Polska, 154 WTA)
12. Ana Bogdan (Rumunia, 156 WTA)
13. Amandine Hesse (Francja, 160 WTA)
14. Oceane Dodin (Francja, 163 WTA)
15. Mandy Minella (Luksemburg, 168 WTA)
16. Marina Erakovic (Nowa Zelandia, 171 WTA)
17. Mathilde Johansson (Francja, 174 WTA)
18. Ivana Jorovic (Serbia, 180 WTA)
19. Daniela Hantuchova (Słowacja, 181 WTA)
20. Nastassja Burnett (Włochy, 181 WTA)
21. Ons Jabeur (Tunezja, 186 WTA)
22. Barbara Haas (Austria, 189 WTA)
23. Myrtille Georges (Francja, 194 WTA)
24. Polina Leykina (Rosja, WTA 195)
25. Virginie Razzano (Francja, WTA 197)
26. Marina Melnikova (Rosja, WTA 210)
27. Maria Irigoyen (Argentyna, WTA 225)
28. Jesika Maleckova (Czechy, WTA 229)
29. Anastasiya Shoshyna (dzika karta)
30. Weronika Falkowska (dzika karta)
31. Marketa Vondrousova (dzika karta)
32. Wiktoria Kulik (dzika karta)

The draw looks promising. In relative terms,Kozlova has been playing well this year,but let's cross that bridge when it comes up.

Guys, this scares me Big Time. While I can't imagine this young lass is the next Evert, Austin or Seles, all of whom destroyed good opponents when they were 14-15-16, she has won 81% of her matches this year. She must possess some notable talent, and I fear that even a 14 yr. old with talent can break Daniela's serve multiple times, as everyone she's faced lately has. Plus there will be about 20 spectators, all of whom will be relatives and friends of Maja, and if she starts well those folks will sound like 20,000. What does she have to lose? She'll probably come out swinging for the fences. And she likely doesn't even know who Daniela is, so I don't see any respect factor.

This could be the tipping point, the crossroad, the back-breaking straw. We got to know that all the losing has been gnawing at Dani. But in almost all the tourneys since Istanbul last year, the venues are familiar and in cities our gal enjoys. Eating at her favorite Italian restaurants, shopping, chatting with her friends on tour and people she's befriended in the various venues, and so on, may well take the sting out of the results. Katowice, on the other hand, is certainly not to be confused with the high rolling fun and sun tourist attractions of the world. For Daniela to lose to a 14 yr. old kid in a 1st round qualifier before a sea of empty seats and none of what few people are there cheering for her in a non-touristy town in Poland....well, how could she not look in the mirror, seeing a future of losses in ITF's and qualifiers at venues that mostly will be far from glamorous, and think what in heaven's name is she doing this for.

I'm still not ready for Daniela to stop playing. Ergo, I shall be trying hard to send the vibe of a diehard fan to her, and will cringe on every point, even more so than when she has played in finals.

In the first set Daniela bageled Maja in 24 minutes, winning 27 out of 37 points.

And....Yes! 6-0 6-2 in 58 minutes. #546 is in the books.
After some of my recent posts, I don't get to do any of my whimsical song title celebrations. And I am wide open to any of you guys saying to me any variation of Oh Ye Of Little Faith!
But I am relieved and pleased. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Daniela won 6-0 6-2 in 58 minutes and 13 seconds. Daniela was 6-0 3-0 but Chwalinska broke back for 3-1 before Daniela broke again and then held. Chwalinska held to love to get to 5-2 and was 15-30 up in Daniela's service game before Daniela won the last three points of the match. She came up with an ace at 15-30 and then won the next two points for the win.

I don't know if Daniela got a bit complacent or if Chwalinska got used to Daniela's power but there was a bit of resistance near the end which made it a little less enjoyable than the romp it had been previously. She had a couple of DFs in her service games at the end of the match.

Burnett beat Johansson in three sets so she's next for Daniela.

Burnett is #331 in the world. She's 7-4 this year in 3 ITF's and an International. She hadn't played since late February until yesterday. Her match took 1:52, an hour more than Daniela's, but she beat a player ranked higher than Dani is in Johansson. In other words, Daniela's chances tomorrow are