Clijsters, Henin survive scares
Source: Agencies |
January 8, 2010, Friday
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KIM Clijsters experienced deja vu in her Brisbane International quarterfinal after taking the first set 6-1 and then losing the next 0-6 to Lucie Safarova.
Luckily for her, it was only a few months ago, at the US Open, when she worked herself out of a similar position against Venus Williams.
"At the end of that second set I was like, 'Oh, this feels a little bit familiar. Not too long ago,'" Clijsters said. "I thought, 'Well look, if the third set is going to go that way ... ."
Clijsters then went out more aggressively and broke No. 41-ranked Safarova in the fifth game of the third set and held on grimly to close 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 on her fourth match point.
"I played well in the first set, she played really well in the second. Then we both raised our levels in the third," Clijsters said. "That was the case again today.
"When I lost the second set 6-0, I said, 'forget about it, let's refocus.' So I'm glad with the win, especially the way I came back after that not-so-good second set."
Clijsters wasn't the only one to withstand nervous quarterfinal moments - Justine Henin needed 2 hours, 21 minutes and six match points to beat Melinda Czink 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5); Ana Ivanovic had her lapses before edging 18-year-old Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6 (6).
Fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova succumbed 6-4, 6-2 to Petkovic.
Seven-time Grand Slam title winner Henin took 24 minutes from her first match point to her sixth before she finally put away Hungarian Czink. Their match opened with five straight service breaks until Henin held.
The 27-year-old Belgian dropped a set for the first time in three matches of her comeback, and wasted a break and three match points in the third set. Henin clinched the match on her sixth match point after earning a 6-3 lead with an ace in the tiebreaker.
"That's the kind of match that I need ... It's a perfect preparation for me," Henin said. "I wouldn't say it's a good feeling, but it's probably something I needed - in the end it was quite tight and nerves had to be solid."
In the men's quarterfinals, defending champion Radek Stepanek recovered from a break down in the first set to beat American Wayne Odesnik 7-6 (2), 6-1.
The turning point came when second-seeded Stepanek produced a stunning return at 30-0 down with Odesnik serving for the first set at 6-5.
He next plays third-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils, who rallied to beat James Blake 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after the veteran American saved three match points.
Luckily for her, it was only a few months ago, at the US Open, when she worked herself out of a similar position against Venus Williams.
"At the end of that second set I was like, 'Oh, this feels a little bit familiar. Not too long ago,'" Clijsters said. "I thought, 'Well look, if the third set is going to go that way ... ."
Clijsters then went out more aggressively and broke No. 41-ranked Safarova in the fifth game of the third set and held on grimly to close 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 on her fourth match point.
"I played well in the first set, she played really well in the second. Then we both raised our levels in the third," Clijsters said. "That was the case again today.
"When I lost the second set 6-0, I said, 'forget about it, let's refocus.' So I'm glad with the win, especially the way I came back after that not-so-good second set."
Clijsters wasn't the only one to withstand nervous quarterfinal moments - Justine Henin needed 2 hours, 21 minutes and six match points to beat Melinda Czink 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (5); Ana Ivanovic had her lapses before edging 18-year-old Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 7-6 (6).
Fourth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova succumbed 6-4, 6-2 to Petkovic.
Seven-time Grand Slam title winner Henin took 24 minutes from her first match point to her sixth before she finally put away Hungarian Czink. Their match opened with five straight service breaks until Henin held.
The 27-year-old Belgian dropped a set for the first time in three matches of her comeback, and wasted a break and three match points in the third set. Henin clinched the match on her sixth match point after earning a 6-3 lead with an ace in the tiebreaker.
"That's the kind of match that I need ... It's a perfect preparation for me," Henin said. "I wouldn't say it's a good feeling, but it's probably something I needed - in the end it was quite tight and nerves had to be solid."
In the men's quarterfinals, defending champion Radek Stepanek recovered from a break down in the first set to beat American Wayne Odesnik 7-6 (2), 6-1.
The turning point came when second-seeded Stepanek produced a stunning return at 30-0 down with Odesnik serving for the first set at 6-5.
He next plays third-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils, who rallied to beat James Blake 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 after the veteran American saved three match points.
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