http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=2318
June 4, 2008
Roland Garros: Day 12 Preview
PARIS, France - Two of this year's French Open semifinalists, Jelena Jankovic
and Dinara Safina, are gunning for their first Grand Slam final. Their
respective opponents, Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova, might boast
greater experience at this stage of a major, but with the No.1 ranking as
well as the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen up for grabs, they will face their own set
of challenges.
Chatrier
(4) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. (13) Dinara Safina (RUS) - Kuznetsova
leads, 4-3
If Kuznetsova is first to concede her preparation for Paris was uninspired,
the momentum the 22-year-old Russian has gathered here is just as undeniable.
Ruthless wins over Nadia Petrova and Victoria Azarenka were especially
ominous, and while Kaia Kanepi was quick out of the blocks in their
quarterfinal, the world No.4 soon overcame her early match nerves. As the
2006 Roland Garros runner-up summarized: "I jumped a little bit higher, and
she could not keep up with me then."
But although she is justifiably confident, having reached the semis without
the loss of a set, the world No.4 is taking nothing for granted against
Safina. True, Kuznetsova won the pair's two most recent matches, in the
quarters here in 2006 and at Rome last year, in straight sets. A couple of
Safina's victories have come on clay, however, and her recent exploits on the
surface have been impressive to say the least.
"I'm the favorite, but it's going to be very tough match," Kuznetsova said
after the semifinal line-up had been set. "Dinara is playing very well on the
clay courts. She won Berlin, she won two matches here from match point down.
She has too many lives, so I have to be careful with her."
With a second Grand Slam title – and the world No.1 ranking that would come
with it – at stake, Kuznetsova has every reason to be wary of her fellow
Russian. It's not just the fact Safina has registered stunning comebacks from
a set and match point down against both Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva.
It's the way she has done it: by applying newfound maturity and sheer force
of will to suppress some of her more exuberant impulses.
More comfortable on the attack, Safina raised her tactical level against both
Dementieva and Sharapova by being prepared to, as she puts it, "play soft"
and force her opponent to make the moves – and the errors. It helps that she
is fitter than ever, and knows she can go the distance against the very best
players if need be.
"If I still need to play two sets, one hour each, I feel able to do it,"
Safina said. Of reaching her first Grand Slam semifinal, she added: "It's a
breakthrough. I hope just to keep on going. If I did not believe, I would not
keep playing."
Kuznetsova will have to set the bar very high indeed.
(2) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) vs. (3) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) - Ivanovic leads, 5-1
"At least we'll have one Serbian in the final," said Ivanovic after her
semifinal appointment with Jankovic had been set. It would be a mistake to
interpret the 20-year-old's words as patriotic ambivalence towards the
result, however. Proud as she and 23-year-old Jankovic are of their
double-act role in Serbia's rise as a tennis power, there is no chance
sisterhood will intrude on proceedings today. The country is still searching
for its first woman Grand Slam champion, after all – not to mention its
first world No.1 of either gender. Both prizes remain on offer at Roland
Garros this Saturday, but before that they will be fought over by two of the
most fierce competitors on the Tour.
Although their matches have always been close, the younger Ivanovic holds the
upper hand in the rivalry, taking the last four occasions the pair played.
Jankovic, with her more circumspect style, admits she finds Ivanovic's shots
hard to read – the younger Serb has the edge on serve, and greater weight of
shot overall – but she believes clay offers her best opportunity to turn the
tables. "She has some weaknesses in her game, and I really need to play well
tactically, play the right shots and attack," Jankovic said. "I move well on
clay, and I know how to mix up the game."
After a shaky start to her French Open campaign, Jankovic was convincing
against two of the game's most dangerous rising stars, Dominika Cibulkova and
Agnieszka Radwanska. The breakout run of Carla Suárez Navarro was then
coolly terminated in the quarters. In between, she flew back to Serbia for
treatment to her sore right arm, which underscores her desire to claim the
crown.
For her part, Ivanovic has negotiated the transition from surprise finalist
12 months ago to bona fide contender. Her draw might have been made easier by
the third round upset of Serena Williams, but as she points out, her job is
simply to beat the player who presents on the other side of the net. "You
just have to go out there and play each match like it's the last match of the
tournament," she said. Even No.10 Seed Patty Schnyder was unable to provide
much resistance to the onslaught.
Of her compatriot Jankovic, a player who also has six career titles to her
credit, and almost identical prize money this year, Ivanovic observed: "She's
a tough opponent and she defends really well. I'll try to step in and be
aggressive and play my game."
"I think we're going to be dominating this tennis world soon," Jankovic said.
"We are coming to the finish line, a couple more matches left. My dream is to
become No.1 in the world, and now I'm very close. Justine is gone, so the
opportunity is very big."
Ivanovic couldn't have said it better herself.
More to watch...
Once the singles semifinals have been decided, the last match on Chatrier
will be a mixed doubles semi between top-seeded Katarina Srebotnik and Nenad
Zimonjic, who face Zheng Jie and Mahesh Bhupathi. The other mixed semi will
be played on Lenglen, between No.2 seeds Kveta Peschke and Pavel Vizner, and
Victoria Azarenka and Bob Bryan, seeded third.
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