Clijsters, Henin, Rittner and Petrova final four

Kim Clijsters just found enough strength to overpower Tina Pisnik today on center court. Tina Pisnik did put up a good fight and forced tie breaks in the first and the second set. Kim Clijsters’ passing shots were accurate but # 43 ranked Pisnik always found a way to bring the balls back. Both players held their serve in the first set.

Even when Tina Pisnik slipped, stumbled and fell in her attempt to retrieve yet another one of Kim Clijsters’ passing shots she looked hurt but continued her good returns. Pisnik made good use of her stop volleys to outsmart Clijsters and took the points that mattered. The first set ended with a tiebreak won by Kim Clijsters after Pisnik served a double fault and Clijsters hits two winners on Pisniks serve. Ending the first set 7-6 (4) for Kim Clijsters.

In the second set Pisniks serve was broken in the 4^th game but the Slovenian managed to force a rebreak with a lucky netball. Pisnik strategy to approach the net paid off finishing the point with one of many stop volleys. Kim Clijsters lost serve again for a 6-5 lead for Pisnik. Serving for the second set she lost her own serve. Clijsters hitting two return winners and two unforced errors from Pisnik equalized for the second tiebreak.

Kim Clijsters was leading the tiebreak when Pisnik hits a ball in the net. Just when Pisnik came back to the equalizing 4-4 Clijsters scored with two passing shots for 6-4. On match point Pisnik lost her serve hitting the ball into the net again. And Kim Clijsters pulls out a second tiebreak victory 7-6 (4).

Nadia Petrova the 5^th seed from Russia defeats her 4^th seed compatriot Elena Dementieva in three sets. 6-4 3-6 6-2 in a cloudy Autotron Tennispark. Petrova and Dementieva were a close match in the first set. Both players held their service game until Petrova broke Dementieva in the 10^th game for 6-4 and a 1-0 lead in sets.

The two Russians performed a high standard match with Petrova hitting 4 aces and 7 winners, Dementieva scored 8 clean winners in the first set.

Second set turned out to be for Dementieva when Petrova got less first serves in. She lost the 1^st and 3^rd game and Dementieva took a 4-0 lead in the second set. Breaking Dementieva’s serve in the 6^th game Nadia Petrova could not prevent Dementieva taking the second set. Petrova again lost her serve in the 9^th game and the second set 6-3.

Both players kept on playing a quality match in the third set. Petrova took the lead with breaking Dementieva’s serve in the 5^th game. When Dementieva served her only double fault of the match Petrova took advantage with two winners and a 3-2 lead. Petrova held her own serve and moved on to break Dementieva’s defense and serve. The 21 year old Moscow born Petrova successfully served for the match 6-4 3-6 6-2.

Petrova now leads the head-to-head against Dementieva 5-1 with this second victory on grass. Right after the match all courts were closed due to the rain.  

Germany’s Barbara Rittner defeats Iroda Tulyaganova from Uzbekistan in two straight sets 6-2 6-1.

From the beginning of the match Tulyaganova seems to have a cold start. Before the match was well under way it had to be suspended twice. Tulyaganova who started to serve walked back to her chair on 15 all when the rain came down and waited under the parasol before both players had to walk off the court when it had to be covered.

When the rain had stopped and both players had returned Tulyaganova started off losing her first serve. Barbara Rittner also took Tulyaganova’s serve in the 5^th game. Rittner came out with a game plan after she lost to Tulyaganova in their previous meeting. 6-1 6-1 on Berlin clay. The 7^th and 8^th game resulted in love games for Rittner and she wins the first set 6-2.

The very same story in the second set. Tulyaganova is missing her shots; Rittner is going for the kill on every shot and succeeding doing so. After Iroda Tulyaganova won her serve in the 3^rd game for 1-2 Barbara Rittner never let a chance go by and it was 1-6 in no time for the German who is ranked 96 in the ranking who took Paola Suarez place in the singles. Suarez withdrew with an upper back strain from the singles draw.