The Ordina Open Hot Sunny Day 2 report.


By Etienne Stekelenburg
June 19 2002

Tropical tempratures, very uncommon for the Low Countries, again played a role on day two of the Ordina Open in 'sHertogenbosch, Netherlands.

Not all the players but most the spectators were suffering from the heat
that is descending upon the grass courts of the Rosmalen Autotron Car Museum near 'sHertogenbosch. While Lleyton Hewitt was playing Michael Chang on centre court temperatures of fifty degrees centigrade were measured. The Australian number one seed needed to take two tiebreaks to win his first round match against Chang, 7-6 7-6.

Hewitt's Belgian girlfriend, Kim Clijsters nr.1 seed, was having no problems
winning her match against Andrea Glass from Germany. Clijsters, who had been practising last week on the grass of Queens, broke Glass' serve in the first set to make it 4-2. Andrea Glass did not have the tools to break back and could only keep her serve to make it 4-3. Kim Clijsters won her next serve on 40 - love taking a 5-3 lead finishing the first set breaking Glass again after the German made an unforced error on advantage for Clijsters, 6-3.

In the second set Kim Clijsters took a 3-1 lead after a love - 40 break due
to errors by Andrea Glass. Too many forced and unforced errors by the German player left Kim Clijsters without any threat of losing her serve. At 5-2 in the second set, Clijsters managed to break Glass' serve again on love - 40 to take the first round match. A good warm up for Clijsters, on what was declared 'Belgian Day' by the Ordina Open organisation, who might want to step it up against the more dangerous players.

Amelie Mauresmo, third seed, had a somewhat tougher opponent to get through the first round. Angeles Montolio from Spain did not make as many errors as Andrea Glass but was outplayed by Mauresmo's notorious one-handed backhands.

The # 48 ranked Montolio produced some great winners, but could not prevent losing the first set 6-3 when she failed to make the points that really
count on advantage. Again in the second set Mauresmo had the better shots when it most mattered, saving breakpoints hitting beautiful winners.

The Frenchwoman breaking Montolio's serve at 5-5 with forcing errors and
unforced errors from Montolio to make it 6-5. Mauresmo serving for the
match and winning the second set 7-5.

Magdalena Maleeva (5th seed) was playing her match at noon, the hottest part of the day, against Martina Muller from Germany. It is very likely that the heat kept the players from playing their best tennis. On both sides too many unforced errors and only a few winners were made. Magdalena Maleeva, who is from Bulgaria, pulled out a win after on experience, 6-4 6-2.