With high flying determination, the ninth seeded entry of the gorgeous Slovakian star, Daniela Hantuchova, and sure-handed Japanese star, Ai Sugiyama, refused to lose in a stirring, three set quarterfinal win over the world’s best doubles team. With the triumph, Hantuchova and Sugiyama move to the semi-finals as the lowest seeded survivor in a topsy-turvy draw.

The midday Australian sun presented severe challenges as on-court temperatures exceeded 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Players absorbed large quantities of liquids to re-charge their batteries. The emotional match had many ebbs and tides. In the third set tiebreaker, Huber and Black seemed destined to win as they led in the tiebreaker 6-3. Hantuchova promptly won her two serves and got a quick mini-break to knot the score.

The winners played from behind most of the match. Every time Huber and Black looked to be pulling away, Hantuchova and Sugiyama tightened the reins.

As the match unfolded, Hantuchova’s supreme conditioning and powerful baseline play became the difference. A runnerup in the Grand Slam Women’s Doubles in 2002, the world’s 21st ranked singles player dominated the baseline. Her penetrating forehand kept Huber at bay and deep in the court, while her intimidating return of service forced the number one seed to gamble with a series of crossing maneuvers.

While all the players battled the heat, Hantuchova and Sugiyama seemed to have excellent team chemistry against the more experienced doubles team. While Sugiyama struggled at some key moments, she fed off Daniela’s brilliance and elevated her play, and especially her service game.

Cara Black was relentless at net. She consistently moved forward and made quick, decisive volleys. At the outset, Sugiyama’s net game seemed tentative. She was often on her heels in no-man’s land. For the ninth seed to champion the event, the Japanese star will need to press closer to the net and intercept more volleys.

While Black was clearly the best net player on the court, her inconsistent ground strokes and inability to hold serve hurt the team’s chances. Huber worked hard to keep the team in the match. At the end though, Huber’s footwork seemed heavy as her ground strokes came up short.

As the match and third set tiebreaker wore on, it was Hantuchova’s match to win or lose. She was composed and comfortable with the spunky Sugiyama, and the crowd sensed the upset.

Hantuchova and Sugiyama will next face Nathalie Dechy of France and Mara Santangelo of Italy, who defeated Spain’s 11th seeded entry of Nuria Liagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in three sets. The semi-final match will be the Spaniard’s first opportunity to reach Grand Slam finals.

That is not the case with the 10th seed, Venus and Serena Williams who were tested by Su-Wei Hsieh and Shuai Peng in a tense three set match. Serena just keeps winning in Melbourne. She may not look dominant but her record speaks for itself. The Williams sisters may be seeded 10th, but they are the bookmaker’s favorite to seal the deal.

Related Articles