DFS Classic Down to the Final Four
June 11, 2004
DFS Classic Down to the Final Four
BIRMINGHAM, England - Two of the WTA Tour's rising stars are on a collision
course for an all-teen DFS Classic final in Birmingham.
World No.15 and No.3 seed Maria Sharapova and unseeded Tatiana Golovin won
quarterfinal matches over Alicia Molik and Anne Kremer respectively on
Friday.
Sharapova, who lost to Shinobu Asagoe in a third-set tie-break in last year's
semifinals, needed just 53 minutes to demolish Molik, 63 61. The big-serving
Russian won 83 percent of points on her first server and an astonishing 92
percent on her second serve.
"Today was one of my best matches this year," said Sharapova, winner of two
WTA Tour singles titles late last year at the Japan Open and Quebec City.
"The return of serve was the key as her serve is so powerful, so I'm glad I
managed to play so well in her service games.
"I've learned so much since I broke through here last year and now have so
much experience that it helps in matches like today as I know how to play
the big points better."
Sharapova will meet No.2 seed Patty Schnyder in the semifinals, after the
Swiss veteran ousted Japan's Saori Obata 63 64 in 57 minutes. It will be
Schnyder's first-ever grass court WTA Tour semifinal.
In the top half of the draw, Golovin will take on fellow Frenchwoman Emilie
Loit for a place in Sunday's final. Golovin, winner of the Roland Garros
mixed doubles title last weekend with Richard Gasquet, took one hour, 29
minutes to defeat Kremer, who is on the comeback trail after a wrist injury
kept her off the WTA Tour for much of 2003.
Kremer's three-of-11 break point conversion rate was telling in her 64 75
defeat. Golovin is now through to her second career WTA Tour semifinal,
having reached the final four on home soil at the Paris Indoors in
February.
"I can’t believe I have reached the semifinals at my first ever senior
grass court event," said world No.71 Golovin, one of three women through
to their first Tour grass semi. "My goal for this year was to reach the
Top 100, so I'm shocked to be so high so quickly.
"It's great though as I think this means I'll be able to qualify for the
Olympics now."
No.9-seeded Loit, winner of consecutive clay court titles earlier this year
at Casablanca and Estoril, was appearing in her first professional grass
court singles quarterfinal on Friday as she took on Tamarine Tanasugarn,
runner-up here in 2000 and a seven-time grass court winner on the ITF
Women's Circuit.
Loit, who turned 25 on Wednesday, proved inexperience was no detriment
against Tanasuagrn as she swept to a 62 64 win.
"It’s a big surprise for me to finally get past the first round here and
reach the semifinals as I had no expectations before the tournament began,"
said Loit, twice a first round loser in Birmingham. "Instead of serving and
volleying as I did last year, I decided to just play my game this week and
it works.
"Golovin will be tough though as she is such a good player. I'm sure she'll
be in the Top 10 very soon."
Should Sharapova (17 years, one month) and Golovin (16 years, four months)
advance to the final, it would be the third-youngest singles final in the
history of the WTA Tour.
The combined age of Sharapova and Golovin on Sunday would be 33 years, six
months and 13 days, placing it behind the following two matches:
* 1991 San Diego: Jennifer Capriati (15, 4) d. Monica Seles (17, 8) - 33
years, 0 months
* 1980 Tampa: Andrea Jaeger (15, 5) d. Tracy Austin (17, 11) - 33 years, 4
months
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