WTATour.com Win of the Week
Daniela Hantuchova shakes off her recent struggles to defeat Alicia Molik
61 67(7) 75.
TOKYO- It didn't quite constitute as a headline grabbing win against a top 10
player.In fact,it wasn't even a victory against a higher seed.But no player
needed a first round victory against their opponent more than Daniela Hantuch-
ova did at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Hantuchova fought past her recent struggles on the court to defeat Alicia Molik
,61 67(7) 75 for this week's WTATour.com Win of the Week.
Ranked No. 5 in the world just one year ago, the last 12 months haven't been so
kind to Hantuchova. The 20-year-old only reached one semifinal in 2003, no fin-
als and hadn't won a title since her triumph at Indian Wells in 2002. She lost
in the first round in her final two matches of 2003 and began this year on the
same note with a first round loss in Sydney and second round departure at the
Australian Open. After reaching that pinnacle of No. 5, her singles ranking had
dwindled all the way down to No. 32 in the world.
On top of all that, Hantuchova's first round opponent in Tokyo was Alicia Molik
,who had defeated her two weeks prior in Melbourne. Molik owned a 2-0 mark aga-
inst Hantuchova, also defeating the Slovakian in the second round at Miami in
2003 in three sets. Hantuchova was also losing to Molik at the Hopman Cup two
weeks before the Australian Open when she retired from the match with a foot
injury.
Hantuchova got off to an early lead at 61 41, but nearly let it all slip away.
She dropped five of the next six games and lost the second set in a tie-break,
9-7. However, Hantuchova regrouped in the final set to take the set and move
into the next round.
After moving beyond that first match, Hantuchova easily advanced through the
second round,defeated 16-year-old Maria Sharapova in their first meeting before
falling to eventual winner Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals. It was her
first appearance in a quarterfinal since Eastbourne last July.
Hantuchova said she was beginning to feel like her game was back on track
during her first two matches of the week and appears to be building back the
confidence that lifted her into the Top 10.
"I think my attitude is getting better on the court," Hantuchova said.
"I'm calm and enjoying myself, which I think is the most important thing."
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