Hantuchova, Kuznetsova Reach Tennis Final
EASTBOURNE, England
Daniela Hantuchova rallied to upset top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Friday to reach the final of the Eastbourne grass-court tournament.
The unseeded Slovak broke for the match with a forehand pass to make her first
final since October 2002.
Hantuchova will meet second-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia on Saturday.
She beat fourth-seeded Vera Zvonareva 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 in the other semifinal.
Rain interrupted the first semifinal for 50 minutes shortly after Mauresmo
served out the first set. When play resumed, Mauresmo failed to convert a break
point at 3-3, and Hantuchova broke for the set when she forced a forehand error.
"She played a good game and was very solid on the key moments," Mauresmo said.
"She didn't make many unforced errors. Even though I had some opportunities here
and there I didn't manage to take them, and that's what she did."
Although Mauresmo broke twice in the final set, Hantuchova immediately broke
back each time. Mauresmo dropped serve for the second time in the set when she
hit back-to-back double faults. Hantuchova broke for a third time at 5-4 to
wrap up the match.
"I can't tell you how much I was looking forward and waiting to feel like this,"
said Hantuchova, who went into a slump last year after breaking into the top 10.
"I'm so happy to feel like it's all back. I think today I proved it, and I was
really enjoying myself out there."
In the second match, Zvonareva served to win at 5-4 in the second set but was
broken. Kuznetsova dropped two points in the tiebreaker and swept to a 4-0 lead
in the final set.
Kuznetsova will be making her fourth appearance in a final this year. She lost
in the three previous finals.
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