Top 4 Seeds Through To Antwerp Semis
February 19, 2005
Top 4 Seeds Through To Antwerp Semis
ANTWERP, Belgium - The only two women to have won the Proximus Diamond Games
title went head-to-head in Antwerp on Friday, and it was the two-time former
champion Venus Williams who came out on top against defending titleholder Kim
Clijsters.
In front of 12,000 vocal spectators, Williams advanced to the semifinals with
a 62 63 win over hometown favorite Clijsters, playing her first event of 2005
after a career-threatening left wrist injury.
"The atmosphere was electric," said Williams, the No.3 seed. "While the crowd
was mainly there to support Kim, I felt they were very fair. I like those
situations; it helps me focus more on my game."
Williams, the 2002 and 2003 Antwerp champion - and now undefeated in 10
matches in Antwerp - will take home a golden racquet encrusted with 1700
diamonds should she regain the title. The tournament offered this special
incentive for any player that wins the title three times in a five-year period.
It's a nice turn-around for the former world No.1 who was ousted in the fourth
round of the Australian Open by Alicia Molik.
"There's just something about this city, and the racquet of course, that
bring out the best in me," noted Williams. "After the Australian Open I was
very disappointed with how I was playing, so I went back home and trained
especially hard in the weeks leading up to this event."
Despite the loss, Clijsters drew many positives from her comeback on home soil,
having been reduced to just a handful of events in 2004, and seeing her most
recent comeback attempt (in Hasselt, Belgium last October) end in injury
after just two matches.
"I'm really happy with my week here," said Clijsters. "I felt I played really
well, but tonight was just one match too many this early in my comeback. I'm
happy I was able to finish a tournament for the first time in a year; that is
a big step for me.
"I was surprised by Venus's level; I think that was the best she's ever
played against me. I just felt tonight that when I had to go for that little
bit extra in the rallies, I came up short.
"It was a great atmosphere going out onto the court; I love playing in front
of supportive crowds like that, in a big match against someone like Venus.
The last few months have been frustrating, but it's great to be back playing
a sport I really love."
Williams was full of praise for Clijsters's comeback, having gone through her
own rehabilitation periods over the years to nurse wrist, and later abdominal
injuries which kept the American on the sidelines for several months each time.
"Kim has done remarkably well in her comeback event," observed Williams. "I
know myself coming back from injury that it's not easy. Despite the scoreline
she did really well tonight. I've played Kim a lot int he past and I like the
way she hits the ball, so I guess that works in my favor."
Williams meets No.2 seed Anastasia Myskina for a place in Sunday's final,
after the Russian ended the gallant run of qualifier Katarina Srebotnik.
Myskina, making her first appearance in Antwerp, overcame a slow start to
beat the Slovenian 76(6) 62.
Earlier Friday, world No.2 Amelie Mauresmo and No.10 Alicia Molik advanced to
a semifinal showdown with victories over No.7 seed Patty Schnyder and
unseeded Czech Klara Koukalova respectively.
Top seed Mauresmo needed three sets to beat Schnyder, 46 64 63, while No.4
seed Molik was a 63 64 victor over Koukalova, marking the first time in 12
Sony Ericsson WTA Tour events held so far in 2005 the Top 4 seeds have
reached the semis.
"At the start my legs were not responding so well," said Mauresmo. "Patty was
playing well and put me under pressure right away. In the second set I moved
better and could control the match better. I'm satisfied with the third set;
I was almost at my best."
Like Mauresmo, Molik was a quarterfinalist at the Australian Open in January.
The recent Top 10 debutante - Australia's first female Top 10 player in 20
years - performed at a much higher level than in her opening match, in which
she saved a match point to beat Magdalena Maleeva in a third-set tie-break.
"I reached a high level, my serves were very good and I was quite fresh
despite the win against Maleeva, which was tough," said Molik.
"But the last few weeks have changed me a bit. I know what I have to do now,
getting results. The key is to keep playing aggressively."
Molik and Mauresmo have met on three prior occasions (all in 2004), with
Mauresmo leading the head-to-head series 2-1.
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