First-Time Finalists in Tashkent
October 8, 2005
First-Time Finalists in Tashkent
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan - Michaella Krajicek and Akgul Amanmuradova, the two
in-form and most consistent players in the tournament, continued with their
impressive showing and set up a meeting in Sunday's final of the Tashkent Open.
In semifinal action Saturday, No.5 seed Krajicek of the Netherlands knocked out
top-seeded Russian Ekaterina Bychkova 61 63 in just under an hour while
wildcard Amanmuradova took just a little longer to eliminate No.7 seed Maria
Elena Camerin of Italy 63 64. It's the first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles
final for both players.
Bychkova has struggled to get her groundstrokes going in the tournament and
relied heavily on her powerful serve to see her through the earlier matches.
But the serve just wasn't enough against the all-court game of Krajicek on
Saturday.
The way she's played in the tournament so far, it's hard to believe that
Krajicek, sister of 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard, is just 16. She plays with
minimum fuss and there's a certain mature efficiency in the way she hits her
shots and moves her opponents around the court.
Krajicek broke Bychkova in the first game of the match and raced through the
first set in just 20 minutes. Then there was her usual second-set stutter;
she dropped serve in the first game. But she recovered quickly and broke
right back and then again in the fourth game to deny Bychkova the chance to
get back into the match.
With nothing left to lose, Bychkova finally started swinging freely and started
landing her groundstrokes inside the court. She played some of her most
positive tennis for a spell and had a break point in the seventh game but
Krajicek held on resolutely.
Said Krajicek, who has now beaten Bychkova all three times they've played so
far: "Today was a very good match. I played very well and am satisfied.
"Since I've beaten her before, I was confident but I didn't think it would be
so easy."
Said Bychkova: "It was a bad day … not my day. She (Michaella) is a good
player, played well, played smart."
Asked how she felt about making her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour final,
Krajicek replied, "Actually, I was more nervous yesterday (about winning her
first quarterfinal). But it's great to be there and I'm satisfied. I'm looking
forward to making a match of it tomorrow."
About Amanmuradova, her opponent tomorrow, she said: "She's serving well; it's
going to be tough."
Amanmuradova, the 1.91m tall Uzbekistan No.1, has, in fact, used her serve to
very good effect right through the tournament. On Saturday she had six aces in
addition to several service winners against Camerin, who later partnered
Emilie Loit of France to win the doubles title.
Said Camerin: "She served very well. I didn't have too many chances."
The only time Camerin looked in with a chance was when she broke Amanmuradova
in the third game, after having dropped her own in the second. But true to her
inconsistent form in the tournament this year, she double-faulted at break
point in the next game.
Camerin had played a three-set doubles semifinal after her singles the previous
evening, but she denied being tired for today's match. "I was tired during the
doubles yesterday but not this morning. I felt good," she said.
Amanmuradova, whose confidence has grown with every match since her first
round upset of No.2 seed Alona Bondarenko, was never in trouble after that
early break and didn't concede another point on serve in the set.
In the second, the story was the same. She faced a break point in the sixth
game but produced an ace to thwart Camerin once again.
Said Amanmuradova: "I played better than yesterday but that match (against
Elena Vesnina) was tougher. Camerin looked tired, didn't hit as hard as
Vesnina. I was confident and I played relaxed."
About how she felt making her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour final, she replied
with a big grin: "Right now I've played my first Tour semifinal and I won.
I'm very happy."
Camerin and Loit won the doubles title defeating Anastassia Rodionova and
Galina Voskoboeva of Russia 63 60 in a one-sided final.
It was the fifth doubles title of the year for Loit, who was pairing Camerin
for the first time. The Italian had won her first Tour doubles title in last
week's event at Guangzhou, partnering Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland.
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