In the Driver's Seat

Coverage

2010

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

Sunday, 02 May 2010 19:23

In the Driver's Seat

Written by Tina van Eickels

justine-henin-tve-050210-header The final day of the 2010 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix saw two top seeds and - a first ever for the tournament- two wild cards square off for the doubles and singles titles.

Double the Fun

The first match of the day featured the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds of the doubles draw. Crowd favorites and top seeds Flavia Pennetta and Gisela Dulko were taking on Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. Peschke and Srebotnik have only recently joined forces, but they already have reached the final in Dubai and won a title at Indian Wells together. Prior to today, Dulko and Pennetta had won four titles as a team, the most recent one at Miami earlier this year. “We always have a lot of fun together, that’s why we play so good,” explained Dulko of their success in the pair’s on-court interview. In the beginning of today’s match, though, the joy belonged to their opponents. The Czech-Slovenian duo got off to a perfect start, breaking Pennetta’s serve to go up 2-0. Their quick hands at the net and confident, well placed overheads saw them through an entertaining first set, which they took 6-3.

When Peschke and Srebotnik started the second set with a break against Pennetta, the Italian smashed her racquet as she stormed to her chair. It didn’t help. Despite Peschke and Srebotnik slightly dropping their own level of play, Dulko and Pennetta made too little of the advantage they had over their opponents from the baseline.

However, when Srebotnik served for the match at 5-4, the momentum suddenly changed. Peschke, who had been excellent at the net up to this point, missed two easy volleys, and Dulko/Pennetta got the much-needed break. Dulko’s hold for 6-5 marked the very first lead for her team in the match and they never looked back. Having won the second set tiebreak 7-3, Dulko and Pennetta dominated their visibly discouraged opponents in the match tiebreak, 10-5.

Dulko and Pennetta celebrate their win

After they received the newly-designed Porsche Grand Prix trophies, Dulko and Pennetta took their turn in handing out awards. Kids from local tennis clubs had had the chance to enter a fan club contest by showing support for a certain player and now the most creative groups were recognized on Center Court. The fan clubs for Na Li, Shahar Peer, and Justine Henin won prizes, with members of the latter rejoining the stands right away to cheer for their favorite in the upcoming singles final.

Back on Top

In the match between two wild cards, Justine Henin of Belgium drew first blood when she broke Sam Stosur to go up 3-2 in the first set. The break remained the only one of the set, where very little else separated the two finalists. Both were winning their service games convincingly and kept their errors to winners ratio in check. Crucially for Stosur, two of her nine unforced errors came on her lone break point chance and on set point, when she failed to put her returns in play.

Maybe it was the words “Attitude” and “Composure” written on her wristband that helped Stosur to put aside her frustration and step up her game in the second set. In her first two service games, the Australian saved three break points as Henin failed to capitalize on Stosur’s second serve. Stosur didn’t make the same mistake. She converted all three of her own break point opportunities in the set and allowed Henin only three points on the Belgian’s own second service to win the set, 6-2. “[At this point of the match] I was very concerned, if I could find the energy to turn it around,” Henin told the press afterwards. But the former World No. 1 found another gear in the third set.

Stosur said, “I had the momentum going into the third, up 1-0, 15-0 on her serve. But then she hit a great winner, finished the game and everything kind of flipped.” Henin hit ten winners to just three unforced errors to rail off six straight games. “She hit unbelievable returns. She kept me under pressure the whole time,” Stosur recalled in her post-match interview.

Justine celebrates with her team

“My forehand is my weapon,” said a happy Henin afterwards. “My backhand is my most natural shot, but I use it more to prepare points. When I play my forehand, my footwork is better and I am playing more aggressive.” Henin’s last forehand return was too much for Stosur to handle and as the Australian’s forehand flew wide, Henin had won her 42^nd career title.

When asked about her prize, a brand new Porsche Boxster Spyder, Henin first jokingly talked about how terrible a driver she is, but then got serious. “The car is not the main thing. I have been waiting for this moment [since I came back]. It is such a great emotion.”

The finalists pose for photographers

Sneak Preview

In eight of the last ten years, one or both singles finalists of a German Roland Garros tune-up event went on to reach (at least) the final in Paris as well. Both of today’s players have good reason to feel confident about their chances at the upcoming clay Grand Slam. “[The past couple of weeks] were a great build-up to do as well as possible in Paris,” said Stosur of her recent success in Stuttgart and Charleston. Not only has she gained a lot of confidence, but she will also move to a new career high ranking of No .8 on Monday, which might prove crucial come Roland Garros seedings.

Stosur hopes to match or improve her 2009 semifinal result at the French Open

Henin will be back in the Top 20, but she says it is still too early to talk about Roland Garros favorites. “Clay season has just started [...and] a Grand Slam is always something different. It is longer, more difficult, more emotional. Anything can happen.”

More photos from the 2010 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

Photos: Tina van Eickels