Tennis Blog

Perhaps we can stop using words like "promising" when it comes to players like Dinara Safina, enjoying now what you would call breakthrough seasons.

The nearly 6-foot, 155-pound Safina, like her up-and-down big brother, men's star Marat Safin, is a punisher of the ball, and has powered her way to a solid 40-13 record so far this year (after two rounds at the ongoing Olympic Games in Beijing), including three of her eight career titles and a current 12-match winning streak. She's rattled off 29 wins in her last 32 matches.

That's pretty hot.

Safina's first title of the year came in Berlin back in May, as she upended Elena Dementieva in an all-Russian clay-court finale. In her next event, Safina soared all the way into the final on the dirt at Roland Garros, only to lose to world No. 1 (at the time) Ana Ivanovic in her first-ever Grand Slam final. On her way to the title match, Safina saved match points in back-to- back matches on her way to upsetting reigning Aussie Open champ and fellow Russian Maria Sharapova in the fourth round and Dementieva in the quarters.

Following the French Open, Safina landed in another final, but was shocked by Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn in the title bout on a grass court in The Netherlands. En route to the final, Safina toppled her compatriot Dementieva, once again, in the semis.

Safina was a disappointing third-round loser (against capable Israeli Shahar Peer) at Wimbledon, but she promptly rebounded in her next tournament by capturing a hardcourt title in Los Angeles, and followed that up by corralling more hardware the following week on a hardcourt in Montreal. All this winning activity in North America produced a U.S. Open Series victory for Safina, which means she will double her prize money in New York. If Safina can win the title in Flushing, she would receive a record $2.5 million payout.

And when it comes to that precious Russian supremacy, Safina is a perfect 6-0, combined, against her fellow Top-10 countrywomen Kuznetsova (No. 3), Sharapova (No. 5) and Dementieva (No. 7) this year.

Safina opened 2008 ranked 15th in the world in singles and has shot up to No. 6, and she's ranked ninth on the planet in doubles, where she's also tallied eight career titles, including a pair this season.

Aside from an Olympic gold medal this week, the skyrocketing Safina has her sights set on the upcoming U.S. Open, where she'll be among the favorites. The powerful Muscovite reached the quarterfinals in New York two years ago, and made it to the fourth round there last year.

When you get right down to it, Safina appears to be headed toward an eventual Grand Slam title, which is something her former world No. 1 and two-time major titlist brother would know about. Safin is a former U.S. (2000) and Aussie Open champ (2005).

Did You Know?: Safina was the doubles titlist (alongside Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy) at last year's U.S. Open.

Daniela was leading 6-2 3-0 against Ai Sugiyama in the 1st round singles match when rain started. Play will resume tomorrow.

Dinara on Practice Court

After early battle, Safin cruises into third round
* Ajaybir Behniwal, Bruin Sports senior staff (Contact)
* Published: Thursday, August 7, 2008

Following two upsets earlier in the day, which meant the end of the Countrywide Classic for the world's 12th-seeded Fernando Verdasco and 26th-seeded Feliciano Lopez, Marat Safin knew he had to get ahead of his opponent early.

He did just that after shaking off an unsteady first few games against Wayne Odesnik and cruising to a 6-3, 6-2 win in the second-round match.

“I played well and did what I needed to,” Safin said after the match. “I hit a couple of double faults, but I was able to come back.”

In the third game of the match, Safin was broken by his American opponent, but he displayed resilience in the next game by breaking back to even the score at 2-2.

Though Odesnik kept the match close at the onset, he was unable to convert on a game point, instead double faulting before giving Safin a 4-2 edge.

Safin then used his monstrous serve to help create a cushion that Odesnik couldn't overcome, at one time hitting an ace that even had the serving-speed display jumbling between numbers and unable to give a correct speed.

The 28-year-old Russian quickly began winning over the crowd and getting the respect he thought he deserved.

“I deserve some respect,” Safin said with a smile. “I've been on the tour for 10 years now, so I think I deserved it.”

Although the match was won with ease, there were several entertaining situations for the crowd at the Los Angeles Tennis Center, including a game with four challenges – ¬two of which were not only on the same point, but also both successful.

First, Odesnik served a ball that was called in and Safin hit a winning return.

Odesnik immediately challenged if Safin’s return was in, and the call was overturned.

Safin retaliated with a challenge of his own, claiming that the serve was long – a claim that was proven true.

The Russian went on to cruise from that point as Odesnik seemed to lose his cool and become slightly rattled.

The road hasn't been easy for Safin, however, because he is still trying to get back into top form after fighting off injuries for much of his career, since he always seems to get hurt when he catches fire.

“It's really hard to get going when I keep getting injured,” Safin said. “But I'm still running, trying to play tennis.”

After the match, Safin jokingly told UCLA alumnus and former-ATP-Tour player Justin Gimelstob that he would win a grand slam once Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal decide to retire.

Safin won't get much time to rest before his third-round match against Denis Gremelmayr, who upset the tournament's fourth-seeded Lopez, because he will take the court in doubles play tomorrow with partner and fellow countryman Igor Kunitsyn.

The two will take on a face that is fresh in Safin’s mind. On the other side of the net will be the American duo of James Cerretani and John Isner. Safin and Isner played in the first round with Safin prevailing 6-3, 6-4.

Although Safin was under the limelight at the beginning of the decade, his sister has now made a name for herself by winning several tournaments in the past few weeks, as well as making a run to the finals at the French Open.

“Before, she was the sister of the brother, but now, I'm the brother of the sister,” Safin said jokingly in an address to the fans.

The WTA Tour announced on Friday that world number 12 Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia had withdrawn from the Montreal Cup due to a change in her schedule.

Dinara Safina, of Russia, celebrates wining a point over Alla Kudryavtseva, also of Russia, during their match at the East West Bank Classic tennis tournament Thursday, July 24, 2008, in Carson, Calif. She booked her place in the last eight winning 7-6 0-6 7-6 (7-3). Safina advanced to play eighth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who defeated Australia's Samantha Stosur 6-4 7-6 (7-4).

Dinara Safina, of Russia, celebrates as a return by Peng Shuai, of China, goes out during their match at the East West Bank Classic tennis tournament, Wednesday, July 23, 2008, in Carson, Calif. Safina won 6-1, 6-2.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

CARSON, CA - JULY 21: Dinara Safina of Russia answers questions during a news conference during day one of the East West Bank Classic at the Home Depot Center on July 21, 2008 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images)
Source: Yahoo!

CARSON, CA - JULY 21: Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia answers questions during a news conference during day one of the East West Bank Classic at the Home Depot Center on July 21, 2008 in Carson, California. (Photo by Jonathan Moore/Getty Images)

Source:Yahoo!

Some beautiful photos of Daniela (by Julian Hargreaves) in the article of Federico Ferrero "Vacanze" More on her official site.

Nickname(s): Danka/Dani
Country: Slovakia
Residence: Monte Carlo
Date of birth: April 23, 1983
Age: 25 years old
Place of birth: Poprad,Slovakia
Height: 5'11 1/4'' (1.81 m)
Weight: 137 lbs. (62 kg)
Plays: Right (two-handed backhand)
Turned pro: May 1999
Career Singles Title: 3
Highest Ranking: No. 5 (August 26, 2002)
Current Ranking: No.12

Hantuchova's game is built around natural timing. She is able to produce "effortless" power from her flowing groundstrokes and possesses a superb down-the-line forehand and backhand. She possesses a heavy serve and has a particularly effective "kick" second serve. Her favourite and most effective construction of a winning point is her flat serve out wide on the Ad-court, followed by a backhand winner down the line. Her volleys are very well-produced and often have the deftest of touch. Due to these attributes she is known as an "All-arounder". A weakness of Hantuchova since she emerged from the juniors was her lack of explosive movement around the court. In recent years, however, this aspect of her tennis has been vastly improved.
She is currently working with a number of coaches who work out of the Sanchez-Casal Academy, primarily Angel Gimenez and occasionally with Eduardo Nicolas.

Other notes about Daniela:

• likes all-court style of play

• prefers grass as a surface, and her favorite tournament is Wimbledon

• father is named Igor, and that he is a computer scientist

• mother is named Marianna, and that she is a toxicologist

• 5 yrs older brother is named Igor, and that he is an architect working in Bratislava

• entire family plays tennis

• speaks Slovak, English and German and is learning Italian

• got qualified for top university in Slovakia but deferred it to pursue a career as a professional player

• other sports interests include skiing, basketball, skating and swimming

• studied classical piano for eight years until she was 14

• trained at Bollettieri Tennis Academy between ages of 16 and 18

• enjoys haute couture, music, guava juice and relaxing on a quiet beach

• favorite city is Rome and likes to visit Cape Town, South Africa

• would love to go snow-boarding and water-surfing

• favorite colour is blue

• favorite movie is "Love Actually"

• likes music by Eros Ramazzotti

• was named 2002 WTA Tour Most Improved Player of the Year

• was nominated for Laureus World Sports Award as 2002 World Newcomer of the Year fellow nominees: Daniel Nalbandian (tennis), Yao Ming (basketball), Wayne Rooney (football) and Joachim Uytdehaage (speed-skating)

• WTA Tour mentor was Martina Navratilova in the Partners for Success program, the mentor division of the Professional Development Program.