Grand Slam Line Up for Eastbourne Semis
For the first time in the tournament’s 31-year history
all four semi-finalists of the Hastings Direct International
Championships are Grand Slam winners. The quartet attempting
to become Eastbourne champion on Saturday have won three US
Open, three French Open and one Australian Open title between
them. With all four remaining players inside the world’s
top-11 ranked players the semi-final line up is one of the
strongest ever seen at Devonshire Park.
Current French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne set up
a mouth-watering clash with fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters after
a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Elana Likhovtseva. Henin-Hardenne
last played Clijsters at the same stage on the clay of Roland
Garros earlier this month and triumphed 6-3, 6-2. That victory,
however, will count for little on the grass at Eastbourne
and the crowd on Friday are set for a fascinating encounter.
There were few problems for Henin-Hardenne as she overcame
her Russian opponent in one hour and 11 minutes on the Devonshire
Park Centre Court. “I played very consistently in the
first set and it was important to break in the first game
of the second set”, she said. “Then she (Likhovtseva)
controlled the rallies a bit more but I played the important
points well and came through.”
Clijsters’ biggest problem during her 6-2, 6-1 victory
over Italian Francesca Schiavone was the strong wind coming
off the English Channel. Clijsters, who will regain the world
number one ranking if she successfully defends her crown this
week, said: “You try to play the best you possibly can
but it’s tough out there. Every point you are playing
against the conditions as well as your opponent.”
The second semi-final will be an all-Russian affair between
Anastasia Myskina and Svetlana Kuznetsova. Fifth seed Myskina
overcame Amelie Mauresmo’s conqueror Nathalie Dechy
6-4, 6-4 whilst world number seven Kuznetsova eventually beat
Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (4) in
a marathon match that lasted over two-and-a-half hours.
Kuznetsova, Eastbourne champion two years ago, said: “I
was 4-2 down in the second set and it was pretty hard to do
anything in the wind. But I came back and in the third set
I was much more positive than the second.”
Tickets are currently on sale for the Hastings Direct International
Championships which offers tennis fans a fantastic opportunity
to watch some of the world’s finest players. Ticket
information is available from the Box Office on 01323 412000.
The main draw runs between Monday 19 and Saturday 24 June
2006 at Devonshire Park, Eastbourne. Each day’s play
will commence at 11:30am with the exception of the final on
Saturday, which starts at 1pm.
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