J&S Cup Second Round Preview

By: Jessie Lin

Daniela Hantuchova vs. Anna Pistolesi

Head to Head: Tied 1-1

            Daniela is back playing her first tournament since the Nasdaq-100 Open.  In the first round, she defeated Maria Sanchez-Lorenzo (who is actually ranked higher than Daniela!) 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.  Daniela started the first set slowly, making a lot of unforced errors.  She was down 1-5, before pushing the set to a tie break.  Despite losing the first set, she was able to win the last two sets rather easily.  That is a good sign that she’s not getting discouraged out there on the court.  She was able to stay positive and play the match out.  In the match, Daniela had 59 winners and 36 unforced errors!!  That’s a difference of +23!!!  This is something that I have been looking for a long time.  To get more winners than unforced errors, and did she ever.  This match has shown me many positive signs.  Hopefully Daniela will be able to take this attitude to her next match as well, because the matches will only get harder, not easier. 

            In the second round, Daniela will meet up with eighth seed veteran Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi, who had an easier time defeating her first round opponent Marie Mikaelan, 6-3, 6-2.  Daniela has only played Pistolesi twice before, and both of those matches were in three sets, so these two have had some troubles with each other.  Also, the two times they played were both in 2002, when Daniela was at the top of her game.  So this match will be hard to predict.  We all know Daniela has been down since 2003, but Pistolesi has been quiet as well.

            But I’m rather confident that if, and that’s a big IF, Daniela plays the way she did in the last half of the match today, then she will be able to win.  It’s time to unleash her talent once again!!!

Prediction: Daniela wins 7-5, 6-3.

GO DANIELA!!!!!