articles on Quarter Finals

a couple of articles on yesterdays matches if You haven't seen them

Shakey Frazier into last four

By Alan Granville at the North Harbour Tennis Park in Albany

Top seed Amy Frazier produced by far her weakest performance at the ASB Classic, but she still won through to the semifinals of the Auckland tournament.

The American knocked out Russian Tatiana Panova 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-2 before a paltry crowd at the North Harbour Tennis Park in Albany.

The world number 26 struggled badly with her serve, hitting numerous double faults, but she was helped by an opponent who failed to capitalise on her mistakes.

Frazier had coasted through the early rounds with straight sets victories over Laura Granville and Lucie Safarova.

She admitted she had not played her best against Panova, ranked 77 in the world.

"We were both a little streaky and a little flat to start because we have been waiting all day to play but I am happy to get through," said Frazier.

The match had to be moved indoors to Albany from the ASB Tennis Centre due to constant rain in Auckland.

"We would have loved for it to stop raining, but it's the same for everyone so you just have to do the best that you can."

Frazier next faces fourth seed Shinobu Asagoe for a place in the final, a match the American admitted was going to be tough.

"She is so solid from the ground. I am going to have to get a lot of first serves in and hit my ground strokes well."


Source: One Sport

Comeback win for Bartoli
jan 7 2005


By Dale Budge at the North Harbour Tennis Centre

Fifth seed Marion Bartoli of France produced a massive comeback to beat second seed Serb Jelena Jankovic 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 in her quarterfinal on Friday night indoors at the North Harbour Tennis Centre.

Jankovic looked set to take the match when she breezed through the first set and served for the match twice in the second set, including a match point.

But 20-year-old Bartoli dug deep and produced some excellent shot-making to claim the tiebreak and then fly through the deciding set.

"I think the key of the match was that I didn't really take care of the score and maybe she was more tight when she was leading and she missed some balls," Bartoli said following the match.

"I did pretty well."

Bartoli certainly earned the match after having to spend the best part of two days waiting around to play her quarterfinal because of the wet weather in the Auckland area.

"I think it was very tough mentally - we were supposed play yesterday and we waited all day long."

Not only was the weather a problem but the world number 41 was bothered by a shoulder injury in her second round match against Jill Craybas.

"The beginning my shoulder was pretty tight and the physio told me that so I didn't panic and I think when it got warm I served better in the second and third sets."

In fact, it was Jankovic that seemed to be lost mentally in the final set - her game falling away after losing the tiebreak.

She began to double fault and lost her focus.

Bartoli was calm, in stark contrast to her semifinal in last year's ASB Classic where she led Ashley Harkleroad 3-1 in the second set after claiming the first set.

Instead of concentrating on the basics Bartoli said she started counting the points and began to watch the scoreboard.

The French woman went on to lose to Harkleroad but rest assured she has learnt from the experience and will be a much tougher foe in 2005.

"I want it so hard. First I want to be in the final because it will be very fun for me. I think I beat the second seed so I have some chances to be in the final."

The semifinal will be against Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia on Saturday assuming the weather, which is forecast to be slightly better, does not become a problem again.

Source: ONE Sport