The supporting cast!

1084 Views 25 Replies 6 Participants Last post by TS, Feb 27, 2002

Vanity

Discussion Starter · Feb 5, 2002

I guess this can be our thread about the other Croatian ladies, in addition to Iva. What's the scoop on Mirjana Lucic? Last I heard she lost in the first round of a 10K event.

Does she plan to enter any more challengers anytime soon?

Also... Silvija Talaja has committed to qualifying in Doha, Dubai, Acapulco, Indian Wells. She is also in the "next in" list for qualies at Scottsdale, even though she has committed to the qualies in Acapulco that week.

Jelena Kostanic has committed to qualifying in Doha, Bogota, Acapulco. She is listed on the "next in" list for qualies in Dubai and Indian Wells.

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TS

· #2 · Feb 5, 2002

Cheers Vanity!

With Mirjana, I have no idea on what is going on. I really hope she can make a successful comeback. This girl has gone thru a hell of a lot for someone who is STILL just 19! To get back to the top of her game, Mirjana has to start somewhere, and those lowly challengers are a good place to get some match practice...the losses hurt for her immensely Im sure, but one day things will click again, and she'll be back. She's still a baby, so time is on her side.

Silvija has had rotten luck with injuries but has shown us some promising form recently. I full expect her to beack in Top 50 soon! Also Jelena Kostanic is showing signs of getting up there this year!

Good luck to them all!

There are some very promising juniors coming out of Croatia, heade by Matea Mezak, so this thread may get a little full soon

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Vanity

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 5, 2002

I thought I'd start this thread off by mentioning some of Croatia's other leading ladies

The only thing that sucks is that they all seem to be trying to come out of a slump. Iva, Silvija, Mirjana and Jelena have all experienced slumps in the past year or so. However, Silvija and Jelena are making lots of progress already this year. Silvija reached the semis in Auckland and Jelena qualified for the AO and won her first round. Mirjana, of course, has a lot of work to do but as you said time is on her side. Of course there is Iva, who just fell out of the top 50 this week

But, I think she'll be fully healthy again when the clay season comes around and she'll tear things up then.

Good for mentioning the juniors as well... Matea Mazek is currently (or was recently) the #2 junior in the world?

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TS

· #4 · Feb 5, 2002

I dont really know the junior rankings by heart, but she was seeded 2nd at the Aus Open juniors so I assume she's around the Top 3 or so!

Anyway, this thread is a good place to cheer on the other Croatian diva's for this year!

sartrista7

· #5 · Feb 5, 2002

I think Matea Mezak's had some great doubles results - got to the final in Roland Garros with Marat's sister, Dinara Safina, and the Oz final this year with Svetlana Kuznetsova. Good taste in partners anyhow.

Poor Mirjana was in tears after she lost in that $10k event - she lost to Andrea Nathan, whose results last year were so poor that she'd already decided to give up tennis and do a law degree. :sad:

:sad:

But as Terry said she has time on her side - and she has talent on her side too. No-one who wins their first EVER event and gets to the final of their second, who's beaten Pierce, Seles, Coetzer and Tauziat (on grass!), and who played as well as Mirjana did in the Wimbledon semi against Graf, can possibly lose all that talent overnight. She just needs to get her head and fitness together.

croat123

· #6 · Feb 6, 2002

I think Matea is #3 in singles and probably #1 or #2 in doubles.

I hope Mirjana starts playing tournaments again. I read that she cried after her first round loss at the 10K event.

Silvija and Jelena are making progress and should be back in the top 100 in about 2 weeks (they are 105 and 108 respectivly).

I am disappoined with Maja Palaversic's start to the 2002 season. It seems that she has very little confidence. She lost 4 and 3 to Marrero in the first round of qualifying here, but I think she will make a comeback. She qualified for the doubles event and won her first round match 6-1 7-5!

Of course, we all want Iva to have a great season and I see that happening starting in Doha and Dubai!

TS

· #7 · Feb 6, 2002

Well, some news from the $75K Challenger in Midland, USA.

Silvija has won thru to the second round as expected, beating Elena Tatarkova of Ukraine 6-4 6-3. Silvija is seeded 5, and looking at the draw, she can definately make the final and win it!

All the best Silvija!

croat123

· #8 · Feb 7, 2002

Nice win for Silvija because Elena can be a tough opponent!

Vanity

Discussion Starter · #9 · Feb 7, 2002

Good news for Silvija! Winning a $75K should give her some points... she needs all she can get, and I'm glad to see her fighting for every point!

sartrista7

· #10 · Feb 7, 2002

Good to see Silvija winning some matches. Should give her some much-needed confidence. She seems to be in much better form this year - made the semis of Auckland and was really unlucky to draw Capriati in round 1 of the AO.

TS

· #11 · Feb 8, 2002

Poor Silvija lost her second round match 2-6 4-6 to Ansley Cargill of America

:sad:

Cargill is a tough player and is in great form at the moment.

I really thought she would win this (or come close at least)...oh well, better luck next time!

Vanity

Discussion Starter · #12 · Feb 9, 2002

That's too bad about the loss to Cargill... I'm confident it was just a minor slump though and she will get back to where she was, hopefully sometime this year.

GoSandrine

· #13 · Feb 9, 2002

Poor Silvija.

Any idea when her next tournament is? What about Jelena and Mirjana? I'm clueless!

MLF

· #14 · Feb 9, 2002

Mirjana was entered into all three challengers of the last three weeks in the US but withdrew from them all giving no reason. It seems she found the Andrea Nathan loss totally demoralizing because her sister said in an email that Mirjana was practising hard and playing really well in practice and when she got out to play Nathan she felt as if she forgot how to hit the ball in court. Everything is in Mirjana's head I think at the moment.
Croatia have potentially a threatening Fed Cup team if the ladies could get over all their prblems. A fully fit and in form squad of Majoli, Lucic, Talaja and Kostanic would trouble anyone.

GoSandrine

· #15 · Feb 10, 2002

Poor Mirjana.

Sounds like a sports psychologist may be in order. I hope she gets the help she needs - she has too much talent to let it fall by the wayside.

Do you think all four ladies will play Fed Cup?

croat123

· #16 · Feb 10, 2002

Kostanic lost in qualifying at Doha to Dubbers (i think it was one and four or something like that_

Vanity

Discussion Starter · #17 · Feb 11, 2002

Yeah apparently Jelena Kostanic lost 4-6 1-6 to Nina Dubbers... I remember Dubbers playing at the US Open but that's about it. Too bad for Kostanic but she'll bounce back.

Too bad to hear that about Mirjana.. as the article said, to understand her tears you have to understand where she's been... losing in the Wimbledon semifinals to Steffi Graf was a lot easier to take.

MLF

· #18 · Feb 11, 2002

I have some Mirjana news!
Mirjana has been awarded a wild card into the Memphis qualifying tournament. She has also switched back to playing with a Prince racket again which is the brand she had all her big wins with. She is also working 1-2-1 with Ken Merritt who was a long time coach at Bolletieri's academy so hopefully Mirjana is getting back on the right track.

croat123

· #19 · Feb 11, 2002

that is great news!!!

I hope Mirjana can do well!

Croatia is finaly in the quarters of Davis Cup!

17 year old, Mario Ancic, is in the finals of the Belgrade challenger!

croat123

· #20 · Feb 11, 2002

I just found out:

Mario Ancic (CRO) d. (7)Nenad Zimonjic (YUG) 6-2 6-3

He lost 7 games total in his semi and final matches! He is the future of Croatian tennis!

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