Quantcast
nodot nodot
Pro Tennis Showcase
April 18, 2009

Subscribe to Match Reports

Pro Tennis Showcase Archive

Player Profile Index (Men)
Player Profile Index (Women)

Contact Tennis Server

Tennis Server
HOME PAGE

Do You Want To Be A Better Tennis Player?

Then Sign Up For A Free Subscription to the Tennis Server INTERACTIVE
E-mail Newsletter!

Tom Veneziano You will join 13,000 other subscribers in receiving news of updates to the Tennis Server along with monthly tennis tips from tennis pro Tom Veneziano.
 
Best of all, it is free!

Tennis Features Icon TENNIS FEATURES:

TENNIS ANYONE? - USPTA Pro John Mills' quick player tip.
 
TENNIS WARRIOR - Tom Veneziano's Tennis Warrior archive.
 
TURBO TENNIS - Ron Waite turbocharges your tennis game with tennis tips, strategic considerations, training and practice regimens, and mental mindsets and exercises.
 
WILD CARDS - Each month a guest column by a new writer.
 
BETWEEN THE LINES - Ray Bowers takes an analytical and sometimes controversial look at the ATP/WTA professional tour.
 
PRO TENNIS SHOWCASE - Tennis match reports and photography from around the world.
 
TENNIS SET - Jani Macari Pallis, Ph.D. looks at tennis science, engineering and technology.
 
MORTAL TENNIS - Greg Moran's tennis archive on how regular humans can play better tennis.
 
HARDSCRABBLE SCRAMBLE - USPTA pro Mike Whittington's player tip archive.
 
TENNIS EQUIPMENT TIPS.

Tennis Community Icon TENNIS COMMUNITY:


Tennis Book, DVD, and Video Index
 
Tennis Server Match Reports
 
Editor's Letter
 
Become a Tennis Server Sponsor

Explore The Tennis Net Icon EXPLORE THE TENNIS NET:

Tennis News and Live Tennis Scores
 
Tennis Links on the Web
 
nodot
Pro Tennis Showcase Banner
 
Green Dot
 
Tennis Warehouse Logo
 
Green Dot

 
nodot
2009 Family Circle Cup
Charleston, South Carolina - April 18, 2009
Editorial by Jane Voigt.

Photography by Pablo Sanfrancisco.

 

Jane Voigt Photo
Jane Voigt

Caroline Wozniacki and Sabine Lisicki Advance to Final at Family Circle Cup
 
April 18, 2009 -- Elena Dementieva's aggressive strategy, the one she wanted to refine after yesterday's match, was on. But it took a set and a half to rev up; and, unfortunately for the #1 seed it was too late. She didn't have enough in her tank to pull off the win. Her opponent Caroline Wozniacki got the "w" 64 57 75 in a three-hour thriller on stadium court here on Daniel Island.
 
Caroline Wozniacki marched through the first set as if on a holiday. She worked hard for her points but Dementieva assisted, making error after error. The first set was over in less than forty-five minutes. 6/4 to Wozniacki.
 
"I was trying to go for the winner, but unfortunately I just saw too many mistakes in the beginning of the match," Dementieva said, obviously disappointed and annoyed at her loss. "I wish I had a better start, and so it would be a different game."
 
The second started swimmingly for Caroline. The end seemed near for Dementieva. People stirred in their seats. But at 5/2 with the match on Caroline's racquet Dementieva found fifth gear. The big guns came out and she mowed down the Dane at love. Wozniacki looked stunned, as she stood at the baseline, hip cocked, her eyes following her fingers as she straightened the strings.
 
In the next game, Dementieva took another nosedive and got down three match points. This surely had to be it... the end was near.
 
The crowd cried out: "Elena... " "You can do it, Elena..." "Come on Elena... "
 
So the Russian switched gears again, hitting the ball even harder. She screamed -- no screeched -- louder and, quite literally, forced Caroline to her knees on a couple backhand returns. Dementieva set the crowd afire as she saved all three match points. Her confidence on high, she ran off the next five games to win the second set 7/5.
 
Caroline waved for her coach, and her father, as she stormed to the sideline couch for the two-minute break.
 
"At 5/2 I didn't really have a chance to do anything there," Caroline said, after the match. "And then at 5-3, you know, 40-0 for me and I thought now I have the match. But it didn't turn out that way. She played aggressive. At 5-4 I knew I had to close it out. I was a little bit nervous. Then she just started to play some really good tennis."
 
Caroline's father told her to stay positive, step it up, and stop putting the ball back in play. She needed to do something other than defend. Caroline needed to stop playing Dementieva's game.
 
The third set was a neck-in-neck clash. These two very fit women stood their ground on the baseline and slugged deep, and deeper, forehands and backhands until one stepped out of position or in the wrong direction. When the narrowest of openings appeared, one would capitalize. It wasn't until the seventh game that Wozniacki broke. But Dementieva gritted her teeth, again, and took the lead away.
 
On her fifth match point, Caroline Wozniacki smacked a down-the-line forehand winner. The match was hers, finally.
 
"That felt so good," Caroline said, laughing. "I only had that shot, you know, to win the point because she was covering the whole net. I had only this much space. When I saw it go through, I just knew that it was going to go in. It felt great."
 
Elena Dementieva was the fiercest competitor when down. Her unleashed aggression left fans dumbfounded. Her returns of serves smacked the green clay before Wozniacki had a chance to reach the balls. But on her service games and at the end of the third set, Dementieva brought down the tempo to her own demise.
 
"It is disappointing," Elena said. "I wish I could do better here, and that was my first clay court tournament. I was looking for some good matches, some good fight. I like the way I was fighting through the match today, but I'm not satisfied the way I was playing."
 
Elena Dementieva was so disappointed with herself that she cut one reporter short, stood up, and left the media interview area without warning.
 
In almost direct contrast to that three-hour battle, Sabine Lisicki defeated Marion Bartoli in just over an hour 63 61, advancing to her first premier-level final on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. She has played Wozniacki once before at the 2008 Australian Open. Caroline won that match in three sets.
 
"I think it will be an interesting match," Sabine said. "It was more than a year ago that we played, and I think we both have gotten much better, and it will be a good final, I think, and we both deserve to be there."
 
Lisicki once again set up points with her strong serves against Bartoli. She hit well over 105 mph consistently on first serves, which left Bartoli scrambling to get her racquet on the ball. When she connected on returns they were short in the court or high with no pace. Lisicki put those away with a single swat. Lisicki's top service speed today was an unofficial 125 mph.
 
Sabine Lisicki said she has always had a fast serve. She didn't know how or when she learned it, though.
 
"When I was young, I always kind of served fast," she said. "I always had the fastest serve in Germany, and I kind of kept it, and it was better. It was improving all the time, so it's a good weapon."
 
Indeed it is a good weapon. She will need it tomorrow in the final, which should be a good one for the ardent fans of Charleston and Daniel Island.
 
Tennis Server Sweeps Family Circle Cup Media Tournament
 
Early this morning, before WTA pro players opened the curtains on their hotel rooms Jane Voigt, writer for The Tennis Server, and Pablo Sanfrancisco, photographer for The Tennis Server, arrived at the tennis center on Daniel Island ready to go for the gold in the annual FCC Media Tournament. Although the two heavy weights played in different categories -- Ms. Voigt in the 3.5 division and Mr. Sanfrancisco in the 4.0 division -- both won in fine style for the home team: The Tennis Server.
 
"I'm really excited about the win," Jane said, gasping for breathe at the press conference. "Peter Finger was the perfect partner. When I was paired with him I knew we'd win."
 
Peter is six foot six and Jane is five foot eleven. They were immediately nicknamed "The Tall Team," in quick-witted journalistic fashion.
 
"I feel really good, too," Pablo said, smiling. "I got up early and I was ready to hit some hard shots." Playing alongside Pablo was Chris Smith, the FCC tournament photographer.
 
Peter Finger is a Charleston photographer with an impressive portfolio that ranges from higher education, corporate, and fine art.
 


 

 
FCC Media Tournament Victors Pablo Sanfrancisco and Jane Voigt
 
Tennis - Pablo Sanfrancisco and Jane Voigt

 
 
(16) Sabine Lisicki (GER) (yellow shirt) d. (6) Marion Bartoli (FRA) 63 61
 
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki - Marion Bartoli
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki
Tennis - Sabine Lisicki

 
 
(5) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) (blue shirt) d. (1/WC) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 64 57 75
 
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki
Tennis - Elena Dementieva
Tennis - Caroline Wozniacki

 

Green DotGreen DotGreen Dot

Player Profile Index (Men) | Pro Tennis Showcase Archive | Player Profile Index (Women)

SUBSCRIBE TO THE TENNIS SERVER PHOTO FEED

join our mailing list
* indicates required

All Tennis Server photography is copyrighted by the photographer and/or the Tennis Server, and all rights are reserved. You may not copy these images without permission. While you are welcome to create hyperlinks to Tennis Server web pages, you may not embed these images into other web pages or blogs without permission. To request permission, please use this contact form. Please be sure to clearly indicate exactly which photograph(s) you are requesting permission to use, as terms and conditions will vary depending on the photographer and the photograph.


 

nodot
nodot
Google
Web tennisserver.com
nodot nodot
The Tennis Server
Ticket Exchange

Your Source for tickets to professional tennis & golf events.
 
SAI Team Tennis Tournament Tickets
 
Dallas Open Tickets
 
Delray Beach Open Tickets
 
ATX Open Tickets
 
BNP Paribas Open Tickets
 
Miami Open Tickets
 
Credit One Charleston Open Tickets
 
US Men's Clay Court Championships Tickets
 
Wimbledon Tickets
 
Infosys Hall of Fame Open Tickets
 
Atlanta Open Tickets
 
Mubadala Citi Open Tennis Tournament Tickets
 
National Bank Open Women's Tennis Canada Tickets
 
National Bank Open Men's Tennis Canada Tickets
 
Western & Southern Open Tickets
 
Winston-Salem Open Tickets
 
US Open Tennis Championship Tickets
 

 

Popular Tennis books:
 
Winning Ugly: Mental Warfare in Tennis-Lessons from a Master by Brad Gilbert, Steve Jamison
 
The Best Tennis of Your Life: 50 Mental Strategies for Fearless Performance by Jeff Greenwald
 
The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
 
Most Recent Articles:
 
October 2022 Tennis Anyone: Patterns in Doubles by John Mills.
 
September 2022 Tennis Anyone: Short Court by John Mills.
 

 

 

 

"Tennis Server" is a registered trademark and "Tennis Server INTERACTIVE" is a trademark of Tennis Server. All original material and graphics on the Tennis Server are copyrighted 1994 - by Tennis Server and its sponsors and contributors. Please do not reproduce without permission.

The Tennis Server receives a commission on all items sold through links to Amazon.com.

 

Tennis Server
Cliff Kurtzman
Editor-in-chief
791 Price Street #144
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
Phone: (281) 480-6300
Online Contact Form
How to support Tennis Server as a Sponsor/Advertiser
Tennis Server Privacy Policy