Sania Mirza, who eliminated
Sybille Bammer, is on the verge of winning her first Tier
II title.
FROM THE BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC IN STANFORD
– In the beginning of the week,
the Bank of the West Classic sans Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic feared
that it wouldn’t
display enough star power. Now organizers and the seemingly the thousands
of fans who showed up on Saturday are smitten, as two of the WTA’s
most appealing youngsters – Sania Mirza and Anna Chakvetadze – will
face off in the final.
Continuing her incredible play, Mirza reached her first Tier II semifinal
by hitting through eighth-seed Sybille Bammer 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. For her
part, Chakvetadze went around third-seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-7(6),
6-3, 6-2.
In the afternoon match under the blazing sun, Bammer tried to hammer
Mirza with lefty forehands and heavily spin balls out of her stoke zone
but, except for the second set when tired legs took her serve from
her, Mirza was happy to skip up and pound the high balls to the corners. “It
was about mental strength,” Mirza said.
On Saturday Mirza has played for 12 straight days and became the first
woman since Martina Hingis in 1997 to reach the singles and doubles final
(with Shahar Peer) at Stanford. India’s most
notable player has been lethal off the ground and has been a successful
risk-taker. She’s beaten three good players in a row and, when
she’s been
pushed, the 20-year-old has been composed.
She tried to slow it down in the second set, but that didn’t work,
as the athletic Austrian pushed further inside the court and hurt her
with her cross court game. But in the third set, Mirza let loose again
and Bammer couldn’t contend with her pace.
“I get defense and hope she make mistakes,” Mirza said.
“She was making mistakes when I was hitting hard, and liking pace
when I slowed it down. I started to feel tired late in the second set,
but then I regrouped and decided to be aggressive again. I said I have
to hang in there and I did. At this level when it’s 3-3 in the
third set, whoever is mentally tougher and comes up with shots at deuce
and 40-30 when it matters the most, will come out the winner.”
By reaching the final, Mirza has equaled her career high ranking of No.
31 and should she win the title, could go as high as No. 28. There have
been a lot of doubts about her Top-20 potential, but she’s aiming
to join that notable group and, with newfound foot speed and balance
and a better understanding of her abilities, she could get there in
time for the US Open.
Bammer thinks she has top-10 potential.
“She has the fastest forehand on tour,” Bammer said. “Her
footwork has really improved. She can only go forward from here.”
Chakvetadze is rolling through America, notching her ninth straight victory
on US soil by never withering under Hantuchova’s extremely aggressive
attack off the ground. The Slovak rarely showed patience, but appeared
to be in the driver’s seat during many of the games. But the
quicker Russian quick-fisted numerous ground strokes and, despite
her small size, was effective spinning and flattening out serves close
to the lines.
“Her serve is really deceptive,” Hantuchova said. "It
doesn’t look that great but she delivers it so quickly."
Chakvetadze owns a 2-0 record against Mirza, including beating her in
three sets in the semis of Cincinnati last week. They also played a ton
in the juniors and know each other’s games well. It will be Mirza’s
ability to control the points early and often that will be the key to
the match. If she doesn’t, the petite blonde will take her legs
from under her.
“This is the best I’ve played for
two weeks,” Chakvetadze said
