A new year, new hopes for Gajdosova

by Peter Newlinds in Hobart

Updated January 08, 2013 00:54:39

Hobart International first-round winner Jarmila Gajdosova is in high spirits as she continues to build towards next week's Australian Open.

Gajdosova, who has received a wildcard into the Australian Open, enjoyed a first-round Hobart win over Switzerland's Romina Oprandi 6-4, 7-5.

Returning to the tournament she won two years ago Gajdosova is making up for lost ground in 2012.

Last year while playing a tournament in China her mother died unexpectedly during the course of her treatment for throat cancer.

Gajdosova, who had been having a poor year on the court, took eight weeks away from the game and to spend time with her family in Slovakia and think of things other than tennis.

'That time away from the sport gave me time to think of a tennis match for what it is," she told Grandstand.

"It's about having a bit of fun out there. There are so many worse things that can happen to you other than losing a tennis match.''

Her world ranking slipped to 183 but Gajdosova is optimistic about making big strides in 2013 on the women's tour.

"When you lose someone close to you it's never easy but it's a new start, a new year."

"I guess all the bad things have already happened so I'm looking forward to this year."

An upbeat Gajdosova described her win over Oprandi as a decent match and took some confidence out of last week's Brisbane International, her first tournament since September.

In her first round she managed to upstage Italy's Roberta Vinci but was eliminated in the second round by little-known Ukrainian Leisa Tsurenko. Her world ranking has improved to 167.

"It was a good start (in Brisbane)," she said.

"Beating the world number 16 wasn't too bad even though the second round didn't go as well as I had hoped."

Gajdosova said she has been back training foe eight weeks as is in fairly good shape heading into the Australian Open.

"It's more of a confidence thing than anything else," she added.

"Playing these tournaments enables me to build concentration and improve my preparation more than training does."

Gajdosova will meet Olga Govortsova of Belarus in the second round.

In the late match on Monday night, Australia's Ashleigh Barty was defeated by ninth seed Mona Barthel of Germany 6-2, 0-6, 1-6.

The biggest shock of the round was the defeat of number one seed, Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan, who was beaten 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4) by China's Peng Shuai.

Another to bow out was 2010 French Open finalist and sixth seed Francesca Schiavone of Italy, who was beaten by Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).

Among other results, South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers beat Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-1, 6-2 and Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova downed Irina Begu of Romania 6-3, 6-4.

Australia's Bojana Bobusic was beaten by American Lauren Davis in three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), while other winners included Romanians Monica Niculescu and Simona Halep, Russia's Elena Vesnina, Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova.

Tags: tennis, sport, hobart-7000

First posted January 07, 2013 12:58:19

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Berdych keeps Czech Davis Cup hopes alive

Updated November 17, 2012 10:08:10

Hosts Czech Republic and holders Spain were tied 1-1 in the Davis Cup final in Prague Saturday morning as Tomas Berdych beat Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 in the second rubber of the day.

Berdych, the world number six and the Czech number one, needed three hours and 58 minutes to see off 11th-ranked Almagro on Prague's hardcourt.

In the first rubber of the day, world number five David Ferrer beat 37th-ranked Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to give Spain a lead.

"That's all we need today. Under the circumstances today, that's the maximum that we can get," Berdych said after the epic rubber.

"We are 1-1, we have opened the chance for Sunday, no matter what happens tomorrow. That's a good step for us," he added.

Berdych took the first set against Almagro owing to a single break.

The fast-serving players - both 27 years old - reversed their roles in the second set, with Almagro equalising.

The third set started with a nervous exchange with the umpire, whose verdict in Almagro's favour turned the home crowd of 14,237 people against the Spaniard.

Berdych then capitalised on the frantic support and took the third set.

In the fourth, Berdych took an early lead but Almagro levelled with a re-break to take the set in tie-break.

And in the fifth, both players traded breaks midway through the set with Berdych emerging on top.

Almagro won 21-13 on aces.

Spain is missing world number four Rafael Nadal, sidelined with a knee injury.

It is looking to add a fourth crown to its three Davis Cup trophies from the last four years, after having won the cup in 2000 and 2004.

Czechoslovakia, which split peacefully into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, won the Davis Cup in 1980.

But if the Czechs win the 100th edition of the Davis Cup finals, they will clinch a rare team double, last achieved by the United States in 1990, after their women's team lifted the Fed Cup here two weeks ago.

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, czech-republic, spain

First posted November 17, 2012 10:08:10

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Tomic hopes practice makes perfect

Updated June 28, 2011 12:31:00

Australian teenage sensation Bernard Tomic admits he is praying his Wimbledon quarter-final clash against Novak Djokovic does not go the same way as one of their recent practice sessions.

Tomic, 18, has become one of the stand-out stories at the All England Club after claiming a host of impressive scalps including world number five Robin Soderling and 29th seed Nikolay Davydenko, en route to becoming the youngest male quarter-finalist for 25 years.

Only Boris Becker, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg have made the last eight at a younger age than Tomic, who demolished Belgium's Xavier Malisse 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 in the fourth round on Monday to become the first qualifier to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals since Vladimir Voltchkov in 2000.

Now Tomic, ranked 158th in the world, faces Australian Open champion Djokovic for a place in the semi-finals and the teenager knows from bitter experience just how hard it will be to shock the second seed.

Tomic has practised with Djokovic regularly since the pair met an exhibition match in the Melbourne suburb of Kooyong in 2010 and he admits the Serb thrashed him in one-set match on the training court before Wimbledon.

"I did hit with him before the tournament, we played a set. He destroyed me," Tomic said.

"Things are not looking good for me, but hopefully he destroyed me then and not on Wednesday.

"It's tough, because even in practice when I play against Novak, I can't execute my shots because he's got one of the best returns in the world.

"He's got an unbelievable backhand. If I can execute my shots and he doesn't return as good on that day, which could be impossible because his return is unbelievable, then maybe I'll have a chance.

"We'll know from the first returns he hits."

Off-court buddies

Tomic, who was born in Germany to Croatian and Bosnian parents, has become firm friends with Djokovic as a result of their practice sessions.

But the Australian has never played Djokovic in an ATP Tour match and he readily admits it will need the performance of a lifetime to beat the world number two, whose remarkable run of 43 successive wins was only ended by Roger Federer at the French Open recently.

"Novak's a champion. He's obviously won grand slams before. My relationship's really good with him," Tomic said.

"I've hit with him a lot of times. He's a cool guy. One of the nicest guys out there on the tour.

"I think he has a respect for me but I've got a much bigger respect for him because he's played at that big level the last five years.

"What a match it's going to be, to play against a guy like him that's two in the world, it doesn't get really better than that."

Tomic has long been earmarked as one of the sport's rising stars after winning the Australian and US Open junior titles.

He struggled to live up to his potential for a while and nearly didn't make it to Wimbledon after coming within five points of losing his first match in the qualifying event.

Yet now he is one win away from a potential dream meeting with his idol Roger Federer in the semi-finals.

"I looked up to Roger when he won his first Wimbledon here and beat (Mark) Philippoussis. Ever since that, the love of the game's always been there," Tomic said.

Even if Tomic's fairytale run ends in the last eight, he has enjoyed the best two weeks of his life and is already planning how to celebrate.

"I still go to the beach and barbecues, that's for sure. Now I'm planning more of that!" he said.

- AFP

Tags: sport, tennis, united-kingdom, england

First posted June 28, 2011 12:15:00

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