The Hindu : Sania goes down fighting to Dominika

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 28, 2002

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Sania goes down fighting to Dominika

By Nandakumar Marar

Dominika Luzarova of the Czech Republic in action against Sania Mirza of India in the second round of the ITF women's tennis tournament in Mumbai on Wednesday. — Photo: Vivek Bendre

MUMBAI NOV. 27. Sania Mirza ventured where few Indian women tennis players have gone before on the International Tennis Federation circuit. She fought on court for almost three hours in a highly competitive match, hitting at least six shots for every point, unheard of in Indian circles, and almost pulled it off. Fourth seed Dominika Luzarova eventually breasted the tape first, winning 7-6 (7), 5-7, 7-5 in an ITF Women's Circuit Mumbai leg second round match which she will not forget for a long time to come.

The two enacted the tennis equivalent of a marathon, a physically and mentally demanding contest lasting two hours, 45 minutes; commencing under a glowing afternoon sun and ending way into the night under floodlights.

It was a lesson in survival for Dominika; a confidence-building exercise for Sania. Every alternate point was won after a fast, furious exchange of strokes, at least 10 per point. The first service break happened in the third game of the second set after Dominika won the opener in the tie-breaker, dominating from the baseline.

Sania stormed back to draw level, lifting her game to a different level, hitting with awesome power on big points and looked set for an upset when both took a break to replenish energy levels before the decider. It was difficult to identify the winner at this stage with the Indian clawing back from 0-3 down to draw level in the sixth game at 3-3, till the fourth seed nosed ahead on the home stretch, on superior endurance and superior retrieving ability.

Sania doesn't remember the last time she willingly spent four hours in a match situation. "It may have been when I was very young, but never in an ITF event,'' said the Indian wildcard entrant, whose composure under extreme pressure was noteworthy. "I felt the pressure but didn't show it,'' she said. "I will get better after improving my endurance to play at these levels. Dominika is a under-300 ranked player, so being able to last so long against her is a confidence-booster for me.'' One of the India's leading juniors now jostling for position in the senior ranks, ranked 693rd on the ITF list, she has joined the Bhupathi Tennis Academy and trains under ex-India player S. Narendranath in Hyderabad. The manner in which she fought back when the chips were down against a vastly experienced Dominika can only stand Sania in good stead. Her serving was of a high order and surprised the fourth seed by hitting winners on demand. When her rival choked off the forehand, the Indian adapted quickly enough to unleash backhand crosscourt winners.

The results (second round): singles: Suchanan Viraprasert (Thai) bt Manisha Malhotra 7-5, 6-2; Scarlett Werner (Ger) bt Ivanna Israilova (Uzb) 2-6, 6-1, 7-5; 3-Adriana Barna (Ger) bt Shelley Stephens (NZ) 6-1, 6-2; Varana Marie Beller (Ger) bt Chang Kyung-Mi (Korea) 6-4, 6-2; 6-Kim Jin-Hee (Kor) bt Ekaterina Kozhokina (Russia) 6-3, 7-6 (6), 4-Dominika Luzarova (Cze) bt Sania Mirza 7-6 (7), 5-7, 7-5; 1-Tzipi Obziler (Israel) bt Ipek Senoglu (Turkey) 6-3, 6-1; Napaporn Tongsalee (Tha) bt Andrea van den Hurk (The Netherlands) 6-2, 6-1.

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