PierreC
02-11-2007, 09:41 PM
Results – Sunday, February 11, 2007
Singles – Final
(4) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 46 61 64 (Match duration: 1 hour, 48 minutes)
Doubles – Final
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/RSA) d. Navratilova/Uhlirova (CZE/CZE) 62 60 (Match duration: 58 minutes)
Finals facts - Petrova wins her seventh career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title and first of 2007. She is now 7-6 in Tour singles finals.
- Safarova was appearing in her fifth career singles final and first Tier II final. She previously won three titles including 2005 Estoril and Forest Hills and 2006 Gold Coast. She is now 3-2 lifetime in Tour singles finals.
- This was the third meeting between Petrova and Safarova, and Petrova now leads their encounters 3-0.
- Safarova defeated three Top 10 players en route to the final: No.2 Henin, No.5 Kuznetsova and No.9 Vaidisova.
- Safarova is projected to record a new career high ranking of No.25 (current career high is No.26) when rankings are released Monday, February 12.
- Black/Huber win their second title together as a team this year and fifth overall. The duo improves to a 14-2 win-loss record for the season and have reached at least the semifinals at all four events contested.
- Black now holds 29 career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles titles and Huber owns 17.
- Navratilova/Uhlirova were seeking their first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles title together. Their previous best results as a team were semifinal finishes at 2006 Acapulco and Strasbourg.
Quotes
Nadia Petrova, 2007 Open Gaz de France singles champion:
"The level of tennis she was playing at in the beginning was very high; it was like her eyes were closed and everything was going in. I changed how I played after that; in the beginning I was building points and she was blowing me away. Then I decided to just stick to the basics and look for the opportunities. She began giving me errors, that gave me some rhythm, and I was back in the game. I got a little bit nervous at the end but she was really playing well; she felt she had nothing to lose. In the last game I went to the net and it really worked well."
"I'll give my best every tournament, and hopefully I'll have more titles this year. Hopefully I'll get closer to my goals, like getting to the semifinals of a Grand Slam and maybe win one. It should be a good year for me."
Lucie Safarova, singles runner-up:
"It has been a great week for me; I beat players I only dreamed about beating. It wouldn't be right to be sad now. I got a lot of experience and confidence. Hopefully this will help me get better."
Singles – Final
(4) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. Lucie Safarova (CZE) 46 61 64 (Match duration: 1 hour, 48 minutes)
Doubles – Final
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/RSA) d. Navratilova/Uhlirova (CZE/CZE) 62 60 (Match duration: 58 minutes)
Finals facts - Petrova wins her seventh career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title and first of 2007. She is now 7-6 in Tour singles finals.
- Safarova was appearing in her fifth career singles final and first Tier II final. She previously won three titles including 2005 Estoril and Forest Hills and 2006 Gold Coast. She is now 3-2 lifetime in Tour singles finals.
- This was the third meeting between Petrova and Safarova, and Petrova now leads their encounters 3-0.
- Safarova defeated three Top 10 players en route to the final: No.2 Henin, No.5 Kuznetsova and No.9 Vaidisova.
- Safarova is projected to record a new career high ranking of No.25 (current career high is No.26) when rankings are released Monday, February 12.
- Black/Huber win their second title together as a team this year and fifth overall. The duo improves to a 14-2 win-loss record for the season and have reached at least the semifinals at all four events contested.
- Black now holds 29 career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles titles and Huber owns 17.
- Navratilova/Uhlirova were seeking their first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles title together. Their previous best results as a team were semifinal finishes at 2006 Acapulco and Strasbourg.
Quotes
Nadia Petrova, 2007 Open Gaz de France singles champion:
"The level of tennis she was playing at in the beginning was very high; it was like her eyes were closed and everything was going in. I changed how I played after that; in the beginning I was building points and she was blowing me away. Then I decided to just stick to the basics and look for the opportunities. She began giving me errors, that gave me some rhythm, and I was back in the game. I got a little bit nervous at the end but she was really playing well; she felt she had nothing to lose. In the last game I went to the net and it really worked well."
"I'll give my best every tournament, and hopefully I'll have more titles this year. Hopefully I'll get closer to my goals, like getting to the semifinals of a Grand Slam and maybe win one. It should be a good year for me."
Lucie Safarova, singles runner-up:
"It has been a great week for me; I beat players I only dreamed about beating. It wouldn't be right to be sad now. I got a lot of experience and confidence. Hopefully this will help me get better."