Daniela Hantuchova
Daniela Hantuchova
Daniela Hantuchováis a Slovak tennis player. She turned professional in 1999 and had her breakthrough year in 2002, when she won her first WTA tournament, the Indian Wells Masters, defeating Martina Hingis in the final and becoming the lowest-ranked player to ever win the tournament. She also reached the quarterfinals of that year's Wimbledon Championship and US Open, ending the year in the top 10. She was part of the Slovak team that won the 2002 Fed Cup and the...
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth23 April 1983
CityPoprad, Slovakia
I have so much respect for the way she plays, ... I just tried to keep fighting for every point. I went for my shots and it paid off.
I had inflammation of tendonitis and felt it three days ago so I couldn't practice before the tournament,
She?s such a great ball striker, ... and if it?s in her hitting zone, she?s going to hit a winner almost every single time.
She's very good at picking her game up when she needs to. I have to give her all the credit with the way she served.
So many times in my matches, especially when I was coming up and I was really, really young and not having the experience, I was sometimes beating myself and not really playing the opponent.
She came out playing unbelievable. I don?t think there was much I could have done about that.
She proved she really deserves to be one of the best players in the world. She's just playing unbelievable tennis.
She is a dangerous player and also very experienced.
I think we all know how well she can really play. But to her credit, I thought she kept fighting until the end.
That's what I've been always saying, that I was always using the mixed doubles especially to improve my net game and being able to return a guy's serve, 'cause then when you play someone like Serena, you are little bit more prepared for that.
I was playing well in the first set, then for some reason I decided to make it difficult for myself in the second set. I was able to get back in form and win it. The conditions were very hot but it was the same for both of us.
I went for some stupid shots and was not patient enough. If you don't take your chances and she starts to feel she's getting on top, it's so hard to stop her. I didn't play the right shots the right way.
I was just really glad how I stuck in there and kept fighting for every point. That's what makes the difference for me, now being able to win these matches.
I was very pleased with the way I played today because Lisa is very tough to play indoors,