Krajicek upsets title defender Koukalova at the Ordina Open
22nd June 2006
(‘sHertogenbosch) Michaëlla Krajicek defeated last year’s title defender Klara Koukalova. The Dutch needed three sets to advance to the next round of the Ordina Open. The match was bothered by wind and delayed due to rain in the first set. Krajicek said that not only her Czech opponent was against her, she also had to fight against the windy conditions on centre court. After three sets the 17-year-old came out as the winner ousting Koukalova 6-7, 6-4 and 6-3.
“It was a weird match,” Krajicek said. “There was a lot of wind. I did put up a good fight, I was physically very strong today. And I started to serve better as the match went on, but in the third set it was so windy that my service didn’t go as well as I wanted.
“Today my opponent was much better than the one in the first round, but I could react better to her way of playing in the 2nd and 3rd set.
“I moved around court much better as well. Sometimes I felt I was faster at the ball than I expected. At one point I hit a return at the net and I did not realize I had so time enough to play it better than I did.
“Koukalova’s service is not very hard, but it’s very well placed. So I am very glad I ousted the title defender today,” the promising youngster said.
Last year the Krajicek family was very disappointed not being able to play the mixed doubles at Wimbledon. This year Michaëlla is fit and healthy enough to play the mixed doubles, but brother Richard got injured while playing tennis in Spain two weeks ago.
“We were getting a wildcard for the mixed doubles but we didn’t apply for one since Richard told me he couldn’t play at Wimbledon, specially our dad is disappointed. He wanted to see us playing that mixed doubles. It is also a disappointment because this year it’s ten year ago Richard won the title there.
“Playing doubles with Richard has become very important to me, but for some reason it is not going to happen yet. Next year he is another year older so that’s not going to help either. At Wimbledon I will play doubles with Sania Mirza from India now,” she added.
Krajiceks next opponent will be Jelena Jankovic of Serbia who defeated Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(5).
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