Safina advanced to the Ordina Open final
30th June 2006
(‘sHertogenbosch) Dinara Safina is the first player to advance to the Ordina Open final that will be held on Saturday at the Autotron in Rosmalen, near ‘sHertogenbosch. The Russian defeated Greek Eleni Daniilidou in three sets, 6-3, 3-6 and 6-4. Safina will either meet her compatriot Elena Dementieva or Dutch Michaëlla Krajicek, who will play for a place in the final later today.
Safina started losing her service game in the first set. “I was a little nervous in the beginning,” she said. Safina managed to break back in the fourth game, and with a break in the sixth service game, the Russian took a 5-2 lead after holding on to her own service.
In the second set, the match went to Daniilidou. With service breaks in the first, the second, the fifth, the sixth, the Greek took her third service break in the eighth. With holding on to her own service, she took the second set, 6-3.
Safina, in the third set, took the second service game away from Daniilidou, but the Greek had her rebreak in the next service game. Both players held on to their service until Safina took the lead in the ninth game.
The Muscovite held three matchpoints on 5-4 and 0-40, but the Greek from Thessaloniki came back to advantage on her own service to stay in the match. Safina hit a forehand winner for deuce. Daniilidou then hit a ball long giving Safina her fourth matchpoint. She was not wasting the fourth opportunity, and with a forehand winner, Safina advanced into the final of the Ordina Open 2006.
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