TENNIS WTA PATTAYA WOMEN'S OPEN

Dulko, Bammer gunning for first title : Argentine sixth seed denies Indian sensation Mirza in thrilling semi-final battle.

By Tor Chittinand

Argentina's Gisela Dulko and Austrian Sybille Bammer will battle it out in today's final of the WTA Pattaya Women's Open at Dusit Resort after winning their semi-final outings yesterday. Dulko defeated Indian sensation Sania Mirza in two thrilling sets while Bammer needed just 89 minutes to dispose of China's Shuai Peng.

Both Dulko and Bammer will be chasing their first major title, with Dulko having contested the 2005 Hobart final and Bammer's previous best career result coming when she reached the semi-finals here last year.

Dulko said she was delighted to have made it through.

''It was a very tough match because Sania is a very good player,'' she said.

''I try to focus on each point and I did it.

''Sania hits hard with her whole body but I got the right result and it is very good to be in the final.

''I will try my best to win.''

Dulko took the first set 6-4 then had to battle hard to win the second 7-5.

Unseeded Bammer overcame the Chinese world number 42 and tournament fourth seeded Shuai 6-4, 6-2.

After the match Bammer said she had worked hard to make it into today's showdown with Dulko.

'' I fought for everything and made her run for every shot,'' she said.

''At times, my serve was really good and I played much better than in the earlier rounds.

''I just tried to make all the first serves in so she wasn't pushing me in the return.

''I did that, and hit an ace on 30-0 so I felt really relieved at that time.

''She is a good player, and it was a tough match, but I am delighted to win.''

In the doubles semi-final yesterday, second seeded pair of Nicole Pratt of Australia and Mara Santangelo of Italy beat Slovakia's Jarmila Gajdosova and Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia 7-5, 3-6, 10-4 to advance to the final against top seeds Chan Yung-Jan and Chuang Chia-Jung of Taiwan.

Today's first match will start at 3pm and will be shown live on iTV.

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

(Prefix number denotes seedings)

Singles semi-finals: Sybille Bammer (AUT) beat 4-Shuai Peng (CHN) 6-4, 6-2; 6-Gisela Dulko (ARG) beat 5-Sania Mirza (IND) 6-4, 7-5

Doubles semi-final: 2-Nicole Pratt (AUS) and Mara Santangelo (ITA) beat 4-Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK) and Jelena Kostanic Tosic (CRO) 7-5, 3-6, 10-4

Safarova sees off Henin to reach final

In Paris _ Lucie Safarova's brilliant run at the Paris Open continued when the Czech knocked out top seed Justine Henin 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 yesterday to reach the final.

Unseeded Safarova, who beat compatriot Nicole Vaidisova and world number five Svetlana Kuznetsova in the previous rounds, now meets either holder Amelie Mauresmo of France or Russian Nadia Petrova in today's final.

The 20-year-old Czech broke into the limelight at last month's Australian Open when she knocked out then champion Mauresmo in the fourth round before falling to Vaidisova in the quarter-finals.

''It's like in a dream, I am so happy,'' a smiling Safarova said in a court interview. ''The crowd was fantastic. I do not fear anyone, I now have to stay focused for the final.''

Bangkok Post
Sunday February 11, 2007