A post full of mix fortune today, the ongoing trend of one of my favourite players doing well while the other struggles, is continuing.
While Hantuchova, playing in the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp swept aside the 83rd ranked Czech lucky loser Zuzana Ondraskova 6-1, 6-0 in the first round yesterday, Henman announced his withdrawal from the Marseille Open with the ongoing back trouble which last week he had apparently quashed.
I caught the last four games of the match and it was all very comfortable, good first serves and huge ground strokes were the order of the day for Hantuchova, with Ondraskova rarely able to keep up with the power and accuracy of her opponent. I saw just one good rally, the rest was too one sided to be truly enthralling.
Henman, languishing uncomfortably at 36 will next travel to Rotterdam; a tournament in which he has made the final twice, to try and continue the good form he has managed to show this year when fit.
Of course, while Tim wallows atypically in the mid ranks of the top 100, Daniela continues to soar up the rankings and will be knocking on the door of the top ten looking for a warm welcome back. At number 14 in the world she is currently at her highest ranking for well over two years but will have to maintain her solid form over the next few months with a decent amount of points to defend from 2005.
*Picture by danielafrenchsite.
All Things Tennis 