Queen of surprises Safina in French Open final
Friday, 6 June 2008
PARIS, June 5 (AFP): Russia's Dinara Safina moved one victory away from joining big brother Marat as a Grand Slam title winner when she reached the French Open final Thursday.
The 13th seed saw off fourth-seeded compatriot, and overwhelming favourite, Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2 and will face either Ana Ivanovic, the second seed, or third seed Jelena Jankovic, both of Serbia, in Saturday's final.
Marat Safin won the US Open and Australian Open before his career went into steep decline, while a 2002 semi-final appearance was his best performance at Roland Garros.
Few would begrudge his little sister from triumphing in what will be her first Grand Slam final after staging two carbon copy comebacks in the previous rounds.
The 22-year-old saw off fellow Russians, top seed Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva, despite being a set and 2-5 down. For good measure, she also saved a match point in both ties.
"This is for me, Marat and all of my family," said Safina.
"At 5-2 in the second set and 0-30 down I got a little tight. But I told myself to be more aggressive or she would take control.
"I never expected to get to the final, but sometimes when you least expect it, the results come."
Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open winner and runner-up here in 2006, admitted she had played one of her worst matches in the French capital.
The 13th seed saw off fourth-seeded compatriot, and overwhelming favourite, Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2 and will face either Ana Ivanovic, the second seed, or third seed Jelena Jankovic, both of Serbia, in Saturday's final.
Marat Safin won the US Open and Australian Open before his career went into steep decline, while a 2002 semi-final appearance was his best performance at Roland Garros.
Few would begrudge his little sister from triumphing in what will be her first Grand Slam final after staging two carbon copy comebacks in the previous rounds.
The 22-year-old saw off fellow Russians, top seed Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva, despite being a set and 2-5 down. For good measure, she also saved a match point in both ties.
"This is for me, Marat and all of my family," said Safina.
"At 5-2 in the second set and 0-30 down I got a little tight. But I told myself to be more aggressive or she would take control.
"I never expected to get to the final, but sometimes when you least expect it, the results come."
Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open winner and runner-up here in 2006, admitted she had played one of her worst matches in the French capital.