Pacific Life Open Women's Semifinals Preview

This post is cross-posted to Craig Hickman's Tennis Blog:

[12]N Li (CHN) vs [14]D Hantuchova (SVK)

Daniela Hantuchova is the only player left in the draw who has previously won this tournament (in 2002). Bizarrely, that is the only Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title this hard-hitting, long-legged, rail-thin Slovakian has after more than 5 years on the women's professional tennis tour. Li Na (her "family" name or surname is Li, her "proper" or given name is Na but the Chinese convention is that the family name is written or voiced first, followed by the proper name.) Li is a hard-hitting, very mobile player and the highest ranked member of the fast-improving Chinese contingent on tour. She also has only won one tour title. Li has the ability and tools to beat just about any player on tour if she's having a good day but can also spray the court with errors if she's off. Hanuchova's biggest liability is her delicate mental state. however, Hantuchova feels very comfortable on this court and that should give her the mental edge the Slovak needs to prevail in a slugfest over the slightly higher ranked Chinese player. Mad Professah's pick: Hantuchova.

[33]S Bammer (AUT) vs [2]S Kuznetsova (RUS)

Sybile Bammer of Austria is 26 years old and one of the very few mothers on tour (5-year-old daughter). She's a hard-hitting lefty who also has only one WTA Tour title but is having a good tournament. The only seed she had to take out was the very talented Serbian [10]Ana Ivanovic by coming back after losing the first set in a tie-breaker. Svetlana Kuznetsova is the only Grand Slam champion (2004 U.S. Open) and finalist (2006 Roland Garros) among the Pacific Life Open semifinalists and has almost three times as many WTA Tour titles (8) as the other players combined. As the tournament's top remaining seeded player, clearly she believes that this is her tournament to lose, and it is. By winning a tight match against Czech [8]Nicole Vaidisova 6-4 in the 3rd set the round before one could make the argument the tournament was decided in that quarterfinal. One thing is sure, for the second year in a row, an "ova" will be the Pacific Life Open champion. Mad Professah's pick: Kuznetsova.