Commonwealth Bank Tournament Of Champions
Bali International Convention Center
Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia
SEMI FINAL
All French Affair Set Up For Bali Showdown
Marion Bartoli today reached her fourth WTA final of the year by defeating Kimiko Date-Krumm, and in doing so, set up an all French final with Aravane Rezai at the inaugural Commonwealth Bank Tournament Of Champions in Bali.
The French number 1 secured a break to 30 in the opening game of the match, and then continued in scintillating style with three consecutive aces to send out a message in no uncertain terms that she was aiming to be the ace player on court today. Marion sealed the game and a 2-0 lead with a winner produced from her first serve.
The former top 5 ranked Date-Krumm lost another break, but immediately retrieved the break to get on the scoreboard at 3-1. However this was simply applying war paint to a battle-scarred face, as the Japanese player took just one point from the next two games for all her gallant effort.
Serving to stay in the set, the best Date-Krumm could do was apprehend Marion at deuce for a fleeting moment. But as if energised by Olympique Marseilles' 6-1 victory midweek, Marion Bartoli formed a beautiful symmetry with the ruthless arithmetic; 6-1 first set.
The 2nd set did little to alter the complexion of things as the veteran Jap's ephemeral title hopes yellowed rapidly. A 2nd set bagel looked on the cards and Marion began to fire out the aces again towards a seemingly inevitable 6-0 end. 5-0 up Marion earned a first match-point, but she was unable to convert with a forehand down the line which went wide.
Date-Krumm took this stay of execution with gratitude and glee - fighting back with skill and guts to within a point of bringing the 2nd set on serve at 5-4. However Marion held off the break point and eventually sealed the match with a 2nd match-point of the game and third match-point overall, almost half an hour after earning the first match-point. (OMG'ess..)(Bartoli)
"Until 6-1 5-1 it was absolutely perfect", said Marion, "Then Kimiko started to play really well. She was swinging freely and hitting some really great shots. It wasn’t my level going down, it was her playing too good. But I knew I just had to win one more game and that’s what I did."
Date-Krumm offered her own analysis, "I like this surface but I think she likes it more than me, and I think she likes my ball also, very flat. If I can play with more spin I think she would have more trouble, but that’s not my tennis. In the beginning I tried to hit more angles, using the backhand slice and dropshot, but her ball is very deep so it’s difficult to hit them. And I made too many mistakes, and if I didn’t hit the right angle she could attack."
It has been an infrequent occurence during the time i've been running this blog that Marion has played a player as old as I am, let alone a player three years older. So fair play to Kimiko, i'm still trying to get my head around the 'Krumm' bit, being of an age who remembers her as Kimiko Date, and with typical tennis-illiteracy at the time would have made a hazy cognitive association with another name of the era, Yayuk Bazuki.
Yours trully did however pick Kimiko to reach the semi final. So good luck to her for next season. I'm sure every tennis fan hopes that the tour enriches her life and gives her some fun and excitement over the next few years, just as her own presence has enriched the tour since coming out of retirement.
This victory positions Marion Bartoli to within one win of a top 10 return, and to within one win of a career landmark 50 wins in a season, and lastly to within one win of a third title in 2009. The opposition lain before Team Bartoli for tomorrow's deul is a certain Aravane Rezai. Marion claimed a famous even infamous victory over Rezai at the French Open in 2007, and more recently beat the Strasbourg titleholder in straight sets only last month in Tokyo. "It will be great that a Frenchwoman will win the title." observed Marion.
Marion Bartoli will deservedly start the overwhelming favorite for tomorrow's showdown, but Rezai has had a good run in Bali including a surprise upset over Sabine Lisicki. No one will be taking this casually, but if form, rank, and ability hold true, Marion will win.
Congratulations to the team on reaching yet another final. Good luck for tomorrow. With you 100%. CUMMON!!
New photos on the Slide
The evergreen Kimiko Date Krumm
