By Etienne Stekelenburg
June 18 2002
Today the players didn't really had to warm up at the Ordina Open grasscourt tournament at 'sHertogenbosch Holland. The temperature on centre court was rising up to forty degrees centigrade (100 degrees Fahrenheit).
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Day one of Ordina Open in the Netherlands held no surprises, all the Dutchwoman Miriam Oremans was given a wild card and won, what probably is her last 'sHertogenbosch grass court tournament, her first round match. Oremans who is 29 years said she is playing her last year on the tour this year. 'Although playing my 50th grandslam tournament at the Australian Open in 2003 would also be nice' she said in a recent interview. She is aware that she is no competition for the power tennis that is
played It was therefore really refreshing to see Oremans play old fashion
grass court serve-and-volley. She could play her own style of tennis
against Eva Dyrberg of Copenhagen, Denmark. The serve and volley tactics
really worked for Oremans winning her match in two sets 6-1 6-3. It
is uncertain whether Oremans serve and volley will work against power
hitters like Clijsters or Mauresmo. Oremans who was granted a wild card because the tournament almost takes
place in her backyard, born and raised in Berlicum, a town close to
the court had played in two finals before at the Autotron Car Museum
of Last centre court match of the first day was one between 4th seed Elena Dementieva from Russia and Marta Marrero from Spain. The sun still burned on the centre court grass and the many spectators who had left for refreshments were about to miss a good match. Both players produced good winners and forced errors upon their opponent
leading to a tiebreaker in the first set. Elena Dementieva had the better side of the tiebreak scoring six out
of her In the second set Marta Marrero produced to many unforced errors. Although she broke Elena Dementieva once taking the lead, the player from Moscow, Russia made her rebreak to make it 2-2 in the second. Dementieva kept her own serve and broke Marrero's serve again to take
the lead 4-2. Marta Marrero took Dementieva's next serve but failed
to win her own. Elena Dementieva finished the match 7-6 6-3 producing
some solid winners. |
