Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova advanced to the third round of the ladies’ singles with a testing win over Elena Likhovtseva of Russia, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3).
Kazakhstan-bornLikhovtseva, currently ranked 50 and playing her 13th Wimbledon, brought plenty of experience to the match. She reached the quarter-finals at The Championships in 2002 and beat Hantuchova on grass at Eastbourne last year.
But Hantuchova, the No. 10 seed, was able to draw on her superior firepower off the ground, notably including a series of scorching forehand winners, to prevail.
Games went on serve in the first set until Hantuchova broke the Russian’s serve for 5-4. But shaky play from the Slovak and a perfectly timed lob saw Likhovtseva break back.
In the first point of the next game, Likovtseva chased down a seemingly unplayable drop volley for a winning pass, but her success only served to recharge Hantuchova. Three backhand winners in a row gave the 10th seed a break point, which she accepted with a forehand return down the line.
Serving for the set for a second time at 6-5, Hantuchova was taken to deuce. But she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, winning the opener when a Likhovtseva forehand found the net.
The pair traded break points throughout the second set, but games went with serve until 5-5 when Hantuchova paired two forehand winners with a backhand drop volley to earn three break points. Solid serving – her delivery is actually faster than the taller Hantuchova’s – saw Likhovtseva save all three and move ahead 6-5. A drop shot gave the Russian her first set point in Hantuchova’s next service game, but she sent a backhand long for deuce.
A match-defining opportunity presented itself to the Russian on the next point, after she drew Hantuchova out of position to set up a swinging forehand smash into a teasingly open court. This would have given Likhovtseva a second set point but she deposited the shot half way up the net.
Clearly relieved, Hantuchova capitalised on the self-belief she has acquired in recent months. She was quick to take control of the ensuing tiebreak and didn’t let go. A forehand struck to her opponent’s baseline presented the resurgent Slovak with four set points. Although the Russian’s resistance saw her save one of them with a backhand down the line, Hantuchova closed out the match as soon as it was her turn to serve.
She plays No .17 seed Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia in the next round.
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