Patty
Schnyder, the Swiss girl who for so long had to play
second fiddle in her country to Martina Hingis, underlined
her return to form with a solid 6-4, 6-1 first round win
over Japan's Akiko Morigami to earn a second round match
with her compatriot, Emmanuelle Gagliardi.
Schnyder, a winner of eight titles on the professional
tour, has been as high as eighth in the world rankings but
by the end of last year had slumped to 23rd. Her recovery
this year began early with a semi-final place, her first
in a Grand Slam, at the Australian Open and she also
reached the last four at the Birmingham grass court event
two weeks ago.
That grass court experience showed in the way she
dominated the 24-year-old Morigami, one of the four
Japanese in the ladies' draw. Schnyder's raking ground
strokes and clever use of angles had the diminutive
Morigami scampering to stay in contention. She managed to
do that for eight games in the first set before the roof
fell in when she dropped serve to concede the set in 33
minutes.
Although she is only 25, Schnyder is making her ninth
consecutive appearance at The Championships, with her best
year a third round place in 2001. A repeat of that looks
possible judging by the fashion in which she dominated the
second set. She hammered away from the baseline, making
clever use of drop shots and occasionally getting up to
the net for telling volleys.
Morigami was broken in the second game when she hit a
backhand into the tramlines and any ambitions that a
recovery might be around the corner vanished when she was
broken to love to concede the Swiss a 5-1 lead.
Serving for the match, Schnyder delivered her only ace of
the afternoon and reached match point on another Morigami
forehand error. She then put away a simple high backhand
volley to wrap up what must have been for her a satisfying
victory. |
Singles
1R
beat Akiko Morigami 6-4 6-1
2R lost Emmanuelle Gagliardi
6-2 6-7 2-6
Doubles with Schett
1R
beat Jugic-Salkic/Jurak 6-2 4-6 6-2
2R beat Dominikovic/Rodionova
6-1 6-4
3R lost
Black/Stubbs 6-7 4-6
Photos
Wimbledon 2004 gallery
Article
Schnyder
Loses All-Swiss Tie
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