Schnyder Spins and Slices Her Way to Semifinals

With tennis legend Pancho Segura looking on at courtside, 11th seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland overcame fourth-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals of the 2007 Acura Classic.

The left-handed Schnyder matched Petrova stroke for stroke from the baseline and used a variety of spins and slices to keep the Russian off-balance during the match which took 1 hour and 19 minutes to complete.

One service break is all Schnyder need to secure the first set as she broke Petrova in the fifth game to take a 3-2. Schnyder, who turned away the two break points she faced in the set, went on to take 5-4 lead.

Serving for the set, she took a 40-30 lead despite a double fault earlier in the game. At 40-30 she blasted a backhand winner.

Schnyder cruised to a 4-1 lead in the second set and looked as she would easily advance. But serving for a 5-1 lead from the north end of the court, Schnyder had trouble adjusting to the sun and double faulted three times in losing her serve.

Petrova held serve to get one break back, but Schnyder held in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. The Russian held serve to make the score 5-4 as she slammed a 116-mph ace at 40-15.

The Swiss player served for the match but got in trouble as she had to fight off two break points. On the second deuce of the game, Schnyder tracked down three of Petrova’s defensive lobs and won the point as she sliced a cross court backhand for a winner.

On the first match point of the morning, Schnyder ended the match with a forehand down the line winner.

• Schnyder advances to a semifinal match against the winner of the Elena Dementieva / Maria Kirilenko match.
• Schnyder now leads Petrova 6-4 in career head-to-head meetings.
• Schnyder was making her fifth career Acura Classic appearance. She reached the semifinals in 2006.
• Schnyder is ranked 17 in the world.
• Schnyder reached the semifinals of the 2004 Australian Open.
• Schnyder has represented Switzerland in the Olympics and Fed Cup play.
• Petrova is ranked ninth in the world.
• Petrova was making her sixth career Acura Classic appearance. She reached the quarterfinals in 2003.
• Petrova has represented Russia in the Olympics and Fed Cup play.

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