WIMBLEDON 1998
(Translation from http://www.galeon.com/v/vdagchbh/)
Serna says that her game “hurts a lot”
The
Canarian Magüi Serna explained yesterday that her tennis on
Wimbledon’s grass “hurts a lot”. That’s why
she doesn’t rule out anything in this British tournament.
Serna defeated the Japanese Naoko Sawamatsu by 6-3, 5-7, 6-0,
returning from the baseline the power of the Japanese
player’s strokes in the first set, which she won in the
second setball. In the second one, however, the Canarian player
made many unforced errors, and she was losing by 2-4 and 5-4 and
the Asian’s serve. And although thanks to her net approachs
she could get a 5-5, she lost the second set. In the last set,
Serna improved her game and benefited from the mistakes of her
rival and got a 6-0 in her first matchball. Serna’s next
rival will be the Olympic Champion Lindsay Davenport, who
defeated the Venezuelan María Alejandra Vento by 6-3, 1-6 and
6-2. If she won, she could face Conchita Martínez in the
quarterfinals, which would made that there was a Spaniard in
semifinals.
(27th June 1998. Translation)
Magüi asks for a place
With a great game, Magüi is in the 1/8 finals, where she’ll face Lindsay Davenport
Fernando Carreño. Londres
The fifth day of Wimbledon was again an almost ghosty day, because the rain only let finish 16 out of the 90 scheduled matches. However, one of them was the new win of Magüi Serna, a player who has and will have lots to say, and another historic score, Steffi Graf’s defeat, who couldn’t get through the third round in the year of her comeback.
Magüi’s case is special: she is one of the few players, men and women, who enjoys herself playing on grass, and what’s more strange (for most people’s opinion) in Wimbledon. But she’s getting her prize because she’s a perfect player on grass: fast and aggressive, lethal near the net and serves wonderfully. Yesterday, except for some moments when she wasn’t concentrated in the second set, she played a great match (11 aces and 45 points won in the net) against the dangerous Naoko Sawamatsu. She’ll play now the 1/8 finals against Davenport. She only wants the ‘prize’ of playing on the central court. She’ll do the rest.
Serna: “I haven’t done enough yet”
Magüi Serna got yesterday her best result in a Grand Slam, after
reaching the 1/8 finals. However, “I don’t conform and
although I’ve never defeated Davenport, this is a surface on
which I can ‘hurt’ her. I’m not going to leave
with the mentality of having done enough, but with the intention
of winning the match”, says the Canarian player, very
motivated for her match against the American Lindsay Davenport.
(Translation from DIARIO 16 (27th June 1998))
MAGÜI SERNA IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CONTINUES UNDER THE CLOUDY SKY
José María Guimaraens. Londres
The rain called off the fifth day, which began with a four-hour delay. Magüi Serna and Steffi Graf’s matches finished. The Spaniard qualified for the 1/8 finals and the German, 7 times queen on the All England Club’s grass, lost to the Bielorussian Natasha Zvereva.
[...]
The left-handed Canarian Magüi Serna defeated the Japanese Naoko Sawamatsu in three sets. The match has its little history. Serna played long points in the first set, sliced the ball with her backhand in the second and the Japanese, who hits the ball flat, was in disadvantage very soon. What happened later was that the Spaniard, instead of benefiting from the favourable score, let her rival win the second set, making many mistakes. Sawamatsu had just to hit the ball inside the court to get points.
In
the third set, Serna could develop a solid enough tennis and her
rival couldn’t get any game, the ‘honour’s’
game. Serna will play in the 1/8 finals to the American Lindsay
Davenport, second favourite, who defeated the Venezuelan
Alejandra Vento. The Canarian has won 6.4 million pesetas so far.
In her match against Sawamatsu, Magüi Serna got 11 aces and made
5 double faults. The Japanese didn’t get any ace and made 6
double faults.