INDIAN WELLS 2003

     Report of Magüi's first round match against the French Emilie Loit.

(http://www.tennis-ontheline.com/iw030305.htm)

Serna lays down the Loit

Pacific Life Open, Indian Wells (March 5, 2003)
by Ed Toombs

Magüi Serna d. Emilie Loit, 6-4, 6-3
First round
Stadium 2
Last meeting: Serna leads 4-1

   France’s Emilie Loit jumped out of obscurity at the Australian Open this month ago. She battled eventual champion Serena Williams tooth and nail for three sets in Melbourne, even inciting the world number one to swear at her after the Frenchwoman had the nerve to fight off a match point with a drop shot. Loit, who lost a lot of weight in the off-season and is now in fighting trim, has also reached two semifinals already this season (Canberra, and just last week, Acapulco). This figured to be a good test against a fellow left-hander, the talented Canary Islander Serna, who has been a troublesome opponent for Loit in the past.

   It turned out to be a fine match between these two southpaws. They have a lot of shots and tactics in their arsenal, including -- gasp! -- the volley, and are not afraid to use them. Serna had considerable success chipping and charging to Loit’s weaker side, the backhand, while Loit was scoring with her now-famous drop shot and looking for chances to nail her potent inside-out forehand. In the end, the match was decided by Serna’s intelligent and proficient play.

   Loit had the first bright moments, riding her strong forehands to a 4-2 lead. But Serna turned on the pressure with her chip-and-charge tactics, winning the final four games to close out the first set. Set point was a dandy: Serna stayed in the rally with some excellent retrieving, and finally passed Loit with a crosscourt forehand winner.

   While Serna was sharp, Loit was slightly off form, missing a number of short forehands and approach shots at key points. She showed her exasperation early in the second set after driving yet another short ball into the net, scolding herself in French, “That’s 20 times now, maybe more!” She was also letting out her frustrations on the chair umpire, calling him “connard” (roughly, “idiot”), after an overrule.

   Loit’s last stand came at 4-6, 2-4, when she broke Serna by pressuring her at the net and forcing an errant lob by the Spaniard. But she immediately lost her own serve at 3-4, 15-40, with a wild swinging volley that was way too long, drawing a groan from the spectators. The solid Serna made no mistake with the match on her racquet at 5-3, serving it out at love.

     Report of Magüi's third round match against the Indonesian Angelique Widjaja.

(http://www.tennis-ontheline.com/iw030308.htm)

Serna shines

Pacific Life Open, Indian Wells (March 8, 2003)
by Ed Toombs

Magüi Serna d. Angelique Widjaja, 7-5, 6-2
Third round
Stadium 3
First meeeting

   24-year-old Spaniard Magüi Serna won the final of our favourite corner of the draw, and, more importantly to her, gained a berth in the fourth round with a logical straight set win over 63rd-ranked Indonesian teenager Angelique Widjaja.

   Serna has a lot of weapons in her arsenal, and used them all to baffle the young Indonesian. Aces (6) and hard forehand drives were complemented with a number of tasty drop shots and lobs. Widjaja acquitted herself well, especially in the first set with some fine backhand passes and angled winners, but in the end was outgunned.

   Widjaja had chances to at least put the first set in a tie-break, after breaking Serna when the Spaniard served for the set at 5-4. But Serna broke back immediately in a long 5-5 game, finally converting on her fourth break point with a gorgeous topspin forehand that curled just inside the sideline. With Magüi serving for the set again at 6-5, "Angie" tried hard to re-break, but at 30-30 got a bit of bad luck with a Serna shot that looked out was called in. An out call would have given Widjaja a break point to force a tie-break. The Spaniard went on to hold, knocking off a volley winner on her first set point.

   In the second set Serna continued her stylish play, breaking Widjaja in games three and seven, and firing a service winner on her first match point.