FED CUP 2003: SPAIN-AUSTRALIA

   Magüi had a great performance in the first-round tie between Spain and Australia in the Fed Cup 2003, winning her two matches. Here two reports of her matches.

(Translation from Diario As Digital (26/04/03))

SERNA LEVELS THE TIE AGAINST AUSTRALIA

   The Canarian Magüi Serna tied the first-round tie between Spain and Australia after Saturday’s matches and after beating Nicole Pratt by 6-3 and 6-2 in an hour and 16 minutes.

Reference of the Spanish tennis

   Serna showed after this first day, and after Conchita Martínez wasn’t able to play due to injury, that she is the main reference of the Spanish tennis and showed again her good moment.

   The Canarian had won 10 matches in a row on clay, which let her win the titles in Estoril and Budapest, where she defeated the Australian Molik, her rival tomorrow, in the final.

Effective strokes

   Serna’s strokes were more effective than her rival’s since the beginning of the match. So, in the first set Serna took advantage and was about to lead the match. Only the relaxation at the end allowed a small reaction of the Australian, but Serna took her chances.

   At the beginning of the second set the match went on in the same way. Serna broke in the first game and could win her 11^th match in a row on clay, her only loss this year on clay was in Acapulco.

   Pratt’s resistence only lasted a couple of games more, before Magüi could win her match with a new break that leveled the tie after the first day, and after Alicia Molik defeated Virginia Ruano Pascual by 6-3 and 6-4 in the first match of the day.

(Translation from Diario La Provincia (28/04/03))

Magüi Serna sets Spain in quarters

   The Canarian Magüi Serna was the protagonist of the Spanish Fed Cup team that has reached the quarterfinals after defeating Australia (3-2) and will play France in the next round.

   Spain has reached the quarters thanks to the wins of her two best players, Conchita Martínez and Magüi Serna, who defeated Nicole Pratt (6-1 and 6-2, in 59 minutes) and Alicia Molik (6-4 and 6-1, in an hour an 14 minutes).

   The most expected match of the day, because it was supposed to be close, was the one between the two numbers two of both teams: The Canarian Magüi Serna and Alicia Molik.

   However,  Magüi Serna showed the difference that exists between the Spanish and Australian tennis and showed her superiority in the match with a score of 6-4 and 6-1.

   In the first set, Magüi felt a little bit intimidated with Molik coming to the net to smash her powerful serve, but the Australian couldn’t win a game till the third game of the match (2-1). Serna won three games in a row (5-1) and the Australian could force her rival a little(6-4).

   In the second set, although Molik won the first game, Magüi was less complaisant and won six consecutive games (6-1).

   With this win, Magüi gets her 12^th win in a row since she arrived in Estoril, later in Budapest (she won both tournaments) and the two matches in Tarragona.

MAGÜI, ‘LIFE INSURANCE’. “I thought it would be a tougher match, because in Budapest the match against Molik  was intense and very difficult”, said Magüi after her match against the Australian. “Of the twelve wins, today’s match has been the one in which I have played the best tennis”, said the happy Canarian player, who has become a life insurance for the team.