(Translation from Diario La Provincia (08/03/06))

WIN OF MAGÜI SERNA AFTER ELEVEN MONTHS OF INACTIVITY

On a day with ugly weather, Magüi Serna arose yesterday in the haze to show that her marvellous left hand still conserves some great tennis. She only lacks competition rhythm to get the maximum of her powerful serve and to adjust her drive a little bit more.

Yesterday she played the German Tatjana Priachin, a big hitter that reached the main draw after going through three qualifying rounds. However, the power of her game succumbed against the technical repertoire of the Canarian. The combination of high and deep balls, accompanied by effective drop shots, and a wonderful sliced backhand from behind the line, which destroyed the back and broke the hopes of the young German player, among the constant claps of the many spectators that went to El Cortijo.

However, Priachin took benefit of the initial nerves of Magüi to break her serve in the second game, but from that moment the Canarian took the lead of the match to finish the first set by 6-4, in 29 minutes of play. The second set had the same score after Magüi recovered the initial advantadge of the German with three breaks.

"I started a little bit nervous, but as the match was advancing I was calmer", said Magüi barely after the match. "I lack a lot of rhythm, but I am satisfied with how things went. I hope that tomorrow (today), I start finding my game".

Precisely, today (17 h) she'll play the German Vanessa Henke, sixth-seeded and number 170 in the WTA ranking. A tough rival, but we hope that the intelligence and the clever game of the Canarian continues to win the battles until her real tennis game is back.