Article by Gerhard Grundhammer

Daniela Hantuchova seems to be not only the big hope for the slovakian nation, to have a second top-athlete (next to their hockey team, who is currently in the semis of the ice-hockey world-champoinships), she seems to be also a big hope for the international press to create a second Anna Kournikova.
Though she improved to no 14 this year with currently 1444 points, i hardly found reports about her tennis, but lots and lots about her beautiness, her legs and her modelling attempts. As the german TV station ZDF covered the Betty Barclay Cup last week, they spoke more about the first round loss of Hantuchova and her appearence as a model during a Betty Barclay Show, than about the win of the tournament of Clijsters.

Somehow I thought they try to make a second Anna Kournikova out of her, again. Daniela is probably the most improved player in 2002. The 6`1" tall player, who lives in Bratislava on the river Donue, did even win the Trier I tournament of Indian Wells about a month ago.

As I am not trying to write actuall match-previes, but rather try to "introduce" Jelenas opponents, and to give you a clue who they are, I go with the international press and concentrate on her private life. I guess that interview has some pretty stupid questions and even more stupid answeres, which makes it worth to read:

Q.: Try to describe yourself
A.: Anbitious, stubborn, but it`s better for others to describe me.

Q.: What do you like?
A.: Blue colour, modern italian and french music, relaxing books and any food from my mommy and nanny.

Q.: What is your ideal holiday?
A.: On a desert beach under a palm tree, if I had time for it.

Q.: Who can you not stand?
A.: People that are false, and there are lots of them in today world. They wont tell you the truth to your face and they are talking behind your back.

Q.: Would you prefer an actress or a model career?
A.: I would rather be a model, but not full time.

Q.: What clothes do you feel best in?
A.: In new clothes which is in. At the moment red clothes are in fashion. (that interview was taken in slovakian language and someone translated it for me. but i am not really sure what that answer means)

Q.: What would you like to do different than Anna Kournikova?
A.: I would like to concentrate more on tennis than she does.

Q.: Would you like to be world number one?
A.: I dont talk about my goals and dreams but I can say that they are high.

Well, I guess Jelena does not play against the most clever girl of the wta-circult today, and if she is using her variety of shots more than just power, she will have no problems with Daniela, who beat her at Leipzig 2001, as Jelena just went out of an airplane from the far-east, whilst Daniela had a proper preperation for the tournament.

A second interview with Daniela Hantuchova, taken after she beat Hingisova at Indian Wells that year, and has actually some questions about tennis can be found at:
http://www.tennisrulz.com/players/hantuchova/article01.htm