Wickmayer ducks shadow of bigger Belgians to win at Auckland
January 9th, 2010 - 7:34 pm ICT by IANSAuckland, Jan 9 (DPA) Belgian Yanina Wickmayer Saturday won the ABS Classic title to continue her emergence from the shadow of celebrated compatriots Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.
With that high-profile pair of former number one players - both engaged in comebacks to tennis following retirement - US Open semi-finalist Wickmayer blazed her own trail with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of top seed Flavia Pennetta to earn the Auckland title.
The third-seeded Wickmayer claimed the third title of her career dating back just over eight months.
“This week will stay in my heart and my soul for the rest of my life,” she said. “I’m just really happy to bring this trophy home. It’s the most important one till now.
“Hopefully there will be many more to come.
“My back was hurting when I came here, mentally I didn’t feel very well. I tried to focus on other things, relax and enjoy being at a tournament again,” said the player who beat a one-year ban, reversed for missing notification to anti-doping authorities in 2009.
The Belgian ranks 16th and is unworried by a relative lack of attention paid to her at home. “Everyone is talking about Kim and Justine playing in Brisbane,” Wickmayer said of the two finalists at the WTA event this week.
“All the Belgian press is there. That’s what it’s going to be, I guess, with Kim and Justine back.”
Wickmayer constructed her victory over Italy’s Pennetta with five breaks of serve, winning in less than an hour and a quarter.
- Wickmayer ducks shadow of bigger Belgians to win Auckland title - Jan 10, 2010
- Pennetta to face Wickmayer in Auckland final - Jan 08, 2010
- Nadal does it easy while Del Potro struggles through (Lead) - Jan 20, 2010
- Wickmayer back on court a winner in wake of Belgian ban reversal - Jan 04, 2010
- Clijsters backing Belgian women to win the title (Australian Open diary) - Jan 23, 2010
- Nadal reaches fourth round as Clijsters crumbles - Jan 22, 2010
- Clijsters out for four weeks due to hip injury - Mar 29, 2012
- Nadal eases ahead on day of domination at Australian Open - Jan 20, 2010
- Australian open: Wozniacki loses to Clijsters, surrenders World No.1 spot - Jan 24, 2012
- Protestor hauled off as Peer plays on - Jan 06, 2010
- Federer again aims to hold off challengers in 2010 - Dec 31, 2009
- Peer marks Dubai debut with first-round win - Feb 15, 2010
- China's Zheng Jie wins Auckland WTA title - Jan 08, 2012
- Belgian rivals set up fourth-round showdown, Isner crashes - Jun 26, 2010
- Australian Open: Sania out of doubles too - Jan 19, 2011
Tags: belgian press, belgians, brisbane, comebacks, compatriots, dpa, ducks, eight months, emergence, flavia pennetta, justine henin, kim clijsters, lack of attention, relative lack, rest of my life, retirement, semi finalist, trophy, wta event, yanina wickmayer