History has shown that nothing comes easily for Kaia Kanepi, at least according to Kaia Kanepi. But it didn’t seem that way today. The world No. 34 beat world No. 24 Daniela Hantuchova, 6-2, 6-1, in 74 minutes. It was her first win over Hantuchova, and it earned her a second singles title in her second successive final.
It wasn’t the final most anticipated at this Australian Open tune-up, not with Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters in the draw. Both finalists were unseeded, but the result was rarely in doubt. Kanepi won nine straight games from 1-2 in the first set, and she lost just one point in the first four games of the second. (A lovely, angled forehand winner from Hantuchova.)
Hantuchova managed more resistance toward the end, partly owing to Kanepi’s nerves as the win grew nearer. In the last game Kanepi broke for the match, but only after seven deuces and three match points. Kanepi won the fourth match point on a Hantuchova backhand error.
Kanepi hit 31 winners in all, compared to Hantuchova’s 14. And she never faced a break point, just as she didn’t in shockingly one-sided wins against Francesca Schiavone and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova earlier this week. Kanepi was “better in all the departments of the game”—Hantuchova’s words, not mine—but the keys were her reliable serving, deep groundstrokes, and aggressive mindset.
Hantuchova reached today’s final with a little help from Serena, who withdrew before their quarterfinal, and from Clijsters, who retired during their semifinal. Of course, Hantuchova’s no slouch in the tennis department, with wins against 11 of 13 No. 1s during her career (all but Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport) and a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. Her showing this week will likely take her to No. 21, which isn’t close to her career-high of No. 5 nearly a decade ago, but is movement in the right direction.
For the 26-year-old Kanepi, it’s hard to know if this, her first Premier title, is a relative fluke or the start of something bigger. She admitted she’s at her best, and her timing is good. The Australian Open is close, and a new projected ranking of No. 26 will get her seeded there.
The winner of last year’s Brisbane title—another player whose firepower is apparent but whose challenge is consistency, one who also started the year at No. 34—did well in Melbourne and many other places too. Kaia Kanepi may not be Petra Kvitova, but then Petra Kvitova wasn’t always Petra Kvitova, and the beginnings of things can be awfully fun.
—Bobby Chintapalli