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| 05 Jul 2003 | |
| Flipkens wins epic |
By Eleanor Preston at Wimbledon
Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) won a three-set, 36-game marathon to outlast Jarmila Gajdosova (SVK) 2-6 6-4 10-8 and earn a place in her first ever Grand Slam girls’ final. Playing on a nearly full Court No.1, which holds 11,429 people, Flipkens and Gajdosova served up a treat which at times threatened to eclipse the Williams sisters final being played on Centre Court at the same time.
“I have no words for this, it’s awesome,” said Flipkens. “To play in front of 12,000 is amazing. As soon as I knew I was on Court 1 I was telling everyone. I have played in front of a big crowd before in Antwerp but this was so special, being on grass and being in a semi-final even though that was at home.”
Flipkens now takes on Anna Tchakvetadze in Sunday’s final after the Russian beat Emma Laine (FIN) 6-4 6-2. The title match will also be played on Court 1. “I think playing such an incredible match out there today will definitely be an advantage in the final because it will be a new experience for her and it’s definitely a bit scary when you first walk out there.”
Flipkens was down a break three times in the final set yet battled back time and again, relentlessly attacking the net with a mixture of bravery and recklessness, and eventually Gajdosova’s nerve began to fail her.
As well as the massive crowd roaring her on, Flipkens also boasted a supporter’s camp packed with tennis’ biggest names. Women’s World No.2 and fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters and her boyfriend, 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, both shouted encouragement to Flipkens, as did Hewitt’s parents Glynn and Cherilyn and of course Flipken’s own mother. Flipkens plays doubles with Clijsters’ younger sister Elke and says the two-time French Open champion is like a big sister to her, too.
“I really appreciate that Kim and Lleyton came to watch me,” said Flipkens. “It shows that they are so normal, but then I knew that anyway. It was so nice to have them there. Kim was the first person I saw when I came off court and we both had tears in our eyes.”
Melbourne-born Chris Guccione will be bidding to continue Australia’s grand tradition of success at Wimbledon when he takes on Florin Mergea (ROM) in Sunday’s boys’ final.
Guccione, who beat another Romanian and Mergea’s doubles partner, Horia Tecau, 6-3 6-4 in the semi-finals wants to keep the trophy in Australian hands following Todd Reid’s victory last year. Mergea beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-7, 6-4.
“Todd rang me last night to tell me ‘well done’ and congratulate me and that was great,” said Guccione, 17. Guccione and Reid both train in Melbourne as part of the Australian Institute of Sport’s elite tennis squad and Guccione says Reid’s success in 2002 has spurred him on. “Todd told me to keep it going,” he said. “And I’m going to try.”
Guccione has also been inspired by another countryman, Mark Philippoussis, who despite undergoing three knee operations in recent years will be the fourth Australian in a row to play in the men’s final on Sunday, at the same time as Guccione will be playing Mergea.
“It will be nice to make it a double with Mark and I both winning titles,” he said, “but we’ll have to see. I think it’s fantastic to see him doing so well because he’s been having it tough for a couple of years. I had a hit with him last week and I’ve been keeping an eye on his matches. It will be hard not to keep looking up at the scoreboard during my final, just to see how he’s doing.”
While Philippoussis must contend with Roger Federer in the men’s final, Guccione will be pitching his traditional Aussie brand of serve and volley against Mergea, who he lost to in the Queen’s final three weeks’ ago.
“It’s great to be in the final,” said Mergea, who is also through to the doubles final with compatriot Horia Tecau. “I’ve been playing good on grass so I had big expectations, though maybe not as big as this. Now I am there I don’t want to let this chance slip away.”
Photos by Susan Mullane
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