THE tennisreporters.net NEWSLETTER: SATURday, JUNE 5, NO. 89

Myskina devastates Dementieva, joins women's elite
Coach Gerlach: 'What is it going to do if I just walk away if she misbehaves?'

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

"Every once in a while she, unfortunately, she tends to lose her manners and her head a little on court, towards me or her family," her coach, Jens Erlach, said. "But this tournament actually was the first time [she didn't do it a lot]. There was one little incident, there are always going to be incidents. Many people have asked me 'Why you let her treat you like that?' or, 'How can she do that to you?' and I always say that we talk about it, she understands that. She always says sorry when I have her one-on-one. What is it going to do if I just walk away if she misbehaves? It's not going to do anything."

It cannot be easy to walk away from such big-time talent, which is why Erlach (who also dated Myskina up until about a year and a half ago) was willing to hang around despite his student's volatile personality. Myskina actually apologized to him during the presentation ceremony for such a "hard person."

"I've worked on it," she said. "I know it doesn't help if you yell at somebody. I was yelling at myself more than anyone. It's hard work and my coach helped me a lot with it. Finally, I've become much more professional."

ANASTASIA THE GAZELLE
If you didn't follow tennis and put the slightly-built Myskina in a lineup with the Williams sisters and Belgians Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters, at first glance, most observers would choose the other four as better players simply because they look more athletic. It's only when you see Myskina run like a gazelle and steer her opponent around the court that you realize what a wonderful player she really is.

Even though she owns seven titles and came into Roland Garros as the sixth seed, she was no more than a dark horse in most analysts' minds. Due to a toe injury she sustained in March, she missed all of April and was slow to come back to form during May warm-up tournaments. But Erlach kept reminding her how good she was, and that she had beaten Henin-Hardenne, Clijsters and Amelie Mauresmo late last year. Sure, she had won only one match at Roland Garros prior to this year, but is there anyone with a better two-handed backhand in the game right now?

According to Myskina, so much of her success in the tournament was a result of her three-set win over Australia's Alicia Molik in the first round, a hard-hitter who upset her last year. She busted a racket in that match, and busted another two in her 8-6 in the third set win over teen countrywoman Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round. But in key moments, she kept her head on straight

"After the Molik match I got a lot of confidence and then the Kuznetsova match a littler more," she said.

A lot more faith came after she schooled Venus Williams in the quarters. After that, everyone should have known that she'd toast Jennifer Capriati in the semis, but let's not forget that in the three Grand Slams when she had reached the second week before, she melted down.

"The turning point was the Venus match because for the first time she put together two sets, point for point against a Top-5 player," Erlach said. "It was just a matter of time for her to finally take it to a Grand Slam and beat somebody big. In her mind that made her believe finally that 'I can do it. '"

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Fifteen years of friendship in a hug.

Twenty minutes before the final against Dementieva, Myskina wept in the locker room. Fortunately, WTA Trainer Deb Lenaghan gave her tips on how to breathe during the match and once on court, she inhaled like a yoga master. "It's really hard to hold the emotions," she said. "But if you can control yourself, it's much easier to play these important matches."

Myskina played airtight tennis during a contest where her opponent, Dementieva, could have used a solid hour with the trainer blowing up balloons before she strode on court. She was as nervous as any first-time finalist has ever been, putting a terrible serving performance that reminded five-time Grand Slam champion Martina Hingis of the serving trials of her former doubles partner, tight-armed Anna Kournikova. During the seventh game of the second set, the side-arm serving, toss-wavering Dementieva shrieked at herself after double faulting. "I said, 'I hate my serve,' which is true," said Dementieva, who later broke down crying while discussing her lame duck serve. "I don't know how to serve."

So it was the brunette who won the first pizza prize match between the two when they were kids in Moscow who again came out on top over the blonde, this time when the Suzanne Lenglen Cup was on the table. It was Myskina who became the first Russian woman to win a Slam.

"Of course I always believed [she could win a Grand Slam]," said Erlach. "I probably believed more than she did at times. We talked about it a lot, it was one of our goals, and now we have accomplished it.''

On Monday. Myskina will climb to No. 3 in the rankings behind Henin-Hardenne and Clijsters. The Williamses and the Belgians will be waiting for her at Wimbledon and for the rest of the year, seeing whether or not she has the goods to make a go to No. 1. Erlach says that he has to make sure she keeps believing in herself.

It seems like Myskina already does. "I'm able to play with them now," she said. "I have a lot of confidence. I know now I'm one of the best."