Tennis: Big slap turns match round

Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium was unstoppable against Flavia Pennetta of Italy in the final of the ASB Classic. Photo / Getty Images

From the moment Yanina Wickmayer hit her thigh so hard it sounded like someone bellyflopping into water from a 10m tower, everything went her way.

It was as if a switch were flicked. At the time she trailed 3-1 but immediately Wickmayer picked up her game and played sublime tennis, powering to a classy 6-3 6-2 win over the higher-ranked Flavia Pennetta, for her third career title.

"I don't do it very often," the 20-year-old Belgian said of her self admonishment, "but it woke me up at least. It still hurts a bit ..."

Pennetta was the one left hurting. The Italian went into yesterday's ASB Classic final as favourite. The top seed and world No 12 had lost only 17 games in pursuit of her 13th title and the way she disposed of fourth seed and countryman Francesca Schiavone 6-3 6-0 in Friday's semifinal on the back of her finesse and control left many believing she wouldn't be beaten.

In the end, though, she had no answer to Wickmayer's power. Pennetta chased every ball valiantly but Wickmayer had it on a leash. It didn't matter if it was crosscourt forehands or backhands down the line, they invariably found their target.

"I'm really, really happy. I think I played almost the perfect match," Wickmayer admitted. "I know how she plays. She's a really tough one and doesn't make many mistakes. From 3-1 down I really played the perfect match. I played really aggressively, made a lot of winners and moved into the court. She made me play my best tennis and I did today."

Sadly for the crowd at the Auckland Tennis Centre, it wasn't the final they had hoped for. They appreciated Wickmayer's undoubted talent but it rounded off an extraordinary tournament that yielded only three three-set matches in 31 contests.

Yesterday's final was played by the tournament's two best players but it was too one-sided for fans. Not that Wickmayer cared.

She's had other things on her mind recently, not least of all the one-year ban she received for missing three drugs test. The ban was overturned in time for the ASB Classic but it will be something she will be asked about wherever she plays in the near future.

That includes this week, where she will be forced to play qualifying for the Australian Open despite being the world's 16th ranked player. Australian Open officials had time to offer her a wildcard but decided against it.

"I can't play the Australian Open but I am 16 in the world," she said exasperatedly. "I deserve to play in the main draw. I didn't do anything wrong. I don't deserve to play quallies. Everyone who knows my story thinks I deserve to be on court and not next to it. But I just have to be positive.

"At least I am playing again ... and I am really happy the way things turned out. I am really happy the way I handled everything and the pressure and stayed strong."

Wickmayer looks destined for life in the world's top five. She has power, speed and confidence and is adept off both forehand and backhand and it's what helped her progress to last year's US Open semifinals.

She also now has the chance to develop as most of Belgium focuses on comeback queens Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters.

"She's very powerful," Pennetta said. "It's like all the other players. It's the way they play, the new generation. We have to be ready and try to do something different when we play against them. It's not easy because the ball is very heavy and it's fast, but I hope next time I can do something different.

"I think I did not play so bad. My serve was not that good like the other days but she was just too good. She played unbelievable from the beginning."

Wickmayer actually double-faulted the first point and added another in dropping the first game. She had three break points in the second game but squandered all three and soon found herself trailing 3-1. It wasn't long before she found her range and she broke Pennetta twice to claim the first set.

The two traded breaks early in the second set but once Wickmayer found her rhythm again it was all one-way traffic and she closed out the match in 67 minutes.

"I am really happy to win this trophy and I think it is the most important so far [in my career]," she said. "Hopefully many more to come."

If she continues to play the way she is, that is a certainty.