Tennis: Daniilidou victory enthrals big crowd

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Eleni Daniilidou gave herself seven out of 10 for her win over Yoon Jeong Cho in the ASB Classic final. The big crowd rated the match higher.

Saving two match points en route to her 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-2) win - the first time in 15 years the classic final has been decided in a tiebreaker - it was right up with the best finals seen here

Forget that Daniilidou was going to be too strong and simply too good for a player ranked 83rd in the world compared with her 22.

Cho, the darling of the Korean contingent at the ASB Tennis Centre, had obviously devised a game plan - and stuck to it.

Rarely did she give the Greek Goddess the freedom she wanted. Playing the ball flat and deep, Cho kept Daniilidou in check. A final many predicted would be over in little more than an hour produced almost 2 1/2 hours of nail-biting tennis.

Daniilidou was broken in the first service game, Cho in the next. The die was cast.

There were no aces, just five double faults (Daniilidou four, Cho one), some long rallies and plenty of absorbing tennis.

Daniilidou took the first set in a marathon 53 minutes after breaking Cho in a game stretched to 18 points.

The second set was quicker, with Daniilidou broken three times, Cho twice, including the third game when the Greek No 1 held advantage and Cho served her only double fault.

With both players feeling the heat - the match started with on-court temperatures hovering between 33C and 35C - and the tension, the third set was a challenge, mentally and physically.

Both held service for 2-2. Daniilidou became impatient and lost the fifth. Cho raced to 40-15 in the next as she chased 4-2. The pressure told, Daniilidou pounced and broke.

Immediately she handed the advantage back. Cho held for 5-3. Daniilidou, down 0-30 and 15-40 - two match points - was in trouble. She won four points on the trot for the game but still trailed 5-4.

Cho needed to hold to win. She smashed for 15-0, traded points to deuce but lost the next two for 5-5.

Both players held service.

Tiebreak. Daniilidou 1-0 then 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 and eventually 7-2. Cho was spent. So was Daniilidou.

Cho, the Energiser bunny, had run herself into the ground but played the match of her life.

"She played a great tournament,' said Daniilidou. "It was an incredible match ... My goal now is to play well in the Australian Open."

Cho lost nothing in playing her part in a final the crowd loved.

"This was the toughest match of my career," said Cho. "I hope by the end of the year I can be in the top 50."

On what the Seoul native showed here, few would dare question that.