Tennis: Little battler breaks semifinals jinx

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Anna Smashnova's catchcry is very much one of "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Eight times if you must.

A regular every year in Auckland since she was named rookie of the year on the WTA Tour in 1994, Smashnova finally broke her semifinal hoodoo, at Stanley St yesterday.

The 25-year-old Israeli beat Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-2 to book her place in the last four at the ASB Bank Classic.

It was a gutsy effort.

Ranked 22 places below her opponent on the Sanex WTA list, Smashnova was also giving away six years and 11cm in height. .

With a game favoured to clay courts, she has a never-give-in, chase-everything-down attitude.

Smashnova was born in Minsk, Belarus, and has lived in the Israeli town of Herzliya for 11 years.

She knew her match against Garrigues, would be a mental battle.

"I have played her twice before and both went three hours," Smashnova said.

"We are both the same type of players which means you have to be patient and wait for the other to make an error."

Ranked 87th in the world, Smashnova says that trying to make the top 20 - 16 places higher than her career-best in May 2000 - is more mental than physical.

"There are a few things in my mind - and my head - I have to improve if I'm going to make the top 20," she said.

Her 76-minute victory earned her another trip to centre court and her second clash with Anna Kournikova.

"I lost to her two years ago on clay," Smashnova said.

"It did not worry me whether I had to play her or Emmanuelle Gagliardi.

"They both have the same game with a big serve."

Asked why she travelled so far to play her first tournament of the year, Smashnova, who has twice reached the fourth round of the French Open, said: "I like Auckland to visit. I like it here."

Her clash with Kournikova promises plenty.

Smashnova has the type of game that could frustrate Kournikova.

A battling retriever who makes few unforced errors, she will do all she can to keep the tournament favourite on court for as long as she can.

But it might need more than that for her to reach her third Tour final, as Kournikova will not be underestimating the 1.58m battler.

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