ESTORIL, Portugal - Having already earned several Top 10 wins and reached the later rounds at a number of higher-tier events, all Gisela Dulko was missing on her resumé was a title - until last week. The 22-year-old Argentine won her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title at the Tier III Gaz de France Budapest Grand Prix over the weekend and now comes to another one of her best events in Estoril, having never fallen before the quarterfinals in her three prior appearances. Follow along with the Dulko win streak as she writes the latest Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player Blog from the Iberian Peninsula.
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Friday, May 4, 2007
Unfortunately, I lost my quarterfinal against Azarenka today. She is playing really well; I couldn't find a way to turn the match around. The score looked easy but the games were all really tough, like lots of deuces and ad her ad me, but I just wasn't able to take advantage of those chances. But anyway I give a lot of credit to her - she played very well, and definitely deserved the win. Of course I'm a little tired but I feel good and I have no injuries and I still feel pretty confident despite my loss today. Now I'll have a few days off before heading to Prague!
It has been quite a ride for me the last few weeks. I did well here but winning the title in Budapest was really special. I wanted to win that so badly. I was so close in Pattaya, with three match points against Bammer in the final, so last week I was wanting it even more. I think winning Budapest was the best moment of my career! It was just great and I'm going to work hard to try and win another one.
I have the rest of the day off, so we're definitely going to go and see some of the city today. Yesterday I told you guys I wasn't going to stay in the room but I did! I was just on the internet a lot, not doing much at all except resting and spending time with Fernando. We did go out at night to that same Italian restaurant but that was about it. A very relaxed day.
Tomorrow afternoon I'm leaving for Prague. My flight is at 2pm. It's not direct; we go to Rome before Prague. I hope I can sleep on the plane this time... I am usually able to get to sleep but the flight to Estoril earlier this week, like I said... it was just impossible!
I had fun writing this week's blog and I hope you all had fun reading it. Hopefully I'll do it again soon!
Until next time :)
Gisela
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Thursday, May 3, 2007
Hello again everyone!
Well it was tough but I managed to beat Flavia in three sets today. We know each other's games so well because we've played against each other a few times and of course have played doubles together. I played really well in the first set and won it, 6-3. She rose her game in the second set and I just didn't play so well, and I lost that, 6-3. But in the third set I felt great again; I fought hard and ran down a lot of balls in the first few games and started getting my confidence back and then started playing well again. I'm very happy to have won the match.
For me it's tough to play against a friend like Flavia. I always wish the best for her in her life and in her tennis career, so it's tough to compete against her. It can happen though, and so for the hour or two that you're playing, you have to forget they are your friend. At least this one was in the second round and not in the first round! Most of my friends on the Tour are the Italians, Spaniards and Argentines; my two best friends are Mariana Diaz-Oliva and Paola Suárez, but Mariana retired last year and Paola is injured, so that's not too good for me! I'm friends with Kirilenko too, and Camerin... I like playing doubles with my friends, too. I'd rather play doubles with someone I know well. It just feels better!
On Friday I play my quarterfinal against a young Belarussian, Victoria Azarenka. I was watching some of her match today, where she beat Schiavone. She's a good player. She's tough and hits hard. We've never played each other before and so I think it's going to be an interesting match.
I've won seven in a row now and hopefully I can win another. I'm playing well but more importantly I'm enjoying being out there, too. At the beginning of the year I wasn't feeling good at all - no confidence and everything just seemed difficult - but now I'm really starting to feel like I'm enjoying it all. I just want to keep on improving and hopefully by the French Open I can be in the Top 32 so I can be seeded; but I don't usually pay much attention to the rankings.
It's about 2:30pm right now and I have the rest of the day off. I'm done my match as well as my fitness for today. Estoril is a very nice city so maybe I'll go around the city this afternoon. I definitely won't be sticking around the hotel room all day, I did enough of nothing yesterday! Whatever I do, I'll tell you tomorrow.
I'll talk to you all after my match!
Gisela
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Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Unfortunately, Flavia and I lost our first round doubles match today. We had fun playing it but we were a bit angry afterwards, because we really had our chances. We won the first set and in the second set we had a point to go up 5-4 but lost it; we were a bit unlucky on that one. That complicated things as we then went to a tie-break and lost that as well, 10-8. But it happens. We still had a good time.
I was feeling pretty good this morning - not really that tired from my first round match - but now I'm pretty tired because we spent a lot of Wednesday not doing much because it rained so much! We started that doubles match around 630pm and finished really late, like 830pm. It was getting really cold out there...
There are a few things you can do to keep yourself busy when there's a rain delay. There are some arcade games here I was playing and I also spent some time on the internet, but one game we play - I'm not sure what it's called in English - but you pick a letter then try thinking of names, brands, soccer teams, colors, animals, tennis players or whatever you want, that start with that letter. I was playing it a lot with my fitness coach and a friend of ours, Edmundo, that comes and visits us at the Italian tournaments. Whenever you're done you say 'stop' and then you check everyone's answers, and whoever got the most wins. Edmundo is Italian so sometimes he used Italian names and words, which is fine - we use every language! I'm pretty good at it... I can write fast, and I play it a lot so I usually have some answers I'll already have in my mind. I'm experienced!
After my match we went back to the hotel for a bit then me, Fernando, my fitness coach and a few friends went to dinner at an Italian restaurant. It's one of the best places here for Italian, in my opinion. I ate a little bit of everything: Caprese Pizza, pasta, peanut tortellini... and then I had chocolate and vanilla ice cream. I love ice cream. If I can get it, I'll eat it every day. My favorite flavor is dulce de leche, which I have all the time in Argentina. You can get that at Häagen-Dazs, too. Back home we sometimes eat it with bread, but it's made sort of like Nutella for that... oh and I love Nutella also. I eat a lot of food and I love sweets!
Well I'm on early tomorrow, playing against Flavia in singles. It'll be tough to play a friend so we'll see what happens.
Talk to you all afterwards!
Gisela
