The eighth seeded Slovak, lost the first set 3-6. However she managed to win the next two sets.

Daniela Hantuchova, last year’s quarterfinalist, won the the final set 7-4 on a tie-breakto win the match 3-6 6-4 7-6 against her Chinese opponent Li Na.

Savchuk, 99 positions down to 14th ranked Daniela Hantuchova, outplayed the Slovakian, to confirm her birth against Russia’s Nadia Petrova.

Daniela Hantuchova’s sloppy game made things easy for the Ukrainian top post a straight set victory.

Daniela Hantuchova had a bad start and never found her rhythm to make a comeback in the match.

Daniela’s chances to play in the quarter finals of Australian Open was demised when she lost to the former wimbledon champion and semi finalist last year here in Australian Open, 6-4 6-4.

Though Daniela Hantuchova lost the match in straight sets, she put up a good fight to the fourth seeded Russian, Maria need to do all she can to win this match.

The score express a little tale of a whole drama, as Daniela was in lead 3-0 in the second set.

Hantuchova, 22, said she pulled a muscle in her left leg while racing to a second-set lead and her movement was restricted when she resumed playing after having her thigh strapped.

Daniela Hantuchova pulled a muscle in her left leg when when things were moving in her favor in the second set. Theis forced Daniela to take a break for treatment and after her return Daniela had problems with her movements, which gave the chance to Maria to complete the second set without loosing any points.

Daniela Hantuchova who upset the defending Champion Serena William in the previous round, was looked a real threat to Maria - a hot favorite now.

Former world number five, is in a course of rebuilding her career which went to all time low - currently 17.

Daniela Hantuchova said she is leaving the tournament feeling the comeback was on track after beating seven-time grand slam winner Serena Williams, “I’m taking home some really nice memories, especially from the match against Serena,” and “It was something very special for me.

“Today I felt, again, that I was very close. But it just showed me the few little things that I still need to work on and improve. Hopefully next time I come back here, I will be even more ready,” the confident Daniela Hantuchova said.

Seven time Grand Slam winner and defending Australian Open Champion Serena Williams was down to Slovokian Daniela Hantuchova in a rain interrupted match.

This is Daniela Hantuchovas’ first win against Serena as their earlier meetings were won by the American.

Foremer WOrld number 5 WTA ranked Daniela Hantuchova managed to grab the first set 6-1. From the beginning Serena was struggling to find the rythm, but forced second set to a tie breaker which she loat eventually.

Now 22-year-old Daniela Hantuchova will meet fourth seeded Russian teenager Maria Sharapova in the fourth round of Australian Open 2006.

Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova thrashed the Uzbekistan player at Melbourne Park on Day Three of Australian Open 2006 in straight sets 6-4 6-1.

Now, Daniela will meet the defending champion Serena Williams, who won the second round 6-3 6-1 with Frenchwoman Camille Pin, in the theird round.

Slovakian Sexy Babe Daniela Hantuchova came from a set down and made 22 unforced errors and winning just half of her first serves. She looked out of sorts early against the left hander.

However in the second set, 17th seeded Daniela Hantuchova recovered from the early setbacks and started converting her first serves to win the game 6-3.

The third set was went in favor of Daniela Hantuchova, as she won without loosing a game 6-0.

The score:
Australion Open First Round:

Daniela Hantuchova (17)	3	6	6
Saori Obata	6	3	0

Daniela Hantuchova maintained her composure to claim the first set against World No. 34 Sania Mirza, was not ready to give up.

The second set saw Daniela Hantuchova struggling against Sania Mirza, as she served well and Sania’s trademark power-packed forehand had Daniela in a spot of bother. Hantuchova managed to win only two games before loosing the set to Sania Mirza and aloowed the match to a decider.

However, Daniela Hantuchova proved her superiority by giving a tough time to Sania Mirza. The Indian teenager finally exhausted and lost to Slovakian beauty Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Daniela Hantuchova will meet third seed Patty Schnyder in the second round of the Australian Open lead-up tournament.

In the quarterfinals, Israeli qualifier Obziler served for the match 5-4 up in the third set.

But the Slovakian Tennis Star Daniela Hantuchova broke her and went on to win the two following games.

Its been a narrow victory for the second seeded Daniela Hantuchova, to reach Semifinals, with a quarterfinal score 7-5 3-6 7-5.

Currently world number 19, Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova reached the third round of all four Grand Slam events is the another under 20 ranked player, with WTA number 10 Nadia Petrova, in the tournament.

Richard Palmer, the tournament director says the pair are exciting to watch, and neither has been to Auckland before so it is great to get some fresh faces for the tournament.

Apart from reaching the third round of all four Grand Slams this year and Daniela Hantuchova has previously made the Quarter Finals at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2002 and Australian Open in 2003.

Daniela Hantuchova has been as high as number five in the rankings and Palmer says she is coming to Auckland to begin her rise back up in to the top ten.

He says to get a player of Daniela Hantuchova’s calibre is brilliant and they are over the moon to have two extremely talented top twenty players heading down under.