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Hantuchova should be a little too good for Bartoli

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Perfecseun previews the first of the semi-finals from the Fortis Championships

Semi Final 1

D. Hantuchova (Slovakia) vs M. Bartoli (France)

This is the 2nd match between the pair this year and the third in their career history. Bartoli secured her first win against the Slovakian in Birmingham this year on grass, but it will be a battle to get two in a row over the determined Hantuchova.

Marion Bartoli has had a brilliant year which surprised most tennis fans. She had been playing well this year but underlined her performances with the win over Henin to make the Wimbledon finals this year. Since then, she has done little to build on that achievement.. This is not a negative thing as Wimbledon must have taken a lot out of her physically and mentally. It was during this run of good form on grass, the beginning of it, that she secured her first win over her opponent today.

2007 has been a good one for Hantuchova as well. She won her second WTA title at Indians Wells, the first since she took the same title in 2002. However, she did not use that momentum but has taken a break and is looking fresh. Her quarterfinal match against Schnyder was a brilliant show of resilience and guts. She dug deep after losing her serve when serving for the match and was taken to a third set in which she emerged the 7-5 winner.

Hantuchova is a fighter but can play pretty awful at times and you wonder why she is a top 10 player. Having said that, she is in good form. The Bartoli serve might just play into the hands of Hantuchova as the French woman has a peculiar style of serving which can aid her opponent. There is not much difference between the 2 in terms of ranking, 10 and 11 but Bartoli´s style of play is just worrying and she is not the most consistent player either.

Suggested Bet: Lay M. Bartoli to win 2-0 sets @ 3.7 and Lay M. Bartoli to win the match @ 2.02