Vaidisova knocked out of second round of Family Circle Cup

Last year, in the quarterfinals at Charleston, Patty Schnyder made short work of phenom Nicole Vaidisova by doing what Schnyder does best--changing the pace, mixing up the shots, and throwing her opponent off-balance. Today, Vaidisova appeared to have forgotten the clay lessons she learned last year. Catalina Castano, down 1-5 to Vaidisova in the first set, proceeded to win ten games in a row, and eventually claimed the match at 7-5, 6-2.

Castano accomplished this feat first by believing she could, and then by using all the clay skills she had to throw Vaidisova off her rhythm. Castano played so covincingly that when Vaidisova finally held serve at 1-4 in the second set, it was hard to believe she could overcome what had happened to her game. Visibly frustrated, she was able to win only one more game before the whole thing was over.

Later, in an interview, Castano said she had played Vaidisova only one time before. Vaidisova won that time, 7-5, 6-4. Castano said she had practiced with Vaidisova, however, and felt she had a good idea of what Vaidisova's game was all about.

Schnyder, for her part, played as sloppy a match as I've seen her play. Though she possesses excellent first and second serves, she had trouble getting any serve in in today's match against qualifier Meilen Tu, and she continually sprayed balls out of the court or hit them into the net. Her opponent played solidly, but Schnyder, with all her flaws, was able to pull big winners out when she really needed them, and wound up the victor, 6-4, 7-5.

I saw the first part of the Shuai Peng/Marion Bartoli match, in which Bartoli was totally dominant. Later, I learned that Peng had lifted the level of her game, and I just happened to be walking by in time to see her save three match points. On the fourth, however, Bartoli prevailed, 6-1, 6-4.

Jill Craybas cleanly defeated Maria Elena Camerin 6-4, 6-2, defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne defeated a skilled and determined Sybille Bammer 6-2, 6-3, and in the strangest match I saw today, Dinara Safina defeated Vera Zvonareva, 7-5, 7-5.

It had been a long time since I had seen Zvonareva play, and I had forgotten how quickly and deftly she moves on the court, what good anticipation she has, and how beautiful that stinging backhand of hers is. Zvonareva can do it all, but she is still so mentally fragile. Throughout the match, she talked animatedly to herself, whacked her racquet on the court surface, and looked as if she were going to implode. She changed her racquet so many times, we began to wonder where this endless cache of racquets was coming from.

She and Safina exchanged fast, deep groundstrokes in long rallies that were, at times, breathtaking. Both volleyed well, and both made some outstanding shots. It was steamroller tennis from the first moment to the last. Safina had chances to close both sets at 6-4, and buckled under the pressure repeatedly. Had Zvonareva just held herself together a bit better, she could have turned Safina's missed opportunities around to her own advantage. For her part, Safina was able to deliver the really big winners at crucial moments.