Hingis/Novotna Get Scare, But Reach Doubles Final  Canadian Open, Saturday, August 22 By Chris Gerby

Hingis/Novotna vs. Martinez/Tarabini
Doubles: Semifinal
Centre Court

  Barely more than 30 minutes after a tough three set loss in singles, Jana Novotna was right back out on Centre Court with doubles partner Martina Hingis. They faced a potentially stern test from Conchita Martinez and Patricia Tarabini, who were seeded 6t

  At 30-15 in Game 6, Hingis ran well past the doubles alley in flicking a backhand winner almost parallel to the net. This drew a bow from Novotna and helped them break Martinez for 5-1. The Martinez forehand was a weak link throughout the set and it del

  Novotna next held at 15 on a nice drop volley by Hingis. Tarabini made a desperate scramble for it and tried to attack Martina with her racquet once she did get to the net. Proving that "practice makes perfect", Tarabini executed a textbook Sabatweenie

  An uncharacteristically easy break of Novotna gave the underdogs a 5-3 lead. Martinez hit an ace to stave off a break point, but lost the next on a long backhand. Down 5-4, 30-30, Novotna got a lucky mis-hit volley winner and kissed the strings of her r

  Love holds by Martinez (always the first on her team to serve in a set, since Tarabini's serve is nothing to write home about) and Novotna brought the score to 1-1. Novotna nearly secured a break in the next game, but her would-be winner was overruled lo

  Martinez and Tarabini played inspired tennis to break Hingis and added a quick hold for a 3-2 lead. Six sets of tennis in one night appeared to be too much for Novotna, whose poor volleying cost her team another break of serve and put them in an unenvia

  At 4-4, 15-30, Tarabini had a sitter backhand volley...which she buried in the net. Hingis converted the double break point with maybe the single most eye-popping shot of the entire week, a magically whippy backhand overhead winner which showcased her un
 

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