TENNIS

It Took Another Five Years before the Indian Wells Tournament…

… Was once again the stage where Daniela Hantuchová succeeded in winning an elusive second WTA singles title

Daniela Hantuchová in action [Photograph: Tatiana from Moscow — Wikimedia Commons]

It’s been almost seven years that Daniela Hantuchová hung up her racket and subsequently took up a new role, as that of a commentator.

A look back at her career does throw up an impressive list of achievements. For starters, she is one of the handful of players to have achieved a Career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. She did it in 2005, when he first emerged triumphant at the French Open (with Fabrice Santoro) before going on to win the US Open (with Mahesh Bhupathi).

Hantuchová had earlier won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2001 (with Leoš Friedl), and at the Australian Open in the following year (with Kevin Ullyett). Likewise, the Slovak played three finals in the women’s doubles, first at the 2002 Australian Open (with Arantxa Sánchez Vicario), and subsequently at the 2006 French Open and at the 2009 Australian Open (with Ai Sugiyama on both occasions).

In singles competition, Hantuchová made it to the last four stages in the 2008 Australian Open, and the quarter-finals of four other Grand Slam tournaments. One of those last eight appearances…