Player of the week: Lucie Safarova

After her breakthrough in early 2007, when she reached the quarter-finals in the Australian Open and the final in Paris defeating Top-3 at that time Justine Henin, Amelie Mauresmo and Svetlana Kuznetsova, Czech Lucie Safarova hadn't showed that great level again. But this week she has found her game back and by coincidence it was again in the Paris indoors tournament.


After sweeping Tamira Paszek in the 1st round losing just 3 games, Safarova had to face a very tough draw as an unseeded player. 4th seed and WTA #18 Francesca Schiavone was the first victim of Safarova in the 2nd round, who also swept 6th seed Shahar Peer, one of the best players in late 2009 and early 2010 season, in the quarter-finals by 6/3 6/0. The semifinal was even more difficult, as she faced 2nd seed and WTA #12 Flavia Pennetta, but despite losing the 1st set Safarova came back to get her place in the final. And then the most difficult challenge, 1st seed and WTA #7 Elena Dementieva. Safarova took the 1st set in the tie-break, but Dementieva raised her level to take the title in a high-quality final.


Although Safarova had to content herself with the runner-up place as in 2007, recovering the best sensations on her tennis are really good news for her.