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Tennis / BMW WTA Malaysian Open: Seeking redemption in KL

FORMER World No 1 Dinara Safina hopes to play with renewed confidence under new coach, Davide Sanguinetti in the US$220,000 (RM682,000) BMW WTA Malaysian Open at Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort, which starts tomorrow with the qualifying round.
The Russian is on a comeback trail after a series of poor performances and injuries saw her world ranking drop to 112.

Dinara, who turns 25 on April 27, has been working with the Italian former ATP Tour professional since early this month after she parted ways with Gaston Etlis following the 'double bagel' she received from Belgium's Kim Clijsters in the first round of last month's Australian Open

"I am working hard on my game under Sanguinetti, who is with me for this tournament. It will be my first tournament with him and I hope to achieve a certain target here," said Dinara at the tournament's official sponsor and charity campaign announcement function at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort yesterday.
"Of course, my aim is to get back to my best once again. I don't know when but I intend to do it as quickly as possible."


Dinara has yet to go beyond the first round in tournaments so far this year. She was sent packing by Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer at the ASB Classic in Auckland and France's Marion Bartoli in the Moorilla Hobart International in Australia.

But it was in the Australian Open, where she earned the distinction of being the first former World No 1 -- man or woman -- to lose 6-0, 6-0 at a Grand Slam tournament since the start of the Open era.

"I did not play in many tournaments, also played badly in the ones I played in last year because of injuries. My goal is also to stay healthy throughout this year," added Dinara, who has yet to win a singles title in Grand Slam events.

Carbon Media Management Sdn Bhd, the promoter of the Malaysian Open, revealed yesterday that Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova has withdrawn from the tournament and India's Sania Mirza will be her replacement in the main draw.

Sania was first offered a main draw wild card but her promotion means Carbon Media has two wild cards to spare before the official start of the tournament on Monday.

Italy's World No 4 Francesco Schiavone and Australia's World No 31 Jarmila Groth are so far the tournament's wild card players.

It is learnt that Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova is among those likely to be offered one of the remaining two wild cards.

Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM) president Tan Sri Abdul Razak Latiff said S. Theiviya was the only local player to request for a qualifying round wild card.

"We want to help those who want to make tennis as a career. We gave Theiviya a wild card because she requested for it as she wants to go far in tennis," said Abdul Razak.

Also at the function were Deputy Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim and BMW Group Malaysia managing director Geoffrey Briscoe.

Razali announced that the government has allocated RM250,000 for the tournament.

Read more: NST

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