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Things she has an edge on: ground game - two-handed backhand, forehand and return of service Things she has to work on: physical endurance, consistency, net game, service Her main rival: SABINE APPELMANS. These two beauties have been going head-to-head for the past few years as the top tennis players of Belgium. Although Dominique has defeated Sabine in each of their six meetings, and although Sabine has dropped off significantly in the current rankings, they do have a rivalry going - a rivalry in order to win the hearts of their fellow Belgians. Yes, it is true, these two players have each been voted Belgium's top female athlete of the year on two separate occasions - Sabine in 1997 and Dominique in 1998. And both broke through on the tour at the same time when the pair reached the quarterfinals of the 1997 Australian Open. It marked the first time that each had made it through to the last eight of a Grand Slam event and the first time in history that two Belgians reached the last eight of the same Grand Slam tournament. Bottom line - who can pick a favourite between these two Belgian beauties?!?! Perhaps one of the lower profile names on the WTA Top 20 is Dominique van Roost, but the petite Belgian certainly knows how to play an exciting brand of tennis. Dominique dismisses her opponents by fusing together the contrasting elements of grace and power into her game. And it is a game that has taken her from outside of the top 50 in 1996 all the way into the top 10 towards the end of 1998. It all started for Dominique at the 1997 Australian Open, when the then inexperienced 23 year old defeated 2nd seed Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in a thrilling third round encounter (8-6 in the third) and followed that up by out-hitting the previous year's semifinalist, 15th seed Chanda Rubin, in the fourth round to reach her first grand slam quarter final. For the first time in her career, Dominique would finish the year in the top 20, largely due to her performances in Australia, which, aside from the quarterfinal appearance in Melbourne, also included a title in Hobart. Go To Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
The copyright of the article Venus Williams for the French Open title? Quite likely indeed... - Page 4 in Women's Tennis is owned by . Permission to republish Venus Williams for the French Open title? Quite likely indeed... - Page 4 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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