Daniela Hantuchova - A Biography [Part 2/3]

Daniela announced her arrival on the pro tennis circuit in 2000 when she reached the quarter-finals first in Strasbourg and then in Luxembourg, having taken her first major scalp by beating top-10 player Nathalie Tauziat.

Daniela played in her first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, in 2001 where she qualified for the first round, only to be beaten by Anna Kournikova.

The U.S. Open was a smilar story, again defeated in the first round after qualifying. But progress came in the remaining Grand Slams of 2001, with Daniela reaching the second round at both the French Open and at Wimbledon. It was also at the All England Tennis Club that Daniela won her first grand slam mixed doubles title with partner Leos Friedl.

A Wimbledon champion at just eighteen, the young Daniela went on to reach the semi-finals at Birmingham and Oklahoma and began 2002 with a greatly improved world ranking of 38, a position she maintained with another mixed doubles Grand Slam victory, this time at the Australian Open with new partner Kevin Ullyett.

Biography Part Three...