Krajicek on mission to be family's new star
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One member of her family won the greatest prize in world tennis. Another had a part in a Bond movie.
The name's Krajicek. Michaella Krajicek.
Not that the half sister of 1996 Wimbledon men's singles champion Richard Krajicek and sister-in-law to model and actress Daphne Deckers is content with a life of fame by association.
Michaella is an outstanding tennis player in her own right, a former teenage prodigy - world junior No 1 at 15 and Wimbledon women's singles quarter-finalist at 18.
But wrist and knee injuries knocked the dynamic Dutchwoman out of her stride and she found herself in Barnstaple this week for the first time as she attempted to rebuild her career.
A future Wimbledon champion? Do not rule it out. If her half-brother could do it why not her?
As a precedent, she has seen how the Russian, Dinara Safina, followed in the footsteps of her brother, Marat Safin, to become World No 1 in 2009.
"Dinara spoke to me about it," said Krajicek. "She always wanted to get rid of the fact that she was the sister of Marat and she asked me if I felt the same way. I was like, 'No, I find it quite an honour'.
"She was really proud when she beat it but I don't feel that way.
"I am here for my own career and it would be great if I could reach as high as Richard was, No 4 in the world, and win a grand slam. And if it was Wimbledon, it would be a dream come true."
The AEGON GB Pro-Series Barnstaple tournament offers precious ranking points as Krajicek, 21, endeavours to climb back towards her peak ranking of 30th in early 2008 from her present 134th. At one stage she dropped outside the top 300.
Never mind that the Barnstaple prize-money of 75,000 is little more than half the ?88,000 she earned for reaching the last eight at Wimbledon in 2007. It's not about the money.
"At tournaments like this you want to win as many matches as possible to move up," said Krajicek.
"That is why you play. I know I have the qualities to be where I was, hopefully higher."
Some of those qualities were on display on Tuesday when Krajicek defeated Stephanie Cohen-Aloro, from France, 6-4, 6-4 to earn a second-round tie today against Johanna Larsson, the defending champion from Sweden.
Larsson is seeded No 2 but her opponent is unseeded, dangerous territory when a Krajicek is on the other side of the net. Richard was unseeded when he won Wimbledon.
He is 17 years his half-sister's senior - they have the same father but different mothers - and, away from tennis, Michaella enjoys visiting her family, including Richard's wife Dapne and their two children.
Deckers co-presented Big Brother in the Netherlands before the idea was picked up in Britain. In the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, she played Elliot Carver's PR girl.
Barnstaple may not have the glamour of a film set or Centre Court but Krajicek described it as "very cozy, very nice".
However, by the time she played her first match the Tarka Tennis Centre was very empty.
All the day's other matches were completed, the other courts were unoccupied, and there was an eerily quiet atmosphere as fewer than 20 people stayed on to watch the conclusion, most satisfied with what they had seen.
On an adjacent court, the 6-3, 7-5 defeat of the top-ranked British entrant, Anne Keothavong, by Russia's Ksenia Pervak was followed immediately by a three-set thriller.
Larsson almost went the same way as Keothavong, beating wildcard entry Naomi Broady, from Britain, only on a deciding set tie-break.
For those who like their tennis with tantrums, Broady combined extreme determination with frequent outbursts at the umpire over line calls. But at least she was showing that Barnstaple matters.
It matters to Britain's Daneika Borthwick, a 6-0, 6-2 loser to Finland's Emma Laine in the final qualifying round.
Aged 17, from Cumbria, Borthwick arrived without a world ranking but she expects her two wins prior to her exit will earn her one.
"This tournament is really special to me now," she said.
It matters, too, to Joyce Richards, a senior citizen from Fremington who bought a pass for the duration of the tournament. It is her third year coming and she will not miss a minute.
"I am an avid fan," said Joyce. "It is a good standard, a lovely atmosphere and everybody is so pleasant." Anything else? "Nice and clean," she said. Good job she didn't buy tickets for the Commonwealth Games instead.
And it matters to Stephen Bishop, a line judge from Loxhore, who has officiated at Wimbledon.
So much so that he was sticking to the rule about not talking to players, even though he works as a Tarka Centre coach and receptionist.
"You don't talk to any of them," said Bishop. "If you talk to one, and you are on court with the same player, there is always the chance somebody will say, 'He's her friend'."
And it matters to Michaella Krajicek. It may be Barnstaple today for the third best known member of the Krajicek family but tomorrow never dies.
Like 007, she is a girl on a mission.