Foot Fault!

Before this week, I’m sure most of you had never even heard of Irina-Camela Begu. And I don’t blame you one bit. She has always been talented, but the last three years have seen her superglued to the #175-250 rankings vaccum, completely unable to break free and realise that potential.

But there has been a change in 2011. First she qualified and powered through to the title in the Cali $100k ITF event – by far the biggest title of her career, and now she’s doing it again in Marbella, qualifying and winning two rounds before yesterday taking out 34-ranked Klara Zakopalova to record the biggest victory of her career.

On the ITF site, she lists Martina Hingis as her idol, and armed with a strong defense, court sense and impressive tennis IQ, it’s not hard to see why she does look up to the game’s ultimate tactician.

Awaiting her in the semi-finals is Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Kuz hasn’t exactly been in the most scintillating form this week, so it will be interesting to see if Begu can hold her own against the two-time slam champ and top 15 player. My guess is that she’ll do just that.