KEY POINTS:
In her words, Camille Pin is "not very powerful, not very tall and not very strong".
But she is very French and is very much alive, and in today's ASB Classic semifinals after cleaning out her compatriot Emilie Loit 6-3, 6-3 yesterday.
This is world No 75 Pin's third WTA semifinal, after Vancouver in 2004 and Tokyo last year.
She was steadier than Loit, whose radar went AWOL after her fine display in eliminating defending champion Marion Bartoli on Wednesday and what Pin lacked in muscularity she compensated for with placement.
"I had a very specific plan and I always kept my mind on this," Pin said of the all-Gallic contest.
And the plan was ...
"To push her on her backhand, and me come to the net and put pressure on," she said.
It worked well. Pin is one of the WTA's journeywomen and she knows she lacks the physical attributes of many of her fellow Tourists.
But she's philosophical and has a realistic view of her place on the circuit.
"I am not very powerful, not very tall, not very strong. In normal life I don't feel small, but in tennis I do. Sometimes people make fun of me," she quipped, referring to her lack of stroke power.
The 25-year-old from Nice is nice, too. She's won seven ITF singles titles and is at her career high ranking, which is sure to go up after this effort.
It's likely her run will end today.
She will tackle top seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic today, whom she has never played before but is guaranteed to give the diminutive Pin a torrid time.
"I will have a good rest and give everything I have tomorrow," she said.
It's unlikely to be enough but you've got to love a battler.
