Give it up for Petra Kvitova, taking her second WTA title of 2011 at the Premier Paris Open tournament, beating Kim Clijsters 64 63 in the final. She had two exceptionally tough matches against Barbora Zahlalova Strycova and Yanina Wickmayer before cruising against Mattek-Sands, and Clijsters never looked like winning. The pace and depth of Petra’s shots – and serve – are so unbeatable when she’s on, and she’s had a stellar start to the year; if she can keep it up – or at least avoid a string of first round losses such as that which followed her semi-final appearance at Wimbledon last year – she’ll be in the top 10 soon, although clay isn’t her best surface.
And she’s so cute.
It wasn’t a particularly bad week for Clijsters either, as her run to the final puts her back at no. 1 from tomorrow, displacing Caroline Wozniacki. However, they’d better hold off on the trophy presentation for now, as Wozniacki could potentially take back the top spot in Dubai. Congratulations to Kim nevertheless, who did win the last two Slams and is at the top for the first time since 2006.
But we all know hanging about with Momo is the real prize.
Pattaya City
A big week for Daniela Hantuchova in Thailand, taking her fourth career title and her first since Linz in 2007. Ana Ivanovic – having split up with yet another coach, this time Antonio van Grichen – disappointed against Roberta Vinci and Kirilenko lost an absolute screamer in the second round against Galina Voskoboeva, but Hantuchova still had to contend with Kimiko Date-Krumm, who had beaten her in all three of their previous meetings, and queen of Pattaya Vera Zvonareva in the semi-finals before absolutely crushing Sara Errani in the final.
Huge congratulations to Elena. She had some tough opponents to deal with, none more so than Lucie. The third set was really great stuff and should be taken as a smack in the face to all those who say that the WTA doesn’t produce good finals. That Elena burst into tears when she won really showed how much it meant to her.
And just when things couldn’t get more heartwarming, Momo presented her with the trophy.
Robin Soderling d. Mikhail Youzhny, 64 20 ret.
Poor, poor Mikhail Youzhny. He played so well to beat Nole in the semis (just like he did to beat Gasquet at the AO), then once again injury strikes him down. He was clearly heartbroken. Sad face.
A hearty ‘yay’ to Robin Soderling though. He had a nightmare at Chennai and the AO and a lot of people have been questioning whether he would be able to back up last year’s career-best achievements. Well, he’s not doing badly so far.
Vera Zvonareva d. Tamarine Tanasugarn, 64 64
Welcome back to the winner’s circle, Vera.
(Other tourney results to follow as soon as they finish / I can find decent photos.)
Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo may not be returning (excuse me while I have a moment to myself), but it’s still a pretty great draw. Serena has predictably withdrawn, so the top seed is Elena Dementieva, and it’s hard to see anyone in her quarter causing her too much trouble, unless Rezai puts in a Sydney-like performance in the quarters. Yanina Wickmayer is the top seed in the second quarter, but after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and putting in a heroic performance in Fed Cup this weekend, it’s hard to see her having the energy for a deep run. Some great first-round matches in this quarter – Szavay-Govortsova, Oudin-Cirstea, and Schnyder-Razzano – and really anyone could come out here. Almost everyone seems due for a deep run.
By comparison the third quarter seems a little light, with Peer, Schiavone, Safarova and Cornet all coming off Fed Cup duty. I can’t see Bacsinszky or Paszek taking much advantage, though. I call a Peer-Schiavone quarterfinal. And in the fourth quarter, the big question is whether Kleybanova can build on a good Fed Cup performance to take out Flavia in the second round and kick on from there. I’m saying no, while Elena Vesnina has yet to do much of note in 2010.
Predicted champion: Elena Dementieva. She nearly won it last year, has had a good long rest after dropping early in the Australian Open and skipping Fed Cup, and this is the kind of tournament where she eats.
Top four seeds are defending champion Vera Zvonareva, Licky, Vera Dushevina and Yaroslava Shvedova. Looking at Vera’s draw, it’s almost impossible to see her not defending. I just hope Licky can stay in long enough to make things interesting.
Momo called it a career today, announcing her decision to retire from professional tennis at the age of 30.
“I don’t want to train anymore,” a teary-eyed Mauresmo said at the press conference. “I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grow older, it’s more difficult to stay at the top. It’s a bit sad, but this is the right decision. I was lucky enough to have an exceptional career and to experience very strong feelings on the court.” [...]
“It became very hard in build-up to the US Open,” the 30-year-old said. “If I were able to enter the court, play and shine, of course I could continue, but to achieve this you need to put in such hard work. And I’m not capable of that. I dreamt of this career, I dreamt of winning a Grand Slam title. I lifted trophies in every city in the world and I lived 10 magical and unbelievable years.”
I’m sure I don’t have to explain how sad this makes me. But when it’s time, it’s time. However her life after tennis plays out, it’s going to be wonderful.
Momo was the first women’s tennis player I ever supported, and I’m so glad I got back into serious WTA-watching this year to catch her fantastic performance in Paris. Everything I’ve ever learned about her off the court has only made me admire her more. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who is going to miss her dreadfully.
Amelie Mauresmo has withdrawn from the remaining tournaments she was planning to play in 2009 – Linz and Luxembourg – and is seriously contemplating retirement. Sad face.
Since my return from the US Open, I tried to practice, but I haven’t found the thirst to compete. I won’t rush into things or force the issue. I’ll give myself time to think, in order to make a decision as for the rest of my career.
I feel like I’ve barely seen her since Wimbledon, and now she’s thinking about quitting?
Wailing and gnashing of teeth in Momodom. She lost – slightly unbelievably – to Aleksandra Wozniak 64 60.
What happened, you ask? I don’t know. I was watching and I still don’t know. Momo started great and then gradually fell apart throughout the first set, finally dissolving into a sea of unforced errors in the second. It frankly sucked. I am not happy.
Great win for Wozniak, etc.
This means there will be no Momo-Flavia third round match. I was looking forward to that so much. Wozniak vs. Flavia will not be the same.
The top laydeez opened their accounts in New York today in fairly crushing style. First up, Kim Clijsters destroyed Viktoriya Kutuzova 61 61, while Victoria Azarenka did the same thing to Warsaw champion Alexandra Dulgheru and Agnieszka Radwanska only allowed Patricia Mayr one more game. You’d think they were racing to be the first to knock someone out of the tournament, had not Anastasia Yakimova stolen the show by retiring after just three games, sending Vania King through to the second round.
Also in the mood for baked products? Marion Bartoli, singlehandedly ending Paraguay’s interest in the ladies’ singles by defeating Rosana de los Rios 61 60. Vera Zvonareva and Flavia Pennetta continued the identical scorelines trend of the day, beating Nuria Llagostera Vives and Edina Gallovits respectively 60 64.
Can’t decide whether I love or hate Vera’s outfit. The colours are a tad ‘shades of diarrhoea’ for my liking, perhaps. Anyhow, Momo (unsurprisingly) made almost the heaviest weather of the top ladies, giving away a whole seven games to Tatjana Malek.
That honour in the end must go to Samantha Stosur, who squeaked by wily veteran Ai Sugiyama 64 46 64. And looked good in her outfit, if not tennistically speaking.
All in all only one women’s seed fell today, that being Kaia ‘how am I still seeded’ Kanepi, who was knocked out by Taipei’s Kai-Chen Chang in three sets. Maria Kirilenko, Aleksandra Wozniack and Anna Chakvetadze both progressed, albeit with a slight hiccup in Chakvetadze’s case (dropping a set to Yurika Sema). And how about Sania Mirza, beating Olga Govortsova 62 36 63?
I live for the day when she and Querrey set up a tennis academy and the tour is populated by their freaky off-hand offspring.
