False Alarm.

Svetlana Kuznetsova and Caroline Wozniacki both won in straight sets today, so they’ll face each other in the Dubai final. Kuznetsova can win, of course. But she probably won’t.

Singles – Semifinals
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 75 63
(16) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (11) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 64 64

Doubles – Semifinals
(1) Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. (4) Azarenka/Kirilenko (BLR/RUS) 62 61

JJ, Sveta and Flavia Into Dubai Semis

Head-to-heads are weird things, aren’t they? Take the third of today’s quarter-finals, Flavia Pennetta v Alisa Kleybanova. Not only was Kleybs coming into this match with straight set wins over Jarmila Groth and Vera Zvonareva under her belt, she was facing a woman who you would think she could hit off the court – a woman moreover who had gone to three in her previous two matches (against Azarenka and Zakapalova) and was suffering a leg strain sustained in the former. Yet Pennetta led the H2H 3-0, and Kleybs barely got a look in today. Against Pennetta’s speed, retrieving and all-court game, she looked pretty helpless and hopeless. She just couldn’t get her feet under her and you’re left thinking … 3-0, there’s a reason for that.

Which brings me to JJ, another winner today against Stosur. Not that reason is any particular help in considering the counterpunching conundrum that is Jelena Jankovic. I mean, why is it that she can go from looking so woebegone in Australia to making a good, deep run here? She’s got her family around her, she’s smiling, and while she isn’t precisely going about things in the most straightforward fashion – Kanepi served for the match against her, let us not forget, and she squandered a commanding position in today’s match before eventually winning in a third set tiebreak – she doesn’t look lost out there. She looks like she knows what she’s doing, and a knowing-what-she’s-doing-looking JJ is a dangerous JJ, if you know what I mean. Under the circumstances, it’s a day when you can look at her H2H with Wozniacki – JJ leads 4-0 – and think … there’s a reason for that. I hope she proves me right.

 

Don’t even get me started on these two, who played what I thought was the most entertaining match of the day. Radwanska spends much of 2010 looking listless, playing error-strewn tennis, and generally giving the impression that the rest of the field has caught up with her precocity and left it behind. Then she suffers a bad injury, and although she returns absurdly soon in Australia, I assume that the early months of 2011 are going to be pretty much a write-off. But no. She reaches the quarter-final in Melbourne, looking stronger with every match; equals that accomplishment here and really should have taken at least a set off Kuznetsova before succumbing. And she seems energised, and strong, and committed. Let her build up a head of steam and I really think she could be a thing this year.

As for Kuznetsova, I did say I had a feeling about her …

All of this is to say: WTA, you put the “fun” in “funemployment”. Don’t ever change.

Singles – Quarterfinals
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (9) Shahar Peer (ISR) 62 64
(6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (4) Samantha Stosur (AUS) 63 57 76(4)
(16) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. (8) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 76(7) 63
(11) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. (15) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 62 60

Doubles – Semifinals
(2) Huber/Martínez Sánchez d. (WC) Kuznetsova/Zvonareva (RUS/RUS) w/o (Zvonareva: right elbow injury)

Doubles – Quarterfinals
(1) Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. (6) Mattek-Sands/Shaughnessy (USA/USA) 62 64
(2) Huber/Martínez Sánchez (USA/ESP) d. (7) Raymond/Stosur (USA/AUS) 63 46 107
(4) Azarenka/Kirilenko (BLR/RUS) d. Mirza/Vesnina (IND/RUS) 64 62
(WC) Kuznetsova/Zvonareva (RUS/RUS) d. Hantuchova/Radwanska (SVK/POL) 76(7) 64

Three Times For The Ladies, Show Me Some Love

I just love Fed Cup photos.

Good luck getting the champagne out of your knickers, Kim.

Adorable Pavs.

Joyful Jarmila.

Quintessential Flavia.

Justine Henin: still retiring.

Boom boom pow.

Fed Cup faces.

It must be love.

Always have to do a double-take when I see Yanina smiling.

I could literally post pictures of Alize all day.

But I won’t.

And Sveta has the last word.

Fed Cup Results: Italy, Russia, Czech Republic & Belgium Kick Ass

Italy 4 – Australia 1

Jarmila Groth d. Francesca Schiavone, 67(4) 63 63
Flavia Pennetta d. Samantha Stosur, 76(5) 67(5) 64
Francesca Schiavone d. Samantha Stosur, 76(1) 36 75
Flavia Pennetta d. Jarmila Groth, 63 62
Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci d. Anastasia Rodionova / Rennae Stubbs, 26 76(1) 64

Woe for the home side in Hobart as Italy, once again, are just Too Good. Do you really think they’ll lose at all this year? After Jarka Groth’s surprise win over Francesca Schiavone in the first rubber, it was all downhill from there; Sam Stosur’s career writ large as she allowed winnable matches over first Pennetta and then Schiavone to slip away in a series of poor tiebreaks and timidity at crucial moments.

As for the Italians, Pennetta kept the tie rolling and was the backbone of the team, while Schiavone – visibly still suffering the after-effects of her Australian Open run – came up with some inspired play  to see off Stosur in the crucial third rubber.

Warriors. Then Rennae Stubbs bade farewell to Fed Cup. There were tears and a plastic kangaroo.

See you in the commentary box.

Russia 3 – France 2

Alize Cornet d. Svetlana Kuznetsova, 36 63 64
Virginie Razzano d. Maria Sharapova, 63 64
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova d. Alize Cornet, 36 63 62
Svetlana Kuznetsova d. Virginie Razzano, 64 64
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova / Svetlana Kuznetsova d. Julie Coin / Alize Cornet, 76(4) 60

Oh, Alize Cornet. What a rollercoaster you are. After slumping horrifically following some agonizing Fed Cup losses, you finally win your first ever live rubber – against Kuznetsova, no less – and go a set up against Pavlyuchenkova, on the brink of victory for your country. Then …

Pavlyuchenkova, subbed in for a possibly-injured, definitely-quite-useless Maria Sharapova, comes back and wins the match, letting Kuznetsova tie it up over Razzano. And then to add insult to insult, they pair up to win the tie in the doubles against … Alize Cornet.

Conclusion: never count on Alize Cornet, Pavs kicks Fed Cup ass, Sharapova’s still on the rocks, and Sveta is god.

Slovak Republic 2 – Czech Republic 3

Quite the performance from team dead-eyed lefty weapons of mass destruction, as I like to think of them. Between them, Safarova and Kvitova demolished Dominika Cibulkova and Daniela Hantuchova (twice) to take an unassailable 3-0 lead with more than a touch of WHAM! SPLAT! KABLAMMO! about it – and I mean that as the highest of compliments. Both were brilliant, so we can forgive them for letting the dead rubbers slide. Slovakia were simply outgunned.

 

 

 

Also, their kits are dead pretty.

Belgium 4 – USA 1

Yanina Wickmayer d. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 61 76(6)
Kim Clijsters d. Melanie Oudin, 60 64
Kim Clijsters d. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 67(10) 62 61
Yanina Wickmayer d. Melanie Oudin, 62 60
Liezel Huber / Vania King d. Kirsten Flipkens / An-Sophie Mestach, 63 75

We don’t really need to go into it, do we?

Women’s Drama.

Svetlana Kuznetsova, I don’t get you at all.

Seriously. Because she wins the French Open in 2009 pretty much out of the blue, then is barely a factor in 2010 (I know, she had a foot injury), loses to Peng Shuai in her first tournament of the year, shows up in Sydney to beat Stosur, and then only goes and beats Justine Henin in straight sets, 64 76(8), to make the round of sixteen at the Australian Open.

I had a feeling that something like this was brewing. She has clearly tightened up and lost weight over the off-season, and watching her beat Alison Riske and Arantxa Rus, there was a level of intense, violent fist-pumping going on that said she was hungry. But there wasn’t anything to say that she was going to show up and play like the woman with the best forehand in the world.

Justine fought hard and didn’t play at all badly, but this just wasn’t about her. This was about Kuznetsova playing what she described as the ‘perfect match’; aggressive, balanced, powerhouse tennis. She hit through Henin, repeatedly putting the Belgian in uncomfortable positions she couldn’t do anything from. In what seemed like no time at all, she was 64 54 up and serving for the match.

But of course it wasn’t that simple. This is Svetlana Kuznetsova, who marches to the beat of her own irregular internal drum, and she failed to serve it out not once but twice before they finally settled things with a 10-8 tiebreak in her favour. How she did it, I have no idea. Why now, why this tournament? I have less.

I don’t think she knows either:

Then the nerves game. Then started to do a little bit of show time, you know, it’s like comedy. Women’s drama going on. It’s not only women’s. It’s like every match you see something, when it’s tough matches you see something like that, and then you have to fight the nerves to fight against yourself a little bit.

Because you try to take your time, but it’s not quite working. So I just have to be there and fight. I think I fighted against myself very well and also I did against Justine. So I’m pretty pleased. I was quite lucky actually. It was like a lottery a little bit the tiebreak. It was crazy. We had some great rallies out there and I fought hard.

source

Kuznetsova plays Francesca Schiavone next, who’s struggled through her last few matches with a groin strain and what looks like some form of illness and heat exhaustion – so one would think it would be pretty straightforward for the Russian. Of course it won’t be – unless that’s what she wants me to think. I don’t even know any more.

Wimbledon Day 4: Oh Yeah, The Women

No major upsets on the women’s side yet, who by and large are keeping things ticking over nicely, with Serena, Wozniacki, and Sharapova  among the winners on day 4. Still, a few seeds dropped in reasonably quiet fashion.

Technically the biggest upset was Svetlana Kuznetsova’s loss to Anastasia Rodionova, the newly-minted Aussie who beat Anne Keothavong in the opening round. This being Wimbledon, and this being Sveta, I was more surprised that she wouldn’t shake Rodionova’s hand. I find Rodionova’s behaviour on the court pretty obnoxious (albeit not Kristof Vliegen levels of obnoxious), so I’m very much Team Sveta on this one.

Former quarterfinalist Daniela Hantuchova and former semifinalist Zheng Jie both lost as well, to Zahlavova Strycova and Kvitova respectively.

Aravane Rezai also lost to Klara Zakopalova, a.k.a Miss Sulky Pants, but this tournament is still waiting for a really big women’s match. Could day 5 by the way? Justine and Nadia Petrova first up on Centre …

Wimbledon Daze: Tested

And now a little shoutout to those who have struggled, some unexpectedly, but are still standing. And, possibly, better than they ever did.

Did you know Roger Federer came *this* close to losing to Ale-Alejandro Falla? He didn’t, though, because he’s a big tease.

Just to underline the point, he then dropped a set to Ilija Bozoljac, best known for dating a housemate from Serbian Big Brother. Which is very much like the Queue. See? It all comes back to the Queue.

After narrowly avoiding a third set against Laura Robson, JJ dropped the first set to Aleksandra Wozniak tonight before coming through in three. Her dress was and is amazing, though.

After cruising through his first match against Rajeev Ram, Wimbledon’s favourite son the Other Andy struggled initially with an inspired Michael Llodra before knuckling down and winning in four.

Sveta went three with Akgul Amanmuradova in her opening match, because that’s how she rolls.

Nole struggled mightily against Olivier Rochus on Monday night, finishing two minutes shy of curfew (yes, there is one). Better news? He looked much improved against Taylor Dent today.

Aravane Rezai survived 75 in the third against the occasionally-good on grass Magdalena Rybarikova.

Benny came back from two sets to love down against an utterly obnoxious Kristof Vliegen. I take full credit for this (along with @crystaleyesd, of course). We “allez Julien!” and “c’mon Benny!”‘d him through this match, and don’t let anyone tell you differently.

Yanina Wickmayer went three with surprise Edgbaston semi-finalist Alison Riske on Monday, before narrowly beating her doubles partner Kristen Flipkens in two today. ‘mon Wicky.

And Philipp Kohlschreiber was forced to bagel Potito Starace in the fourth set of his opening match before outlasting Teimuraz Gabashvili in the battle of players who scare Roddick fans. His reward? A third-round meeting with Andy Roddick …

RG Day Two: OOP

Today’s OOP is brought to you by your defending champion.

Court Philippe Chatrier 11:00 Start  
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Alla Kudryavtseva(RUS) vs.   Caroline Wozniacki(DEN)[3]
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Roger Federer(SUI)[1] vs.   Peter Luczak(AUS)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Serena Williams(USA)[1] vs.   Stefanie Voegele(SUI)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Florian Mayer(GER) vs.   Gael Monfils(FRA)[13]

Court Suzanne Lenglen 11:00 Start  
  Women’s Singles – First Round
  Kristina Mladenovic(FRA) vs.   Na Li(CHN)[11]
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Evgeny Korolev(KAZ) vs.   Novak Djokovic(SRB)[3]
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Andy Murray(GBR)[4] vs.   Richard Gasquet(FRA)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Jelena Jankovic(SRB)[4] vs.   Alicia Molik(AUS)

Court 1 11:00 Start  
  Men’s Singles – First Round
  Benoit Paire(FRA) vs.   Olivier Rochus(BEL)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Roberta Vinci(ITA) vs.   Virginie Razzano(FRA)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Kai-Chen Chang(TPE) vs.   Ana Ivanovic(SRB)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Michael Llodra(FRA) vs.   Thomaz Bellucci(BRA)[24]
 
Court 2 11:00 Start  
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Stanislas Wawrinka(SUI)[20] vs.   Jan Hajek(CZE)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Elena Dementieva(RUS)[5] vs.   Petra Martic(CRO)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Paul-Henri Mathieu(FRA) vs.   Marcel Granollers(ESP)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Kaia Kanepi(EST) vs.   Pauline Parmentier(FRA)
  
Court 3 11:00 Start  
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Nicolas Lapentti(ECU) vs.   Taylor Dent(USA)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Julie Coin(FRA) vs.   Kateryna Bondarenko(UKR)[32]
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Elena Baltacha(GBR) vs.   Agnieszka Radwanska(POL)[8]
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Thiago Alves(BRA) vs.   Fernando Gonzalez(CHI)[12]
  
Court 4 11:00 Start  
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Dmitry Tursunov(RUS) vs.   Daniel Gimeno-Traver(ESP)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Aleksandra Wozniak(CAN) vs.   Iveta Benesova(CZE)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Melinda Czink(HUN) vs.   Julia Goerges(GER)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Sofia Arvidsson(SWE) vs.   Magdalena Rybarikova(SVK)
  
Court 5 11:00 Start  
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Arantxa Parra Santonja(ESP) vs.   Kurumi Nara(JPN)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Philipp Petzschner(GER) vs.   Carsten Ball(AUS)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Rajeev Ram(USA) vs.   Yuri Schukin(KAZ)
  
Court 6 11:00 Start  
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Jelena Dokic(AUS) vs.   Lucie Safarova(CZE)[24]
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Misaki Doi(JPN) vs.   Polona Hercog(SLO)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Kei Nishikori(JPN) vs.   Santiago Giraldo(COL)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Ivan Ljubicic(CRO)[14] vs.   Yen-Hsun Lu(TPE)
 
Court 7 11:00 Start  
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Stephanie Dubois(CAN) vs.   Stephanie Cohen-Aloro(FRA)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Jesse Witten(USA) vs.   Marcos Baghdatis(CYP)[25]
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Arnaud Clement(FRA) vs.   Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr(UKR)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Simona Halep(ROU) vs.   Samantha Stosur(AUS)[7]
 
Court 8 11:00 Start  
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Melanie Oudin(USA) vs.   A. Medina Garrigues(ESP)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Pablo Andujar(ESP) vs.   Simone Bolelli(ITA)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Barbora Zahlavova Strycova(CZE) vs.   Rossana De Los Rios(PAR)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Victor Hanescu(ROU)[31] vs.   Oscar Hernandez(ESP)
 
Court 10 11:00 Start  
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Paolo Lorenzi(ITA) vs.   Andreas Beck(GER)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Leonardo Mayer(ARG) vs.   Sergiy Stakhovsky(UKR)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Sara Errani(ITA) vs.   Yaroslava Shvedova(KAZ)
 
Court 11 11:00 Start  
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Kristina Barrois(GER) vs.   Tathiana Garbin(ITA)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Timea Bacsinszky(SUI) vs.   Tatjana Malek(GER)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Alexandra Dulgheru(ROU)[31] vs.   Lucie Hradecka(CZE)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Michael Berrer(GER) vs.   Mardy Fish(USA)
  
Court 14 11:00 Start  
Men’s Singles – First Round
  John Isner(USA)[17] vs.   Andrey Golubev(KAZ)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Petra Kvitova(CZE) vs.   Sophie Ferguson(AUS)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Kristof Vliegen(BEL) vs.   Steve Darcis(BEL)
 
Court 16 11:00 Start  
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Julian Reister(GER) vs.   Feliciano Lopez(ESP)[27]
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Francesca Schiavone(ITA)[17] vs.   Regina Kulikova(RUS)
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Nicolas Almagro(ESP)[19] vs.   Robin Haase(NED)
 
Court 17 11:00 Start  
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Jorge Aguilar(CHI) vs.   Tomas Berdych(CZE)[15] 
Not Before 12:30   Men’s Singles – First Round
  Michael Yani(USA) leads   Lukas Lacko(SVK)
  To Finish 6-4 6-7(5) 6-7(4) 7-6(5) 8-8
Men’s Singles – First Round
  Viktor Troicki(SRB) vs.   Tommy Robredo(ESP)[21]
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Alisa Kleybanova(RUS)[28] vs.   Mariya Koryttseva(UKR)
Women’s Singles – First Round
  Vera Dushevina(RUS) vs.   Alona Bondarenko(UKR)[27]

Stuttgart, Fes: Tuesday’s Results, Wednesday’s OOP

I absolutely love Stuttgart. The draw is ridiculously loaded so you get great match-ups right from the start, and they have night sessions so I get to watch after work. It’s all good. Anyway, the first full day’s play already threw up some interesting results. Agnes Szavay outlasted Andrea Petkovic in a marathon night session, 75 in the third; after Petkovic found her range, she played with by far the greater energy and commitment, but fell at the final hurdle. It’s a tough loss after a tough Fed Cup weekend, especially at home, but Szavay did well to get herself together and will face Dinara Safina in the second round. Shahar Peer also battled against Polona Hercog, but all the seeds came through in straights, including Svetlana Kuznetsova against Katarina Srebotnik and Li Na against tough clay-courter Sara Errani.

Most people had their eyes on Agnieszka Radwanska against Ana Ivanovic, however, which ended pretty much the way you would expect.

Obligatory photo of Ana’s dress. You won’t be seeing it again in Stuttgart.

I hear that Ana played and particularly served a lot better than she has done in living memory, so. Onwards and upwards, as she herself would say.

Some interesting results in the criminally unphotographed Fes today; the top two seeds both dropped a set but came through, Medina Garrigues served up a double bagel, and unlikely winners Alize Cornet, Bojana Jovanovski and Simona Halep upset Petra Martic, Barbara Zahlalova Strycova and Lucie Hradecka respectively. Fed Cup and boob reductions. I’m just saying. And a pair of Tims won. C’mon!

Results

Stuttgart

Singles – First Round
(3) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) 61 62
(5) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 76(4) 64
Li Na (CHN) d. Sara Errani (ITA) 61 61
Shahar Peer (ISR) d. Polona Hercog (SLO) 63 36 61
Agnes Szavay (HUN) d. Andrea Petkovic (GER) 63 26 75
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) d. (Q) Tatiana Poutchek (BLR) 62 62
(Q) Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) d. (LL) Margalita Chakhnashvili (GEO) 63 64
(Q) Anna Lapushchenkova (RUS) d. Olga Govortsova (BLR) 64 61

Doubles – First Round
(1) Dulko/Pennetta (ARG/ITA) d. Kostanic Tosic/Sfar (CRO/TUN) 64 62
(3) Black/Peer (ZIM/ISR) d. Birnerova/Birnerova (CZE/CZE) 63 64

Fes

Singles – First Round
(1) Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) d. Anna Floris (ITA) 61 57 61
(2) Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. (Q) Greta Arn (HUN) 46 75 61
(3) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. (WC) Lina Bennani (MAR) 60 60
Renata Voracova (CZE) d. (4) Melinda Czink (HUN) 64 76(5)
(5) Angelique Kerber (GER) d. (WC) Fatima Zahrae El Allami (MAR) 60 61
Alizé Cornet (FRA) d. (6) Petra Martic (CRO) 76(3) 64
(Q) Simona Halep (ROU) d. (8) Lucie Hradecka (CZE) 75 61
Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) d. Vesna Manasieva (RUS) 26 63 63
Katie O’Brien (GBR) d. Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 62 46 63
Anne Keothavong (GBR) d. Julie Coin (FRA) 63 06 64

Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) d. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) 63 61
(Q) Laura Pous Tio (ESP) d. Jarmila Groth (AUS) 60 76(4)
(Q) Claire de Gubernatis (FRA) d. (WC) Nadia Lalami (MAR) 76(1) 63

Doubles – First Round
Coin/Cornet (FRA/FRA) d. (3) Savchuk/Zalameda (UKR/USA) 76(3) 76(1)
Manasieva/Zakopalova (RUS/CZE) d. Kondratieva/Lefèvre (RUS/FRA) 63 26 103

Wednesday’s OOP is brought to you by Sveta’s feet of clay.

Stuttgart

Center Court (from 12.00hrs)
1. Gisela Dulko vs. Jelena Jankovic
2. Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Shahar Peer (NB 14.00hrs)
3. Flavia Pennetta vs. Victoria Azarenka (NB 15.45hrs)
4. Justine Henin vs. Julia Goerges (NB 18.20hrs)
5. Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Li Na (NB 20.15hrs)
6. Jans/Uhlirova vs. Peschke/Srebotnik

Court 1 (from 13.00hrs)
1. Marion Bartoli vs. Samantha Stosur
2. Yanina Wickmayer vs. Francesca Schiavone
3. Selima Sfar vs. Lucie Safarova
4. Huber/Jankovic vs. Marosi/Scheepers

Fes

Center Court (from 11.00hrs)
1. Anabel Medina Garrigues vs. Laura Pous Tio
2. Arantxa Parra Santonja vs. Alizé Cornet
3. Ioana Raluca Olaru vs. Patty Schnyder
4. Carla Suárez Navarro vs. Anne Keothavong

Court 1 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Angelique Kerber vs. Bojana Jovanovski
2. Claire de Gubernatis vs. Iveta Benesova
3. Simona Halep vs. Olga Savchuk
4. Kosinska/Thorpe vs. Czink/Parra Santonja

Court 4 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Katie O’Brien vs. Renata Voracova
2. Kerber/Védy vs. Hradecka/Voracova (after suitable rest)

Court 5 (from 13.00hrs)
1. Cabeza Candela/Pous Tio vs. Bovina/Klepac (after suitable rest)

Please Stop Making Her The Top Seed

An ailing Svetlana Kuznetsova was comprehensively trounced by Marion Bartoli, 63 60. I know Marion is a tough match for anyone on her day, but dear oh dear. There’ll be some incomprehensible twattage tonight. Poor Sveta.

Also racking up the comprehensive victories? Agnieszka Radwanska, 1 and 4 over Yaroslava Shvedova, and Yanina Wickmayer, 0 and 1 over Timea Bacsinszky.

Meanwhile, Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych will meet in the fourth round after Roger made somewhat heavy weather of Florent Serra, needing two tiebreaks to win despite being 5-3 up in the first set and 4-1 in the second.

 

Which Rafa enjoyed.