Top 8 seeds: Svetlana Kuznetsova, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Elena Dementieva, Agnieszka Radwanska, Jelena Jankovic, Na Li, Samantha Stosur
Quarter #1: Well, hello there, no. 1 seed Sveta. Her eighth isn’t bad with the exception of Kim Clijsters, her probable fourth round opponent unless Alisa Kleybanova can pull off the upset there (I kind of feel it. But I’m pretty drunk.) The bottom eighth is more finely balanced, with Peer and Cibulkova flanked by JJ and Flavia. Domi’s form is wildly erratic, Peer may or may not be in a fit state to build on her stellar beginning to the year, I feel like Flavia never plays well in Indian Wells, and JJ is … JJ. So. Predicted semifinalist: Kleybanova. She just won her first title and it could happen.
Quarter #2: This is Victoria Azarenka’s last chance to pick up points before she has to face defending her Miami title, and she has a perfectly nice draw, not that that’s ever stood between Vika and a WTF? loss. Martinez-Sanchez can be very tricky, but otherwise she shouldn’t have much trouble with whoever comes out of that little Hantuchova-Oudin-Safarova-Wicky section. Defending champion Vera Zvonareva’s eighth is a bit more of a question mark with a lot of big talents prone to sucking and failing, but if Ana Ivanovic can rediscover some form or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova keep hers going (both did well here last year) she could be in trouble. Predicted semifinalist: Victoria Azarenka. I believe.
Quarter #3: Well, Elena Dementieva will be in the quarterfinals unless Aravane Rezai does something exceptional and unexpected. Agnieszka Radwanska I don’t see getting very far in the top eighth, as she might have to deal with a few ladies who can hit her off the court – Sabine Lisicki and Marion Bartoli – two who on their day can outcraft her, Gisela Dulko and Anna Chakvetadze, and oh yeah, that Justine Henin person. I see a Justine-Demmy quarterfinal. Predicted semifinalist: Justine Henin
Quarter #4: If Li Na is even a bit healthy, she has a very nice draw, as does Maria Sharapova unless Zheng Jie, Sorana Cirstea or even Jelena Dokic can find some wholly unexpected form, so look for the two to meet in the round of sixteen. Caroline Wozniacki, meanwhile has avoided any of the big hitters who usually trouble her and should be solid to the quarterfinals unless Nadia Petrova has a really good day. I’d love to see a Sharapova-Wozniacki quarterfinal, wouldn’t you? Predicted semifinalist: Caroline Wozniacki
Semifinals: Azarenka d. Kleybanova; Henin d. Wozniacki
Forced to retire against Shahar Peer with back pain.
Out to Vera Zvonareva in Dubai.
Out to Victoria Azarenka in Dubai.
Forced to retire against Lukas Lacko in Memphis after beating Fernando Verdasco.
Lost to Sofia Arvidsson after a promising beginning to the tournament.
And … Radek Stepanek (Memphis), Fernando Verdasco (Memphis), Nicolas Almagro (Buenos Aires), Gilles Simon (Marseilles), Richard Gasquet (Buenos Aires), and probably many more I forgot to mention.
After last year’s unpleasantness, Shahar Peer could be forgiven for being on something of a mission. She beat Yanina Wickmayer, 36 62 75. You’re all aware of my love for Wicky by now, I’m sure, but she’s made a storming start to the year. As has Shahar, actually. Both of them had somewhat fraught 2009s and I’m really interested to see how they’re going to go in 2010.
Disappointing losses for seeds were on tap though, with Nadia Petrova falling in two tiebreak sets to Stefanie Voegele (which, no offence to Stefanie, should not be happening) and the French Italian (right?) Tathiana Garbin taking out the never-consistent Samantha Stosur in a third set tiebreak. And remember last year’s surprise finalist, Virginie Razzano? She actually won a match, which, given her form since about June last year, is not to be sneezed at.
And a few of the top seeds made it through, including tenth seed Flavia Pennetta, who laid waste to Melinda Czink 64 61, seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska over Anastasija Sevastova, and twelfth seed Vera Zvonareva, inexplicably playing the day after she captured her title in Pattaya City. Nice scheduling. She survived a tough challenge from Elena Vesnina (another inconsistent girl who had a big result in Dubai last year, taking out Svetlana Kuznetsova), 64 46 75.
Full Results
Singles – Second Round
(7) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) d. (Q) Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 63 63
Singles – First Round
Tathiana Garbin (ITA) d. (9) Samantha Stosur (AUS) 36 62 76(4)
(10/WC) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Melinda Czink (HUN) 64 61
(12) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 64 46 75
Shahar Peer (ISR) d. (13) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 36 62 75
(WC) Stefanie Voegele (SUI) d. (15) Nadia Petrova (RUS) 76(5) 76(5)
Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. Sybille Bammer (AUT) 63 57 75
Virginie Razzano (FRA) d. (WC) Selima Sfar (TUN) 62 62
María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) d. (LL) Alberta Brianti 64 36 63
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 64 64
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Sania Mirza (IND) 63 64
Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. Alona Bondarenko (UKR) 26 64 63
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) d. Patty Schnyder (SUI) 62 62
Olga Govortsova (BLR) d. Iveta Benesova (CZE) 64 61
Doubles – First Round
(5) Kleybanova/Schiavone (RUS/ITA) d. Grandin/Tu (RSA/USA) 63 62
Dzehalevich/Kudryavtseva (BLR/RUS) d. (6) Makarova/Yan (RUS/CHN) 62 64
Azarenka/Kuznetsova (BLR/RUS) d. Senoglu/Shvedova (TUR/KAZ) 75 63
Bondarenko/Bondarenko (UKR/UKR) d. Hantuchova/Vesnina (SVK/RUS) 63 62
Peer/Voskoboeva (ISR/KAZ) d. Medina Garrigues/Wozniacki (ESP/DEN) 75 46 105
Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. Borwell/Kops-Jones (GBR/USA) 61 76(3)
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.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lucie Safarova. She’s beaten Paszek, Schiavone, Peer and now Flavia Pennetta, 46 63 64, to reach her second Paris final (she lost out to Nadia Petrova in 2007). From what I saw of her match against Flavia today, she was on fire.
Safs will be facing another second-time Paris finalist after Elena Dementieva beat Melanie Oudin, 46 64 63. It was a good performance from the believer, but after she wasn’t able to capture the second set, her fitness really let her down in the third and after three consecutive breaks, Dementieva won five of the last six games to take the match.
It was an encouraging tournament for Oudin, though, who moves on to Memphis next week. Elena said that it was the toughest win of the year for her so far, which is nice, considering some of the people she’s beaten. Good stuff.
Pattaya City
Photos! Finally photos!
… Put it away now, Yaroslava.
Top seed Vera Zvonareva is into the final after beating fourth seed Yaroslava Shvedova 62 46 63. She’ll face hometown girl Tamarine Tanasugarn, who defeated Sesil Karantcheva 62 60.
So things are starting to get pretty interesting in Paris. While top seeds Elena Dementieva and Flavia Pennetta were untroubled by Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Alisa Kleybanova, third seed Yanina Wickmayer was upset by Petra Martic, a largely unknown Croat.
I’m not entirely surprised, as Wicky has played a serious lot of tennis recently and could do with at least a couple of days before Dubai. But it’s a seriously big win for Martic, who is hurriedly being publicised by the WTA:
In Pattaya City, Licky was sadly upset by Tamarine Tanasugarn, 75 in the third. Seeds 6-8 also fell, Julia Goerges getting destroyed by Sesil Karantcheva, Sania Mirza losing a three-setter to Tatjana Malek, and Kimiko Date-Krumm forced to retire due to an ankle injury.
Not a great start to the year for Licky …
Full Results
Paris
Singles – Second Round
(1) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 64 64
(2/WC) Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 76(4) 61
Tathiana Garbin (ITA) d. (8) Elena Vesnina (RUS) 64 26 62
Singles – First Round
(WC) Petra Martic (CRO) d. (3) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 64 36 75
(5) Aravane Rezai (FRA) d. (Q) Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) 64 64
Doubles – First Round
(1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. (WC) Coin/Cornet (FRA/FRA) 63 63
(2) Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova (CZE/CZE) d. Pavlyuchenkova/Senoglu (RUS/TUR) 62 63
(3) Jans/Rosolska (POL/POL) d. Uhlirova/Voracova (CZE/CZE) 36 64 106
Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. Védy/Zalameda 61 63 (FRA/USA)
Pattaya City
Singles – Second Round
Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) d. (2) Sabine Lisicki (GER) 63 36 75
(4) Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d. Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 76(8) 63
Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) d. (8) Julia Goerges (GER) 62 61
Singles – First Round
(3) Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) 64 62
(5) Sybille Bammer (AUT) d. Marina Erakovic (NZL) 76(8) 75
Tatjana Malek (GER) d. (6) Sania Mirza (IND) 36 64 63
Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) d. (7) Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) 61 10 ret. (left ankle injury)
Doubles – Quarterfinals
(1) Rodionova/Rodionova (AUS/RUS) d. Karatantcheva/Rogowska (KAZ/AUS) 64 62
Chakvetadze/Pervak (RUS/RUS) d. (3) Chang/Chuang (TPE/TPE) 76(4) 62
Order of Play
Paris
Central (from 12.00hrs)
1. Jans/Rosolska vs. Bacsinszky/Sfar
2. Shahar Peer vs. Karolina Sprem (NB 13.30hrs)
3. Lucie Safarova vs. Francesca Schiavone
4. Petra Martic vs. Agnes Szavay
5. Andrea Petkovic vs. Aravane Rezai (NB 19.00hrs)
6. Melanie Oudin vs. Patty Schnyder
Court 1 (from 14.00hrs)
1. Dekmeijere/Grandin vs. Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova
2. Black/Huber vs. Peschke/Srebotnik
Pattaya City
Court 1 (from 15.00hrs)
1. Ekaterina Bychkova vs. Vera Dushevina
2. Vera Zvonareva vs. Alberta Brianti
3. Chan Yung-Jan vs. Tatjana Malek
4. Erakovic/Tanasugarn vs. Basuki/Sema
Court 2 (from 15.00hrs)
1. Chang Kai-Chen vs. Sybille Bammer
2. Anastasia Rodionova vs. Anna Chakvetadze
3. Gerasimou/Zhou vs. Craybas/Goerges
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.
Apart from half the people in this post who did, in fact, lose.
Your winners:
Your not-winners:
In conclusion: Victoria Azarenka really impressed me in toughing out a three-set win (including a bagel) over Vera Zvonareva; Jo lost his five-set virginity and didn’t seem to mind too much; Serena was on terrifying form; and Kolya goes into his showdown with Federer with his aura of invincibility more than a little battered.
Men’s Results:
Singles – Fourth Round
[1] R Federer (SUI) d [22] L Hewitt (AUS) 62 63 64
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) d L Kubot (POL) 61 62 75
[6] N Davydenko (RUS) d [9] F Verdasco (ESP) 62 75 46 67(5) 63
[10] J Tsonga (FRA) d [26] N Almagro (ESP) 63 64 46 67(6) 97
Doubles – Third Round
[3] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) d J Isner (USA) / S Querrey (USA) 63 75
F Gonzalez (CHI) / I Ljubicic (CRO) d [11] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) 64 63
M Kohlmann (GER) / J Nieminen (FIN) d S Bolelli (ITA) / A Seppi (ITA) 46 76(3) 76(6)
Women’s Results:
Singles – Fourth Round
(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. (13) Samantha Stosur (AUS) 64 62
(16) Li Na (CHN) d. (4) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 64 63
(6) Venus Williams (USA) d. (17) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 36 62 61
(7) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (9) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 46 64 60
Doubles – Third Round
(15) Kirilenko/A.Radwanska (RUS/POL) d. (3) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) 61 62
(6) Raymond/Stubbs (USA/AUS) d. Chan/Niculescu (TPE/ROU) 75 63
(8) Mattek-Sands/Yan (USA/CHN) d. (9) Vesnina/Zheng (RUS/CHN) 64 64
Justine Henin has withdrawn from the Sydney Medibank International, citing a left gluteal strain. She was due to play Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the first round, with a possible meeting with Serena Williams in the second. So, probably a smart decision.
Vera Zvonareva is also doubtful after she was forced to skip a match against Victoria Azarenka at the Hong Kong Classic due to a recurrence of the ankle injury that plagued her in 2010, although she played a mixed doubles match later and hopes to be fit.
