Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Bartoli out for 6 weeks

15th seed Marion Bartoli was expected to defeat Vesna Manasieva fairly easily. In fact, when she went up 5-1 in the first set, it looked as though the match might not last long. But in the course of play, Bartoli sustained a calf muscle tear. She continued to play, and Manasieva won the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-0. The Fragile One hasn't been injured lately, but this latest piece of bad fortune shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who follows Bartoli's career.

Looking a bit fragile herself, 6th seed Francesca Schiavone got into some deep trouble when she failed to convert three match points in the second set of her match against Rebecca Marino. Marino, who had looked a bit slow and awkward against the clever and athletic Schiavone, seized the moment, and won the second set. The third set lasted and hour and nine minutes, with Schiavone eventually prevailing. Her 6-3, 5-7, 9-7 victory gets her into the third round against Monica Niculesu. That's a good thing, but Schiavone can't be too pleased with how she got there.

The unfortunate exit of Bartoli did not comprise the only upset on the third day of play. 20th seed Kaia Kanepi lost (here we go again) to Julia Goerges, 21st seed Yanina Wickmayer lost to Anastasija Sevastova, and 29th seed (and perennial heartbreaker) Tsvetana Pironkova lost to Monica Niculescu. Wild card Jelena Dokic was also defeated, by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

14th seed Maria Sharapova got past Virginie Razzano, 7-5, 6-3. Justine Henin, Caroline Wozniacki and Li Na had a fairly easy time of it, and Victoria Azarenka defeated a spirited Andrea Hlavackova 6-4, 6-4.

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