Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I do not like it when highly-ranked players enter smaller tournaments, unless they are coming back from injury layoffs. The top seed in Pattaya City is Vera Zvonareva, who is ranked number 5 in the world. Caroline Wozniacki, number 12 in the world, was there, too, but she was upset in the quarterfinals by Magdalena Rybarikova. I wish those two had not entered, but they did. The argument in favor of their being there is that other players have to stretch in order to beat them, and I understand that.
Rybarikova stretched, but lost in the semifinals to Sania Mirza, 6-4, 5-7, 6-1. Zvonareva defeated Shahar Peer in the semifinals, 6-1, 6-4, so now it is down to Zvonareva and Mirza. Mirza has had her share of problems--political and physical--and it is good to see her in a final. She will have her hands full with Zvonareva, however.
Your title is off Mirza plays Zvonareva.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with top players playing in such tournaments as long as they don't overdo it. Just because they enter does not mean they will win. However, I don't think the reason they play these tournments is so the lower ranked players can strech, although that is a side effect, but that they sell tickets.
Interesting slip on my part, yes?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about selling tickets. I didn't mean that's why those tournaments go after better players. I just meant that some people have argued that that is a good reason to have them there. I happen to disagree.