One of my fantasies about women's pro tennis is that before Flavia Pennetta goes out to play, someone puts her in a trance and convinces her she is actually at Fed Cup. Today in Dubai, it was as though someone did just that. It isn't that Pennetta is not a top player--she is--but she can waver and be inconsistent. Today, though, she controlled every point in her quarterfinal match against Alisa Kleybanova. Pennetta won the match, 6-2, 6-0, held at love in the final game, and closed with an ace. Her service win percentages for the match were 76 and 80. It doesn't get any better.
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki also moved to the semifinals, with a win over Shahar Peer, and Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Agnieszka Radwanska in a match that was quite well-played. Jelena Jankovic took out 4th seed Sam Stosur, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6, in a match that went on over 2 hours and 50 minutes, and which contained ten breaks of serve. Getting consecutive wins over Kaia Kanepi and Stosur has to give Jankovic a badly-needed confidence boost. The smile on her face after today's match looked the smile we used to see most of the time.
With today's victory, Wozniacki is again the number 1 player in the world. She will face Jankovic in the semifinals.
In doubles, top seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik are still in the competition, as are wild cards Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva.
Love your Flavia P. fantasy! I wholeheartedly agree. Here's hoping she continues to play non-Fed Cup matches as well, and has a great year. I miss her presence in the top 10.
ReplyDeleteSveta looked good, though shaky at times. I'm hoping she has a great year, too.
Rebecca
Pennetta and Kuznetsova both look really fit these days, too. Pennetta had a chronic foot issue for years, but she hasn't mentioned it in a while.
ReplyDeleteI hope they both have great years, too, Rebecca. They are both such a pleasure to watch. Hail the Queen of Fed Cup!