2011 starts with a great story: Arn wins Auckland

Greta Arn was supposed to play in the ASB Classic qualifying rounds, but some late withdrawals opened a slot for her in the main draw. That was a piece of good fortune, and Arn needed it--she arrived in Auckland without her coach (he didn't want to make the long trip), and without her luggage (it was lost).

Until last year, Arn had become an almost forgotten journeywoman. The 31-year-old Hungarian has played for both Germany and Hungary, and, for a few years, she didn't play at all. Then, in 2007, with a ranking of 176, she qualified for and won the Estoril tournament by defeating Victoria Azarenka in the final. Last year, she reached the third round of a major (Wimbledon) for the first time in her career.

Today, Arn became the first title-winner of 2011: She defeated defending Auckland champion Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 6-3. After winning the first set, Arn got a break in the second, but was unable to win a match point on Wickmayer's serve. She then got a match point on her own serve and double-faulted. The "turnaround" looked like it was about to happen, as it does so many times when a better-ranked player is losing, and then takes advantage of an opponent's nerves. At 3-5, Wickmayer appeared to have her service game under complete control, but the determined and still-confident Arn crept in, and won the match--and the tournament--on her third match point.

"I'm 31, you're only 21, believe me, you have so much time," the new champion told her opponent during the trophy ceremony. Her opponent did not appear to be amused.

To win the title, Arn defeated Zuzana Ondraskova, 8th seed Sofia Arvidsson, 1st seed Maria Sharapova, 4th seed Julia Goerges, and 2nd seed Wickmayer. The defending champion had a few long and tough matches in her draw, including an almost three-hour semifinal against Peng Shuai.

The doubles title was won by top seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. They defeated Sofia Arvidsson and Marina Erakovic 6-3, 6-0.

Sharapova out of ASB Classic

2008 Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova made her 2011 debut in Auckland as the top seed, but today, she lost to Greta Arn in the quarterfinals. Arn--the veterans who has played some of her best tennis in the last year--defeated Sharapova 6-2, 7-5 in a match in which Sharapova won only 25% of points on her second serve. This is the same Sharapova who, arguably, once had the best second serve on the tour. Sharapova had only three break opportunities, and was able to take advantage of just one. Arn broke her five times.

What does this mean, aside from the obvious fact that Arn held her nerve and played well? It's hard to know, but an educated guess is that Sharapova may need what Francesca Schiavone calls a "mental trainer." She's been through a lot, and clearly isn't the player she used to be. She has an extra coach helping her, and the season is very young, but one has to wonder about her confidence level.

2nd seed Yanina Wickmayer had no such problems, beating Simona Halep 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, it's raining in Brisbane, and a lot of match play has been suspended. 4th seed Marion Bartoli, however, has already advanced to the semifinals.

Top seeds already out of Brisbane

Samantha Stosur, the top seed in Brisbane, is out of the competition in the second round. Stosur was defeated 6-2, 6-4 by her countrywoman, the big-hitting Jarmila Groth. Groth was down 2-4 in the second set, but broke Stosur back. Groth hit a total of nine aces, with seven of them appearing in the first set, in which she won points on all fourteen of her first serves. Stosur never saw a break opportunity in the match.

Shahar Peer, who was seeded second, is also out of Brisbane, defeated by Lucie Safarova.

Flavia Pennetta was to have played in Brisbane, but she is sick with a gastro-intestinal illness. Daniela Hantuchova withdrew because her left achilles tendon problem.

Sabine Lisicki is back to her ace-hitting ways in Auckland. She hit ten in her first round match, which she won. Lisicki is a qualifier in Auckland. Heather Watson, also a qualifier (she beat top qualifying seed Alberta Brianti, in the second qualifying round), won her first round match against Noppawan Lertcheewakarn.

Stosur's defeat to a flat hitter with a big serve should give her something to think about before the Australian Open. Stosur's own serve is well-known, but like Justine Henin's, it is not consistent. In the French Open final, Francesca Schiavone had little problem handling Stosur's kick serve, which is the Australian's go-to second serve (and sometimes her first serve, too). Still, Stosur can frequently dominate on a clay court, as she did last year in Charleston, and throughout most of the French Open. She continues, however, to be vulnerable on other surfaces

Wickmayer wins ASB Classic

For someone who declared herself at a loss for confidence after her debacle with the anti-doping authorities, Yanina Wickmayer was obviously able to tap into some type of reserve this past week. She defeated top seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-2 today in the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland, and she did not drop a set the whole tournament.

Cara Black and Liezel Huber won the doubles title, defeating Nathalie Grandin and Laura Granville 7-6, 6-2.

Wickmayer and Pennetta to play in Auckland final

ASB Classic top seed Flavia Pennetta easily defeated friend and countrywoman Francesca Schiavone today in Auckland. Pennetta's 6-3, 6-0 victory over the 4th seed puts her in the final, in which she will face 3rd seed (and wild card)Yanina Wickmayer, one of three Belgians playing in two finals this weekend. Wickmayer defeated Shahar Peer 6-4, 7-5.

In doubles, top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber defeated Pennetta and Schiavone 6-1, 5-7, 10-8. Black and Huber served for the match at 5-4 in the second set and were broken. The Italians were then able to move forward, but lost the super-tiebreak. Black and Huber will compete against Nathalie Grandin and Laura Granville in the final.

Semifinals set in Auckland

Top seed Flavia Pennetta easily won her ASB Classic quarterfinal match against Dominika Cibulkova, defeating her 6-1, 6-2. In the semifinals, Pennetta will play Francesca Schiavone, and Yanina Wickmayer will play Shahar Peer.

Date Krumm upsets 5th seed in Brisbane

Wild card Kimiko Date Krumm has advanced to the third round of the ASB Classic by upsetting 5th seed Virginie Razzano, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Also upset were 6th seed Elena Vesnina, defeated 6-1, 6-1 by Alize Cornet, and 7th seed Aravane Rezai, who was defeated 6-3, 6-4 by Dominika Cibulkova.

Meanwhile, in Brisbane, 6th seed Aleksandra Wozniak was upset by Lucie Safarova, 6-3, 6-1. Also winning in the second round were Daniela Hantuchova, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Justine Henin.

Protesters ask Peer to withdraw from ASB Classic

A group in Auckland, New Zealand sent Shahar Peer a letter asking her to withdraw from the ASB Classic because of Israel's policies regarding Palestinians. The group has been demonstrating outside the ASB Tennis Centre, and intends to continue doing so as long as Peer is in the tournament.

Yesterday, around 500 people were evacuated from the stadium when an unattended bag was found. The bag's contents turned out to be benign, but the evacuation was executed as a security precaution.

Wickmayer wins her first match in Auckland

Yanina Wickmayer, who recently overcame the threat of a two-year suspension, made a good start today at the ASB Classic, defeating Julia Goerges 6-3, 7-5. Wickmayer, who was given a wild card into the event, is also seeded third.

Also advancing were top seed Flavia Pennetta, Dominika Cibulkova, Kimiko Date-Krumm, and Magdelena Rybarikova. Rybarikova upset 8th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues.

A shout-out to Elena Vesnina!

Finally boarding the Russian victory train? Maybe. Stay tuned...

Dementieva wins ASB Classic

Top seed Elena Dementieva won the ASB Classic today, defeating Elena Vesnina, 6-4, 6-1. This was Vesnina's first tour final.

Vesnina takes out 2nd seed in Auckland

It wasn't enough for Elena Vesnina to defeat Nicole Vaidisova in the ASB Classic; she has now gone on to defeat the tournament's second seed--and one of the hottest players around--Caroline Wozniacki. With an odd scoreline, 6-3, 0-6, 6-3, Vesnina has advanced to the semifinals, in which she will play Anne Keothavong. The other semifinal will be played between top seed Elena Dementieva and Aravane Rezai.

Protesters ask Peer to pull out of ASB Classic

Protesters in New Zealand have asked Israeli player Shahar Peer to withdraw from competition as part of an international protest against Israel's invasion of Gaza. Peer has refused to withdraw, and has been provided extra security at the tournament.

"I have nothing to do with this," Peer said. "I'm Shahar Peer. I came here to play tennis. I know I'm from Israel and I'm proud of my country and that playing tennis is what I'm going to do tomorrow."

Medina Garrigues upset in Auckland

Edina Gallovits upset 3rd seed Anabel Medina Garrigues in Auckland today, defeating the Spaniard 6-3, 6-3.

Other seeds making an exit: 4th seed Aleksandra Wozniak (defeated by Ayumi Morita), 6th seed Nicole Vaidisova (defeated by Elena Vesnina), 7th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (defeated by Aravane Rezai), number 8 seed Carla Suarez Navarro (defeated by Anne Keothavong)

Not-so-tasty breakfast in Auckland

Check out these scores:

Carla Suarez Navarro def. Nathalie Dechy, 6-4, 6-0

Elena Vesnina def. Aiko Nakamura, 6-1, 6-0

Caroline Wozniacki def. Alberta Brianti, 6-1, 6-0

Auckland qualifiers set

Top ASB Classic qualifying seed Mathilde Johannson was defeated 6-4, 6-4, by Aiko Nakamura in the final qualifying round. Second seed Ayumi Morita also came through, defeating wild card Michaella Krajicek. The other two qualifiers are Kristina Barrios and and Alberta Brianti.

Srebotnik withdraws from ASB Classic

Katarina Srebotnik, who won the ASB Classic in 2005, has withdrawn from the 2009 event in Auckland because of an Achilles injury. Srebotnik was seeded fourth in the tournament, and was scheduled to play doubles with Nadia Petrova, who has also withdrawn because of viral meningitis.

When Srebotnik won in 2005, rainy weather forced her to play the semifinals and final--as well as the doubles final--on the same day. She beat Shinobu Asagoe in the final, then they won the doubles title together.

Update on Auckland wild cards

In addition to those already mentioned, Mirjana Lucic has received a wild card for the main draw of the ASB Classic.

Daniilidou gets Auckland wild card

Eleni Daniilidou has been awarded a main draw wild card into the ASB Classic. Meanwhile, Kimiko Date-Krumm has also been awarded a main draw wild card, while Michaella Krajicek has been given a wild card for qualifying.

Li to defend her title--sort of--in Brisbane

The 2008 season began with a bang when Li Na, just back after a six-month injury layoff (which followed another very long injury layoff) won the tour's first event of the season, in Gold Coast. The Gold Coast tournament is no more, however. It has been incorporated into the new Brisbane International tournament, which will also incorporate the men's tournament in Adelaide. Brisbane will commence on January 4.

Entering the new tournament are Victoria Azarenka (last year's Gold Coast finalist), Ana Ivanovic, Amelie Mauresmo, Daniela Hantuchova, Marion Bartoli, Maria Kirilenko, and Australian favorite Samantha Stosur.

Competition is also heavy the same week in New Zealand, as top player compete in the ASB Classic in Auckland. Entrants include Nadia Petrova, Elena Dementieva, Katarina Srebotnik, Caroline Wozniacki, and Anabel Medina Garrigues.