Medina Garrigues and Vinci win titles

Anabel Medina Garrigues won her tenth WTA title today in Estoril. Medina Garrigues defeated Kristina Barrois 6-1, 6-2 in the final. Nine of the Spaniard's titles have come on clay. Medina Garrigues recently overcame a losing streak comprised of ten consecutive first round losses.

Alisa Kleybanova and Galina Voskoboeva won the Estoril doubles championship. They defeated Elena Daniilidou and Michaela Krajicek 6-4, 6-2 in the final.

Roberta Vinci won her fourth title today when she defeated Lucie Hradecka 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Vinci was the champion in 2009, and the runner-up in 2010.

The doubles title went to the top seeds, Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. They defeated Natalie Grandin and Vladirimira Uhlirova 5-7, 6-4, 11-9. Benesova and Zahlavova Strycova have won eleven titles together. 

Belgium and Czech Republic tied 1-1 in Fed Cup play

When Barbora Zahlavova Strycova served at 4-5 in the second set in her semifinal Fed Cup rubber against Yanina Wickmayer, what emerged what arguably one of the best games of the season. It was a very long game, in which the Czech player held numerous game points, but was not able to convert them. To keep herself (and her country) in the match, she pulled out every shot imaginable. The highlights included a successful serve-and-volley play, a slide-forward down the line volley, and a drop shot. It took Wickmayer a long time to get a break point, and she won the game, thereby winning the match 6-4, 6-4.

These two had never played each other before, and I was really looking forward to seeing them in their first-ever match. They didn't disappoint me. The second semifinal rubber of the day was a high quality, sometimes thrilling, affair. Earlier in the day, the Czech Republic won the first rubber when Petra Kvitova defeated Kirsten Flipkens 6-2, 7-6. Tomorrow's highlight will be the rubber featuring Wickmayer and Kvitova.

In the other semifinal, Russia leads 2-0. Vera Zvonareva defeated Sara Errani 6-0, 6-2, and Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Roberta Vinci 6-2, 6-7, 6-1. And while it can no longer be said that Vinci has never lost a Fed Cup match--this is an unusual situation, in which Vinci has been called on to play singles instead of doubles. Indeed, the Italian has never lost a Fed Cup doubles match.

Here are other day 1 results:

World Group play-offs

Germany--2, USA--0
Spain--1, France--1
Slovak Republic--1, Serbia--1
Australia--1, Ukraine--1

World Group II play-offs
Belarus--2, Estonia--0
Slovenia--1, Canada--1
Switzerland--2, Sweden--0
Japan vs. Argentina--postponed until July

The contest between France and Spain is also of interest. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez defeated Virginie Razzano 6-2, 6-4. The next rubber was a lively one, with Anabel Madina Garrigues playing Aravane Rezai. Medina Garrigues is in the midst of a comeback, of sorts, and Rezai needs to be in the midst of one. The Frenchwoman certainly made a good start, with a 7-5, 6-7, 6-2 win.

Seeds of doubt

Elena Vesnina upsets the defending champion

The 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 10th seeds were upset in the 3rd round of the Family Circle Cup on Thursday, and 1st seed Caroline Wozniacki barely escaped when she had to win two long tiebreaks against a clever, net-rushing Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.

Defending champion Sam Stosur, seeded 2nd, was dominated by Elena Vesnina, who defeated her 6-4, 6-1. Stosur's backhand was unreliable, and Vesnina did not appear to be especially bothered by the Australian's forehand. After the match, Stosur said that her opponent's flat, low strokes rushed her during points. Vesnina said that winning the doubles championship (with Sania Mirza) in Indian Wells gave her increased confidence.

Jelena Jankovic goes to the quarterfinals

5th seed Shahar Peer was defeated 6-2, 6-3 by 12th seed Julia Goerges, who stunned her with forehand winners. 11th seed Peng Shuai defeated 7th seed Nadia Petrova 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, and Christina McHale upset 10th seed and 2010 semifinalist Daniela Hantuchova. McHale's 7-6, 6-1 victory puts her into the quarterfinals against 3rd seed Jelena Jankovic, who defeated Chanelle Scheepers in straight sets. 2009 champion Sabine Lisicki, who upset 4th seed Marion Bartoli in the second round, was defeated in the third round by Sania Mirza.

Wozniacki's 7-6(6), 7-6(9) victory over 15th seed Zahlavova Strycova came after the top seed was seriously tested. Zahlavova Strycova took away Wozniacki's rhythm by continually changing the pace of the rallies. Zahlavova Strycova also took over the net for much of the match, and hit a number of decisive forehand winners. Unfortunately, the Czech player's strength was also her weakness: Her forehand produced multiple errors, too.

Down 2-5 in the first set tiebreak, the 15th seed made five straight points, but then made an unforced error on set point. She also held a set point in the second set tiebreak, and she went on to save three match points. Zahlavova Strycova played with a lot of touch and savvy, and she came in with a solid game plan, but she couldn't win the big points when she needed to.

Qualifier Anna Tatishvili's run ended yesterday--respectably. 6th seed Yanina Wickmayer defeated the gutsy Tatishviili 6-4, 7-5.

McHale upsets Kleybanova in Charleston

It was a big day for Christina McHale. Not only was she selected as a member of the USA Fed Cup team, but she also pulled off the first big upset of the 2011 Family Circle Cup. McHale, a qualifier, defeated 8th seed Alisa Kleybanova 6-1, 6-0 in the second round. This was Kleybanova's first match on the green clay of Charleston, and it wasn't a comfortable experience. McHale, for her part, gave her opponent only one break opportunity, and Kleybanova could not convert it. The 8th seed won only 43% of her first serves, and a dismal 9% of her second.

In the first round, qualifier Eva Birnerova won the first set against 12th seed Julia Goerges 6-1, and held five match points in the second, but was overtaken 7-5 by the German player. Unfortunately, at 0-2 in the third, Birnerova had to retire because of an ankle injury.

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova really had to work to get her victory. She defeated Andrea Hvlavackova 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(8). Zahlavova Strycova is the tournament's 15th seed.

6th seed Yanina Wickmayer looked very sharp today in her second round match against Zheng Jie, which she won 6-4, 6-0. Also getting a decisive win was 9th seed Maria Kirilenko, who defeated Varvara Lepchenko 6-4, 6-0.

Sabine Lisicki and Irina Falconi made appearances on the new stage on the Great Lawn this evening. Falconi  defeated Memphis champion Magdalena Rybarikova in the first round. In the second round, she plays world number 1 and top seed Caroline Wozniacki.

Conditions were windy today after a big storm passed through the Charleston area. Good, mostly sunny, weather is predicted for the rest of the week. Only one match--a doubles event--had to be postponed.

Zahlavova Strycova knocks Kvitova out of Indian Wells

Though the upset of the 12th seed in the second round of a big tournament may not sound--on the face of it--like news, Barbora Zahlavova Strycova's upset of Petra Kvitova at the BNP Paribas Open is notable. Kvitova, who impressed the tennis world last season, and who has already won two tournaments this season, was expected by many tennis fans to make it to the more serious stages in the draw in Indian Wells.

On the other hand, there probably isn't a more "dangerous floater" than Zahlavova Strycova these days. In Paris, Kvitova defeated Zahlavova Strycova 6-4, 6-7(6), 7-6(9) in a dramatic three hour and fourteen-minute match; this time, Zahlavova Strycova prevailed, 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. She went on to win her 2nd round doubles match, too. She and partner Iveta Benesova defeated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Anabel Medina Garrigues 7-6, 6-7, 10-5. The Czech team is seeded 7th.

Pavlyuchenkova defends Monterrey title

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, seeded second at the Monterrey Open, defended her 2010 title today by defeating top seed Jelena Jankovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. This is Pavlyuchenkova's third WTA title. She is currently ranked number 19 in the world.

The entertaining Czech pair, Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, won the doubles championship. Seeded 1st, Benesova and Zahlavova Strycova defeated 2nd seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King 6-7, 6-2, 10-6. Today's victory is the team's seventh title. Benesova holds a total of eleven doubles titles, and Zahlavova Strycova holds a total of twelve.

Jankovic and Pavlyuchenkova to compete in Monterrey final

Defending champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenko stopped Gisela Dulko's Mexican streak today, defeating her 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals of the Monterrey Open. Dulko, the champion in Acapulco, had won eight straight matches. Pavlyuchenkova, who is seeded 4th in Monterrey, will play top seed Jelena Jankovic in the final. Jankovic defeated Polona Hercog 6-3, 6-2 today.

Top seeds Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova won the second semifinal match today, defeating 3rd seeds Julia Goerges and Polona Hercog 6-4, 6-3. They will compete for the title against 2nd seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King.

Passing shots

Maria Sharapova has been suffering with an upper respiratory infection and had to withdraw from this week's tournament in Paris. She was scheduled to play in Dubai next week, but her name does not appear in the draw.

The decision was announced today: The French Open will remain at Roland Garros. 

Fashion note: During her week in Paris, Yanina Wickmayer was sporting some Bethanie Mattek-Sands-style black knee socks. Wickmayer plays wild card Bojana Jovanovski in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Speaking of apparel, he WTA Tour is still not offering any fan merchandise featuring the tour's new name and lame new logo.

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova is the top seed in Memphis next week. The next two seeds are Sofia Arvidsson and Melanie Oudin.

Aravane Rezai is expected to return to the tour for the tournament in Doha.

Passing shots

Sony Ericsson has launched Xperia Hot Shots, an entertainment show that will be streamed online and to mobile devices. Xperia Hot Shots, which begins in March, follows the lives of six aspiring WTA Tour players as they strive toward sports stardom. The featured stars will have access to the worlds of music, film, gaming, and fashion. Maria Sharapova helped Sony Ericsson make the announcement yesterday. Sharapova worked with Melbourne street artist Dvate to create the show's logo and to tag a specially-made mural. Xperia Hot Shots will be shown on YouTube.

The Australian Open Bracket Challenge has begun. You can go to On the Baseline and fill out the bracket form with your predictions. A dozen prizes will be awarded to those who come closest to predicting the outcomes, and the major prize is a pair of tickets to the 2011 major tournament of your choice. The contest will close on Sunday, January 16 at 6 p.m. EST.

So far, every tennis expert and major writer I've come across has picked Kim Clijsters to win the Australian Open.

Get ready to pay James LaRosa's Australian Open drinking game.

Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, the 2011 Sydney doubles champions, played match tiebreaks in each of their four matches.

Yaroslava Shvedova reports that she has begun post-surgical rehab for her knee, and she is already walking up stairs.

Li wins her first Premier title in Sydney

Li Na has not had an easy pro tennis career. She left the tour for a long time because she was tired of being told what to do by the Chinese Tennis Federation. When she returned, she did it on her terms (and, in fact, changed the entire climate of Chinese tennis for women), but then she was knocked down over and over by a series of significant injuries that kept her off the courts for months at a time.

And then there was the problem with nerves. Going into the 2011 season, the Chinese number 1 held three titles, all of them from International tournaments (and one, 2008 Gold Coast, dramatically attained immediately after she returned from a very long injury layoff). It wasn't that Li didn't get to the deep part of Premier tournaments and majors; it was that her nerves would visibly betray her, and could not get past semifinals. In fact, Li's most memorable run occurred last year at the Australian Open, when she engaged in a 6-7, 6-7 thriller with eventual winner Serena Williams.

In last night's Sydney final, world number 3 Kim Clijsters went up to a quick 5-0 lead, but then Li returned the favor by winning five games in a row. The set went to a tiebreak, and Clijsters immediately went up a mini-break at 3-1. All the points after that were Li's, though. The 8th seed won the tiebreak by making six straight points, then won the second set 6-3.

Li's victory means that she is not only the first Chinese woman to crack the top 10 (she is currently number 11), and one of the first two Chinese women (Zheng Jie made it to the Melbourne semifinals last year, too) to get to the semifinals of the Australian Open--she is also the first Chinese woman to win a Premier tournament. For whatever reason, Li's forehand is often left out of conversations about good forehands, but fans have seen this week just what the Sydney champion can do with it. One hopes that the confidence factor will serve as a settling agent for the talented Li's match anxiety.

Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, the unseeded but always dangerous Czech pair, won the doubles title by defeating 3rd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik 4-6, 6-4, 10-7.

Meanwhile, the rain stopped (sometimes) in Hobart, and some players have had to play two matches a day in order to catch up. 6th seed Jarmila Groth and Bethanie Mattek-Sands will compete in the singles final. Groth defeated Klara Zakopalova, and Mattek-Sands defeated Peng Shuai.

Ivanovic wins championship in Linz

Ana Ivanovic won her first title in two years today, defeating Patty Schnyder 6-1, 6-2 in the final of the Generali Ladies Linz. Finals, unfortunately, have been Schnyder's undoing for much of her career, and today was no different.

Ivanovic, who was seeded 7th, won the Linz title in 2008. Until recently, she has struggled with both her serve and her confidence. Before her problems began, Ivanovic won the 2008 French Open.

2nd seeds Renata Voracova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova won the doubles title. They defeated top seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik 7-5, 7-6.

Wozniacki wins her 5th title of the year in Tokyo

Elena Dementieva's service game was so strong and dominant in the first set of the Toray Pan Pacific Open final, she won it 6-1. This was the same result she achieved in her first set against top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the New Haven final in September. In that final, Wozniacki came back to win, and she also came back to win today, 1-6, 6-2, 6-3. And while the top seed did lift the level of her game during the second set, more notable was the fact that Dementieva's game all but collapsed by the third set. She lost the match as she was broken on a double fault, and that moment, unfortunately, reflected the state of her game in the second half of the match.

Dementieva has played 34 three-set matches this season in which she won the first set, and the only two she has lost were New Haven and Tokyo.

The new Tokyo doubles champions are Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. They defeated Shahar Peer and Peng Shuai (who had never before played together) 6-4, 4-6, 10-8.

Wozniacki & Dementieva to play in Tokyo final

Tokyo top seed Caroline Wozniacki defeated 8th seed Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 today in the Tokyo semifinals. Wozniacki's opponent in the final will be 7th seed Elena Dementieva, who defeated 5th seed  Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-5.

In doubles, Shahar Peer and Peng Shuai defeated 3rd seeds Chan Yung-Jan and Liezel Huber 6-4, 5-7, 10-5. In the other semifinal, Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova defeated Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs 7-6, 6-2.

King & Shvedova win 3-hour thriller

If ever there were a match you hated to see someone lose, it was the riveting 3rd round doubles match played at the U.S. Open today by Wimbledon champions Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova and their opponents, Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. It lasted over three hours, and featured play that was, at times, breathtaking. Seeded 6th, King and Shvedova won the first set in an 11-9 tiebreak, and Benesova and Zahlavova Strycova won the second, 6-3.

The final set was tension-filled, like a tightrope walk between two buildings that appear to be close together--unless you're on the rope. Benesova was a stand-out throughout much of the set, using her strong forehand to attack her oppenents' serve, and Zahlavova Strycova often shone at the net. At times, King and Shvedova put on the same kind of show they put on at Wimbledon, though not as consistently. King is steady and calm and can retain focus and accuracy for an extended period of time, and Shvedova is a risk-taker who moves splendidly at the net.

King and Shvedova served for the match at 5-3, but were broken. Serving a 6-5, Zahlavova Strycova double-faulted twice during the game, and a tiebreak ensued. The Czech went up a quick mini-break in the tiebreak, but then Benesova, who had served very well throughout the match, double-faulted twice in a row. Later in the tiebreak, each team held a match point but could not convert it. The Czech team held a match point at 7-6, but Benesova hit an easy volley into the net. Benesova and Zahlavova Strycova held another match point at 8-7, but that one was saved by Shvedova.

Benesova then mis-hit a ball, but got her team back on track with a huge serve. There was another big serve from the Benesova at 9-all, but King--stretched out wide at the net--hit an even bigger return. It was then Shvedova's turn to serve, and this time, she hit it long and flat, got an error in return, and she and King won the match 7-6, 6-3, 7-6.

This match had everything, and all four players are to be commended for providing the ultimate in excitement for fans. Both tiebreaks went to 11 points, and the momentum swung relentlessly. Commentators and writers pay attention to singles only, but the real thriller of the tournament, so far, was this one.

Kanepi wins Palermo, Szavay wins Prague

Kaia Kanepi, seeded 5th at the Internazionali Femminili di Tennis di Palermo, won the championship today. Kanepi defeated top seed and defending champion (and wild card) Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-3. Kanepi is now 3-3 against Pennetta. This is Kanepi's first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title.

Agnes Szavay, who won the Budapest title last week, won the Prague title today, defeating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-2, 1-6, 6-2. Szavay and Zahlavova Strycova were seeded 7th and 8th, respectively. This was Zahlavova Strycova's first tour final.

Also repeating were the unseeded Timea Bacsinszy and Tathiana Garbin. They won the Budapest doubles title last week, and today, they won the Prague title, defeating Monica Niculescu and Szavay 7-5, 7-6.

Zahlavova Strycova & Szavay to play in Prague final

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Agnes Szavay have reached the final of the Prague Open. 8th seed Zahlavova Strycova defeated Patty Schnyder 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals, and 7th seed Szavay defeated Lucie Hradecka 6-3, 6-4.

In the doubles final, the unseeded team of Timea Bacsinszky and Tathiana Garbin will play 3rd seeds Monica Niculescu and Szavay.

Pavlyuchenkova wins her first title

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova had to play two matches today in Monterrey. Her semifinal match was postponed yesterday because of rain, so today, she played her semifinal opponent, Anastasija Sevastova, whom she defeated 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. This evening, the 3rd seed faced 2nd seed and wild card Daniela Hantuchova (who defeated Dominika Cibulkova in the semifinals) in the final. Pavlyuchenkova, serving with a first serve win percentage of 83, defeated Hantuchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-0. At one point, Pavlyuchenkova hit three aces in one game.

This is Pavlyuchenkova's first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title.

One of the doubles semifinal matches had to be postponed, also. Today, top seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King defeated Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci 6-7, 6-3, 10-6. The top seeds were upset in today's final, however. 2nd seeds Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova won the championship, defeating Groenefeld and King 3-6, 6-4, 10-8.

Venus defends her title in Acapulco

It wasn't exactly smooth going for Acapulco defending champion Venus Williams for much of this year's tournament. Pushed hard in the quarterfinals and the semifinals, she was pushed again--at least for a time--in the final. But Polona Hercog's serve deserted her often enough for Williams to move in and claim the title again. Her 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory gives her not only consecutive wins in Mexico, but also back-to-back consecutive wins, since she also defended her Dubai title last week.

"Never count out a Williams sister" is, as always, a good rule. Credit also, to Hercog. The world number 60 took out the 2nd seed and reached her first tour final. She and partner Barbora Zahlavova Strycova also won the doubles championship. Hercog and Zahlavova Strycova defeated clay court specialists Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci 2-6, 6-1, 10-2.

Australian Open miscellany

Defending champion Serena Williams has never lost in the first round of a major. She won her 41st major tournament first round today.

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Regina Kulikova have broken an Australian Open record. Their first round match lasted 4 hours and 18 minutes, making it the longest women's match in tournament history. It should be noted, however, that the match was played in pieces because of rain delays.

I think JJ's Australian Open dress is fabulous.

The threat to move the Australian Open out of Melbourne is gone. Tournament officials have signed a $363 million contract to re-develop the tournament complex. The contract guarantees that the tournament will stay in Melbourne at least until 2036.

Anne Keothavong, who has to sit this Australian Open out, picks Serena Williams to win, and her second pick is Kim Clijsters.

Groenefeld and Schnyder upset in Stuttgart

There was only one upset today in Stuttgart, and it was in doubles. The unseeded team of Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova defeated 4th seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Patty Schnyder, 6-0, 6-4. Earlier in the day, Benesova lost a close match to 7th seed Caroline Wozniacki in singles, and Groenefeld lost a three-setter to Elena Dementieva.

Top seed Dinara Safina introduced herself by allowing her opponent, Sara Errani, to win only one game.