23rd seed Alisa Kleybanova has withdrawn from the French Open because
of illness. Lucky loser Anastasia Pivovarova has replaced Kleybanova in
the draw.
Marion Bartoli hopes to be able to play her French Open first round on
Monday. She had to retire in the Strasbourg final today because of a
thigh injury.
The Brisbane International tournament has been upgraded to Premier status.
ESPN.com recently posted a poll so that people could vote for who they think is the greatest tennis player of all time. All of the players listed were men. So instead of asking "Who is the greatest male player of all time?" ESPN just went with the usual sexist approach of presuming that "tennis players" are male and "great" tennis players are male. Big surprise.
Babolat is the official ball of the 2011 French Open. Defending champion Francesca Schiavone will be using a customized version of the Babolat AeroPro Drive.
Jillian Michaels is leaving the cast of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," but there's "good" news: Anna Kournikova is joining the cast.
Showing posts with label Brisbane International. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brisbane International. Show all posts
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Kvitova wins Brisbane
Petra Kvitova, who caused a stir last year at Wimbledon, got her 2011 season off to a roaring start today by winning the Brisbane International. Kvitova defeated Andrea Petkovic 6-1, 6-3 in the final. Both players were unseeded. On her way to the final, Kvitova upset 3rd seed Nadia Petrova and 5th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and also Dominika Cibulkova. This is Kvitova's second WTA Tour title.
Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska had a difficult season last year, often having to play with other partners in order to obtain points. In Brisbane, however, the Polish team took out both the 2nd and 3rd seeds, and made it to the final. That was the end of their run, however; the unseeded team of Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated them 6-3, 7-5, and won the title. This was only the second time that Kleybanova and Pavlyuchenkova had played together in doubles.
Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska had a difficult season last year, often having to play with other partners in order to obtain points. In Brisbane, however, the Polish team took out both the 2nd and 3rd seeds, and made it to the final. That was the end of their run, however; the unseeded team of Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated them 6-3, 7-5, and won the title. This was only the second time that Kleybanova and Pavlyuchenkova had played together in doubles.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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
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
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Miscellany
2010 Brisbane International champion Kim Clijsters has donated her prize money to the Royal Brisbane Children's Hospital.
Family Circle Cup individual session tickets go on sale January 15 and are available through Ticketmaster. The tournament is also looking for volunteers, both youth and adult, and there is a special need for adult ball crew members. More information is available at the tournament's website. The tournament will be held April 10-18.
"Women's tennis needs them and we're just lucky that they're among us once again," Maria Sharapova says of Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.
Svetlana Kuznetsova's official website has disappeared.
Ekaterina Bychkova has been fined $5,000 and banned from playing for 30 days by the Tennis Integrity Unit. Bychkova is charged with failing to report that she was asked to provide inside information and to throw a match.
Family Circle Cup individual session tickets go on sale January 15 and are available through Ticketmaster. The tournament is also looking for volunteers, both youth and adult, and there is a special need for adult ball crew members. More information is available at the tournament's website. The tournament will be held April 10-18.
"Women's tennis needs them and we're just lucky that they're among us once again," Maria Sharapova says of Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.
Svetlana Kuznetsova's official website has disappeared.
Ekaterina Bychkova has been fined $5,000 and banned from playing for 30 days by the Tennis Integrity Unit. Bychkova is charged with failing to report that she was asked to provide inside information and to throw a match.
Clijsters wins Brisbane title
Saving two match points along the way, Kim Clijsters won the Brisbane International today, defeating countrywoman and long-time rival Justine Henin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6. It was a very good way for the 2009 U.S. Open champion to start her 2010 season, and both players look to be in good form for the Australian Open.
Henin has withdrawn from competition in Sydney, by the way, citing concern about a strained upper left leg that she does not want to aggravate right before she goes to Melbourne.
In doubles, Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka won the Brisbane title by defeating Melinda Czink and Arantxa Parra Santonja 2-6, 7-6, 10-4.
Henin has withdrawn from competition in Sydney, by the way, citing concern about a strained upper left leg that she does not want to aggravate right before she goes to Melbourne.
In doubles, Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka won the Brisbane title by defeating Melinda Czink and Arantxa Parra Santonja 2-6, 7-6, 10-4.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Seems like old times
The season has just begun, and already we have a final between Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters. Henin, a wild card, reached the final of the Brisbane International today by defeating 3rd seed Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 6-2. For her part, number 1 seed Clijsters defeated Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 6-2.
The first set between Clijsters and Petkovic was quite competitive. They began by exchanging breaks, then exchanged breaks again shortly thereafter. Clijsters was able to get the set's final break, and then dominated in the second set.
In doubles, Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka defeated Akgul Amanmuradova and Chan Yung-Jan. They will play Melinda Czink and Arantxa Parra Santonja in the final.
The first set between Clijsters and Petkovic was quite competitive. They began by exchanging breaks, then exchanged breaks again shortly thereafter. Clijsters was able to get the set's final break, and then dominated in the second set.
In doubles, Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka defeated Akgul Amanmuradova and Chan Yung-Jan. They will play Melinda Czink and Arantxa Parra Santonja in the final.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Quote of the day
"I am not scared. If she kills me, she kills me; we will see."
Andrea Petkovic, on her upcoming Brisbane semifinal match against Kim Clijsters
Henin gets past Czink
In a Brisbane International quarterfinal match that lasted two hours and twenty minutes, wild card Justine Henin emerged the winner against Melinda Czink, who saved five match points. Henin defeated Czink 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, holding on to an early mini-break in the tiebreak.
Kim Clijsters also won her quarterfinal match, defeating Lucie Safarova 6-1, 0-6, 6-4. Ana Ivanovic defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 7-6, and Andrea Petkovic upset 4th seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-2.
In the semifinals, Henin will play Ivanovic, and Clijsters will play Petkovic.
Kim Clijsters also won her quarterfinal match, defeating Lucie Safarova 6-1, 0-6, 6-4. Ana Ivanovic defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 7-6, and Andrea Petkovic upset 4th seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-2.
In the semifinals, Henin will play Ivanovic, and Clijsters will play Petkovic.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Clijsters advances in Brisbane
Kim Clijsters defeated Alicia Molik 6-0, 6-3 in the second round of the Brisbane International today. Also winning were Andrea Petkovic, Ana Ivanovic and Melinda Czink.
Doubles play began in Brisbane today, and top seeds Alla Kudryavtseva and Ekaterina Makarova were upset in the first round. Olga Govortsova and Tatiana Poutchek defeated them, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.
Meanwhile, in Auckland, 2nd seeds Sania Mirza and Virginia Ruano Pascual were upset in the first round by wild cards Dominika Cibulkova and Yanina Wickmayer. In singles, 2nd seed Li Na was upset by Kaia Kanepi, who defeated her 6-1, 6-3.
Doubles play began in Brisbane today, and top seeds Alla Kudryavtseva and Ekaterina Makarova were upset in the first round. Olga Govortsova and Tatiana Poutchek defeated them, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.
Meanwhile, in Auckland, 2nd seeds Sania Mirza and Virginia Ruano Pascual were upset in the first round by wild cards Dominika Cibulkova and Yanina Wickmayer. In singles, 2nd seed Li Na was upset by Kaia Kanepi, who defeated her 6-1, 6-3.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Henin goes to 2nd round in Brisbane
Former world number 1 Justine Henin, playing in her first tour match since she announced her return, defeated Brisbane International 2nd seed Nadia Petrova 7-5, 7-5 in the first round today. The match, from all reports, was a crowd-pleaser throughout.
Also advancing to the second round is 3rd seed Ana Ivanovic, who defeated Jelena Dokic 7-5, 1-6, 6-3. Qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva defeated wild card Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 0-6, 7-6, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova upset 5th seed and countrywoman Alisa Kleybanova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
Henin's next opponent will be Karatantcheva.
In doubles, 2nd seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King were upset by Timea Bacsinzky and Tathiana Garbin, 7-5, 4-6, 12-10
Also advancing to the second round is 3rd seed Ana Ivanovic, who defeated Jelena Dokic 7-5, 1-6, 6-3. Qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva defeated wild card Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 0-6, 7-6, and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova upset 5th seed and countrywoman Alisa Kleybanova 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
Henin's next opponent will be Karatantcheva.
In doubles, 2nd seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King were upset by Timea Bacsinzky and Tathiana Garbin, 7-5, 4-6, 12-10
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Clijsters and Molik win their first rounds in Brisbane
Top seed Kim Clijsters won her first round in Brisbane today, defeating Tathiana Garbin 6-2, 6-1. Wild card Alicia Molik also won her first round. Molik defeated Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.
There was one upset today: Andrea Petkovic defeated 8th seed Iveta Benesova 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Other winners today were Vania King, Melinda Czink and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
There was one upset today: Andrea Petkovic defeated 8th seed Iveta Benesova 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Other winners today were Vania King, Melinda Czink and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova.
Karatantcheva qualifies for Brisbane
Sesil Karatantcheva is one of four women to get through qualifying in Brisbane. Joining her are Galina Voskoboeva, Alla Kudryavtseva and Ekaterina Ivanova.
Karatantcheva also went through qualifying in Brisbane last year, and reached the second round.
Karatantcheva also went through qualifying in Brisbane last year, and reached the second round.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Azarenka wins Brisbane
The fifth time was the charm for Victoria Azarenka, who had been in four tour finals but had never lifted a winner's trophy. But that situation changed when she defeated Marion Bartoli, 6-3, 6-1 to win the Brisbane International tournament.
Azarenka was seeded second, and Bartoli was seeded third.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Injured Mauresmo retires from Brisbane
It should have been a great match: An in-form Amelie Mauresmo vs. an in-form Marion Bartoli. But during the first set, Mauresmo felt her thigh muscle tighten. This is not the first time she has had this sensation in the last few months, and she retired in order to prevent further injury. Of course, one cannot help but wonder whether the old adductor injury has returned. My guess would be that it has, but I don't want to think about it.
Bartoli now goes to the Brisbane final, in which she will play Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka defeated Sara Errani 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals. Azarenka has been a finalist four times, but has never won a tournament.
Ivanovic out in Brisbane quarterfinals
Top seed Ana Ivanovic lost in straight sets to Amelie Mauresmo is the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International tournament yesterday. Mauresmo, who is reported to have played like the Mauresmo we remember and admire, defeated Ivanovic 6-3, 6-2.
Mauresmo will play countrywoman Marion Bartoli in the semifinals. The other semifinal will be played between Sara Errani and Victoria Azarenka, who had to work very hard to defeate Lucie Safarova in what appeared to be an exciting match.
Mauresmo will play countrywoman Marion Bartoli in the semifinals. The other semifinal will be played between Sara Errani and Victoria Azarenka, who had to work very hard to defeate Lucie Safarova in what appeared to be an exciting match.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Bondarenko sisters upset--again
This time it was Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Vania King who upset the 2nd-seeded Bondarenko sisters, and this time it was in the Brisbane quarterfinals. The 6-1, 6-3 score compels me to ask: Is is still Alona's ankle, or do the Bondarenkos just not have it together?
Also losing were reunited Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama, who were defeated in the semifinals, 6-3, 6-4, by Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska.
Also losing were reunited Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama, who were defeated in the semifinals, 6-3, 6-4, by Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska.
A look at the Brisbane quarterfinals
Top seed Ana Ivanovic had to save two match points before she could dispense with Roberta Vinci in their second round match in Brisbane. Her reward will be a meeting with Amelie Mauresmo, who had to fight off match points against Julie Coin. The winner is probably going to end up playing Marion Bartoli, who is favored to defeat Tathiana Garbin (nice to see Garbin show up in a quarterfinal, though).
At the other end of the draw, Olga Govorstova will play the relentless Sara Errani, and Lucie Safarova will play Victoria Azarenka. I would like to see the Safarova-Azarenka match. Safarova is another in that long list of the talented but inconsistent (that list seems to be getting longer, doesn't it?).
At the other end of the draw, Olga Govorstova will play the relentless Sara Errani, and Lucie Safarova will play Victoria Azarenka. I would like to see the Safarova-Azarenka match. Safarova is another in that long list of the talented but inconsistent (that list seems to be getting longer, doesn't it?).
Black & Huber upset in Brisbane
Cara Black and Liezel Huber have lost their Brisbane quarterfinal match to the ad hoc reunited team of Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama. Hantuchova and Sugiyama defeated Black and Huber 7-5, 3-6, 10-3.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Playing Sara Errani? Bring your lunch...
I saw Sara Errani play Alize Cornet in Charleston last year, and the match was a long, drawn-out, grinding, ill-humored affair. I was tired, just watching it. Errani is the ultimate baseliner, willing to hang out for hours and hit groundstrokes. Today in Brisbane, she stayed on the court with Pironkova (another one for long matches) for three hours and thirty-one minutes. She won, too--6-7, 7-5, 6-3.
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