Rezai wins CommonwealthBank Tournament of Champions

How surprised was I when I woke up this morning and read that Marion Bartoli had retired in the CommonwealthBank Tournament of Champions final in Bali?

Not at all.

This is the story of Bartoli's career--get some momentum, and then sustain an injury. In this case, it was her thigh, which began troubling her toward the end of the first set. Rezai won that set 7-5, and then Bartoli retired. I have written extensively for a long time about Bartoli's injury problems, so I won't address that issue here.

Aravane Rezai is a player who has endured some unpleasant times on the tour. She survived those times, and it is really nice to see her win a title that carries some prestige. Rezai is a big hitter, and this has been a really good season for her. She won her first tour title in Strassbourg, and she also reached the round of 16 at the French Open.

All-French final in Bali

Top seed Marion Bartoli defeated Kimiko Date Krumm 6-1, 6-3 today to advance to the final of the CommonwealthBank Tournament of Champions in Bali. Bartoli, who played a clean match, hit seven aces, and had a 78 first serve win percentage.

Her opponent will be countrywoman Aravane Rezai, who defeated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-2, 6-3. Rezai, with an 82 first serve win percentage, kept her errors low and thrived on hitting winners throughout the match.

Bali semifinals to be played tomorrow

Top seed Marion Bartoli, who represents Group A, increased her Bali round robin record to 2-0 today, which puts her into the semifinals. Bartoli defeated Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-2.

In Group B, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez got a ticket to the semifinals when she defeated Sam Stosur, 7-6, 7-5.

In Group C, Vera Dushevina defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues, which gives Medina Garrigues a 0-2 record. However, Dushevina--who, as an alternate, replaced Yanina Wickmayer--does not get Wickmayer's one win to count as part of her record, so she is out of the running. Kimiko Date Krumm has a 1-1 record and goes to the semifinals.

Group D's winner today was Sabine Lisicki, who defeated Melinda Czink 6-2, 6-7, 6-4. The semifinalist from that group is Aravane Rezai.

Here are the standings, after three rounds:

GROUP A
Bartoli: 2-0
Peer: 1-1
Rybarikova: 0-2

GROUP B
Stosur: 1-1
Martinez Sanchez: 2-0
Szavay: 0-2

GROUP C
Wickmayer: 1-0
(Dushevina: 1-0)
Medina Garrigues: 0-2
Date Krumm: 1-1

GROUP D
Lisicki: 1-1
Czink: 0-2
Rezai: 2-0

In the semifinals, Bartoli will play Date Krumm, and Rezai will play Martinez Sanchez.

Rezai successful in Bali

Aravane Rezai, who defeated Sabine Lisicki earlier this week at the CommonwealthBank Tournament of Champions, defeated Melinda Czink today. Rezai's 6-3, 7-5 victory in Group D puts her into the semifinals.

In Group A, Shahar Peer defeated Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1, 7-6. This was Rybarikova's second loss in as many rounds. In Group B, the winner was Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who defeated Agnes Szavay. And in Group D, Kimiko Date Krumm defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4, 6-3.

Here are the standings so far:

GROUP A
Bartoli: 1-0
Peer: 1-0
Rybarikova: 0-2

GROUP B
Stosur: 1-0
Martinez Sanchez: 1-0
Szavay: 0-2

GROUP C
Wickmayer: 1-0
Medina Garrigues: 0-2
Date Krumm: 1-1

GROUP D
Lisicki: 0-1
Czink: 0-1
Rezai: 2-0

Bartoli succeeds in 1st day round robin play in Bali

Top seed Marion Bartoli, a member of the CommonwealthBank Tournament of Champions Group A, began her tournament well today with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Magdalena Rybarikova.

In Group B, Samantha Stosur defeated Agnes Szavay 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. Stosur hit 10 aces; Szavay, unfortunately, double-faulted 12 times.

The winner in Group C was Yanina Wickmayer, who defeated wild card Kimiko Date Krumm 7-5, 6-3. And in Group D, Aravane Rezai defeated wild card Sabine Lisicki 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. Lisicki is also seeded 4th in competition.

Tomorrow's competition:

Group A: Shahar Peer vs. Magdalena Rybarikova
Group B: Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez vs. Agnes Szavay
Group C: Anabel Medina Garrigues vs. Kimiko Date Krumm
Group D. Melinda Czink vs. Aravane Rezai

Bali draw announced

The singles draw has been completed for the CommonwealthBank Tournament of Champions, which begins Wednesday in Bali. Round robin play will occur in four groups, as follows:

GROUP A

Marion Bartoli

Shahar Peer

Magdelena Rybarikova

GROUP B

Samantha Stosur

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez

Agnes Szavay

GROUP C

Yanina Wickmayer

Anabel Medina Garrigues

Kimiko Date Krumm

GROUP D

Sabine Lisicki

Melinda Czink

Aravane Rezai

Bartoli is the top seed; Date Krumm and Lisicki have wild cards.

The composition of the groups is causing me to slightly warm up to this tournament, whose existence I oppose, simply because I think the Sony Ericsson Championships should be it. I also think that scheduling the Bali tournament after Doha erodes and compromises the meaning of the SEC. (And on a more personal note, I resented the SEC being changed to the week I take my vacation.)

Lisicki and Date Krumm get wild cards for Bali

Sabine Lisicki and Kimiko Date Krumm have been given wild cards to the CommonwealthBank Tournament of Champions in Bali. The new tournament features round robin play among the ten highest-ranked players who have won at least one International tournament, and who are not playing in the Sony Ericsson Championships. The addition of two wild cards means that twelve women will compete in the tournament.

The other players who will play in Bali are:

Marion Bartoli
Samantha Stosur
Yanina Wickmayer
Anabel Medina Garrigues
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez
Shahar Peer
Melinda Czink
Agnes Szavay
Aravane Rezai
Magdalena Rybarikova

The alternate is Vera Dushevina.