Bondarenko wins Birmingham

Photo courtesy of After Atalanta

Kateryna Bondarenko, the number 12 seed at the DFS Classic, won the title today by defeating Yanina Wickmayer, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6. This is Bondarenko's first tour title.

Top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber won the doubles title by defeating Severine Bremond and Virginia Ruano Pascual, 6-2, 6-1.

Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Maria Kirilenko defeated Maria Martinez Sanchez, 6-0, 6-2. The doubles title was won by Lourdes Dominguez Lino and Arantxa Parra Santonja, who defeated top seeds Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Martinez Sanchez.

Bondarenko and Wickmayer to play in Birmingham final

Yanina Wickmayer, who made such a splash at Fed Cup this year, has reached her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour final. She defeated Bethanie Mattek in a close match, 7-5, 7-6, to reach the DFS Classic final in Birmingham. Her opponent will be Kateryna Bondarenko, the lower seed of the two Bondarenko sisters. Bondarenko defeated up-and-coming New Zealander, Marina Erakovic. It is also her first tour final.

Wickmayer defeated both Bondarenko sisters during the first round of the 2008 Fed Cup competition.

3 seeds left in Birmingham quarterfinals

Depending on how the quarterfinals go tomorrow, the Bondarenko sisters may wind up playing each other in the semifinals, an event that would most certainly be a treat for spectators. Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko are two of the three seeds remaining--Nicole Vaidisova is the other.

Melanie South is to be commended. She defeated (in addition to wild card Anna Fitzpatrick) both 4th seed Sybille Bammer and 17th seed Aiko Nakamura to get to the quarterfinals, in which she will play Yanina Wickmayer. Sad though it may be, it is unusual to see a British player do this well.

About that Krajicek curse...

It was broken, yes, but unfortunately, Krajicek lost today in the third round of the DFS Classic in Birmingham. Krajicek was defeated by Yanina Wickmeyer, 6-3, 6-4. Krajicek is actually a much better player than her record indicates, but of course--without the record--the talent does not mean much.

Top seeds out in both Birmingham and Barcelona

Earlier in the week, top seed Shahar Peer was defeated in the first round of the Torneo Barcelona KIA. Peer lost to Nuria Llagostera Vives, 7-5, 6-2.

Today, top seed Marion Bartoli was taken out of the DFS Classic in the second round by Petra Cetkovska, 5-7, 6-4, 6-0. The DFS classic a major warm-up tournament for Wimbledon, whose 2007 finalist was Bartoli.

The curse is broken

Michaella Krajicek won her first match of the year today, and in doing so, also broke a 12-match losing streak. Krajicek defeated Tatiana Poutchek, 6-2, 6-1 in Birmingham. Krajicek's first serve percentage was no big deal, but her win percentage was huge. She also did well with her second serve, and she broke Poutchek five times.

Raymond and Stosur out in first round in Birmingham

Sam Stosur, trying to get match-tough again after a very long illness layoff, went out (with partner Lisa Raymond) in the first round of doubles competition in Birmingham today. They were defeated by the impromptu team of Chuang Chia-Jung and Rika Fujiwara, 7-5, 6-3. Chuang's usual partner, Chan Yung-Jan, is out with a back injury.

Also upset were Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko, who were defeated 6-4, 6-4, by Severine Bremond and Virginia Ruano Pascual.

Tournament withdrawal update

I have already noted that Jelena Jankovic, Vera Zvonareva, Tatiana Golovin, and Dinara Safina have withdrawn from the DFS Classic. At the time I wrote the post, I did not know why Zvonareva withdrew, but it turns out that she is ill.

Thanks to On the Baseline for these other withdrawal updates:

Agnieszka Radwanska, as expected, withdrew from Birmingham because she is suffering with the same French Open-induced sore arm that has recently caused Jankovic so much trouble. (Jankovic was actually the first to report Radwanska's problem with her arm.) Chan Yung-Jan is out with a back injury, so Chuang is playing with Fujiwara. Victoria Azarenka is getting some rest and recovery.

In Barcelona, Kaia Kanepi withdrew because of a hip injury.

Jankovic and Safina withdraw from Birmingham

Defending champion Jelena Jankovic has with withdrawn from the DFS Classic because of the arm she injured during the French Open. Dinara Safina has withdrawn because of ongoing back problems.

Not that it comes as a surprise...

But Tatiana Golovin has withdrawn from the DFS Classic in Birmingham.

Zvonareva withdraws from Birmingham

Vera Zvonareva has withdrawn from the DFS Classic Birmingham. I do not know the reason for the withdrawal.