Safina victorious in Los Angeles

It was frustrating to watch Flavia Pennetta not be able to put pressure on her left foot because of her blister. Her serve, as one would expect, went to hell. I felt bad for her--it was her first Tier II final, and she had to play it injured.

On the other hand, it was delightful to watch Dinara Safina take calm control of the match and do almost everything right. I am a believer in this new Safina, who will soon be number 8 in the world. I just wish that she had played a healthy Pennetta, and--as much as I like Safina--I would have enjoyed an upset, too.

Safina is physically and mentally fit. I'm no longer worried about the mental part; if she remains physically healthy, she has nowhere to go but up.

Safina def. Pennetta, 6-4, 6-2

Chan and Chuang win East West Bank Classic

They were 2-6, 0-3 down, but Chan Yung-Jan and Chuang Chia-Jung rallied back to win this year's Los Angeles doubles title. They defeated Eva Hrdinova and Vladimira Uhlirova, 2-6, 7-5, 10-4.

This is the team's third title for 2008.

Safina to play in Los Angeles final

I expected top seed Jelena Jankovic's knee injury to prevent her from winning the East West Bank Classic, or perhaps from even getting to the final. I was right. This is not to say that a healthy Jankovic would have definitely defeated 4th seed Dinara Safina--only that there would have been an even playing field, so to speak. Jankovic's doctors told her to take six weeks off; she took ten days. When she felt no pain, she decided--against all wisdom--to go ahead and play.

Last year, we went through Jankovic's over-scheduling herself and wearing herself out. This year, we are going through the consequences of that. She is playing fewer tournaments, but she is not heeding medical advice. I am a really big Jankovic fan, and I am angry because I think she has let her fans down. If she had skipped the U.S. Open Series, her ranking would have gone down, and she would not have been that well-prepared for the U.S. Open, but she would probably be healthy. Now she may have really wrecked her knee, and who knows what the consequences will be?

Fortunately, I am also a Safina fan, and I am very pleased to see her go to the Los Angeles final, if JJ cannot. To complicate matters more, I am also a fan of Flavia Pennetta's. Obviously, Safina is favored to win, but if Pennetta keeps her head together, it could be a very good final.

Safina def. Jankovic, 7-6, 6-3

Pennetta reaches her first Tier II final

I really enjoy watching both Flavia Pennetta and Bethanie Mattek play, and I wasn't disappointed when I watched their East West Bank Classic semifinal today. Though both women had significant problems with their serve, they provided a very tasty buffet of tennis, with plenty of slices, lobs, down-the-lines, and sneaky drop shots. Pennetta had some trouble with a foot blister, but fought through it. It was a superb match, with a lot of momentum changes, but in the end, Pennetta figured out a way to win.

Pennetta, who is seeded number 10 in Los Angeles, has come close so many times, but has never before a reached a final at this level. She will face the winner of the Jelena Jankovic-Dinara Safina semifinal. Bravo!

Los Angeles---not that much fun for me

Bethanie Mattek and Flavia Pennetta--two players I like a lot.

Dinara Safina and Jelena Jankovic--two players I like a lot.

The upside is that--no matter who wins what, I'll be glad.

L.A. quarterfinals completed--Jankovic prevails

When it comes to off-court matters, agreeing with Pam Shriver is not something I do very often, but I completely agree with her that Jelena Jankovic is a fool to play in Los Angeles if her knee injury has not healed. But that is the story of Jankovic's recent career--get injured, but keep on playing, no matter the consequences. Her stunt at the Hopman Cup last year should have taught her something, but I don't know if it did.

Jankovic did take ten days off after she tore her meniscus, however, and that--plus her superb athleticism and court sense--was enough to gain her a spot in the semifinals. She defeated Nadia Petrova, 7-5, 6-4, and will now face a tough opponent in Dinara Safina. Here's hoping the knee is healed.

It was nice to see Jankovic in coral and scarlet--someone needs to tell both Shriver and Cliff Drysdale that her dress is not pink. (During the French Open, commentators from several countries held discussions about Roger Federer's black outfit, despite the fact that he did not wear black one day at Roland Garros.)

And as for accessories, is there anyone on the tour who isn't wearing a knee bandage of some kind?

Los Angeles quarterfinals feature a bit of everything

It wasn't pretty, but Flavia Pennetta found a way to win her quarterfinal match against Sybille Bammer. A clay specialist, Pennetta must have thought she was on clay during the first set--Bammer, too--they continually broke each other until a tiebreak was forced. At that point, Pennetta became aggressive and took control. But Bammer pulled herself together and took the second set. The heat was intense, and both players appeared to suffer from its effects. The third set was Pennetta's, however, as she again became aggressive and set the pace. Pennetta'a serve was broken seven times; Bammer's was broken eight times.

Dinara Safina had an easier time of it, practicing her new-found patience with Victoria Azarenka, and keeping a cool head, even after she double-faulted four times in a row in the second set. Azarenka took a medical time-out because of an abdominal strain, and it was hard to tell to what extent the injury hampered her because--throughout the match--it was quite obvious that her opponent's savvy hampered her.

Bethanie Mattek took her first set against Yuan Meng fairly easily, but was down 1-5 in the second. I did not get to see this match, but obviously, some switch turned on in Mattek, and the next thing I knew, it was 5-all, and then Mattek won the match.

Pennetta def. Bammer, 7-6, 3-6, 6-1
Safina def. Azarenka, 6-3, 6-1
Mattek def. Yuan, 6-2, 7-5

More upsets in Los Angeles

Number 3 seed Anna Chakvetadze and number 5 seed Vera Zvonareva were defeated today in the third round of the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles. 14th seed Sybille Bammer upset Chakvetadze, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, and number 9 seed Nadia Petrova defeated Zvonareva, 6-4, 7-5.

4th seed Dinara Safina was taken to the edge by qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva. Safina had a major problem with her second serve, and did not win a single game in the second set. She also committed 12 double faults; Kudryavtseva committed 10. Safina saved a match point with an ace at 4-5, and won the tiebreak easily, 7-3 (she won the first tiebreak, 7-1).

The German Open and the French Open gave Safina a reputation for living on the edge, and tonight's win over Kudryavtseva does nothing to dispel that image. I did not get to see the match, but it appears that Safina was a just a complete mess--but figured out how to win the match under pressure. That is what really good players do, and though it is clear that Safina needs to clean things up and not turn every contest into a cliffhanger, she is nevertheless impressive. And so is Kudryavtseva.

Safina def. Kudryavtseva, 7-6, 0-6, 7-6

Schnyder and Vaidisova both out of L.A.

Yesterday, it was Daniela Hantuchova who was upset, by Olga Govortsova, in the second round of the East West Bank Classic. Today, Patty Schnyder and Nicole Vaidisova were also upset in the second round, by Ai Sugiyama and wild card Bethanie Mattek, respectively.

Meanwhile, the lucky losers have been more than lucky. Melinda Czink defeated Olga Savchuk (who defeated Gisela Dulko) in the second round, and Melanie South defeated the talented young Czech player, Petra Kvitova.

Flavia Pennetta has defeated Tamira Paszek, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Sugiyama def. Schnyder, 6-4, 7-5
Mattek def. Vaidisova, 6-4, 6-0
Czink def. Savchuk, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
South def. Kvitova, 6-4, 6-2

Serena Williams withdraws from Los Angeles

Because of her left knee injury, Serena Williams has withdrawn from the East West Bank Classic. She was replaced in the draw by Melanie South.

Meanwhile, Flavia Pennetta defeated Stanford champion Aleksandra Wozniak, 6-1, 6-0.

Kuznetsova out of Los Angeles

Svetlana Kuznetsova has joined Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams in withdrawing from the East West Bank Classic. Kuznetsova has a leg injury. Melina Czink has taken her place in the draw.

Thanks to On the Baseline for the news.

Larcher de Brito watch--no Los Angeles main draw

Michelle Larcher de Brito was defeated in straights sets today by Ahsha Rolle in the first round of qualifying for the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles. Larcher de Brito hit ten aces, to her credit, but she was unable to stave off break points.

Larcher de Brito took Serena Williams to three sets in Stanford this week.

Williams withdraws from Los Angeles

Venus Williams has withdrawn from the East West Bank Classic. Who is surprised?

Davenport withdraws from Los Angeles

Lindsay Davenport has withdrawn from the East West Bank Classic. No surprise.

Golovin withdraws from Los Angeles

The recovering Tatiana Golovin has withdrawn from the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles this month. She is on the entry list for the Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal, but her participation there appears doubtful.

It's taken all season, but Stubbs is again a winner

Multiple Grand Slam winner Rennae Stubbs, who had years of success with partner Lisa Raymond, and also a lot of success with partner Cara Black, has won her first tournament of the 2007 season. She and Kveta Peschke, her most recent partner, took out top seeds Alicia Molik and Mara Santangelo in just forty-three minutes yesterday in the East West Bank Classic.

Yesterday's victory had to be special for Stubbs. She has come close all season, but has not lifted a trophy until now. Stubbs has won four Grand Slam doubles titles, two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, and 53 other titles in her career.

Ivanovic wins East West Bank Classic

Ana Ivanovic defeated Nadia Petrova, 7-5, 6-4, today to win the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles. Petrova got a walkover from Maria Sharapova, who sustained a foot injury, but being much fresher than Ivanovic wasn't enough. I didn't get to see the match because of problems with the ESPN2 signal. One thing is clear: Ivanovic has raised the level of her game and is a force with which to be reckoned. (I am a big fan of her countrywoman, Jelena Jankovic, who I fear may have at least partially burned herself out with too much match play.) Now Ivanovic goes to Toronto to defend her title there.

Ivanovic prevails in a match to remember

In all fairness to Jelena Jankovic, it can't be that easy, playing with a cold in the latter stages of a tournament. But she hung in for three thrilling sets in her semifinal at the East West Bank Classic. On the other side of the net, however, Ana Invanovic put up one of the best fights of the season, coming back from near-defeat over and over and over. Ivanovic's forehand and Jankovic's backhand were on display, in all their brilliance, providing fans one of the best matches of the year. Jankovic's defense was excellent, as usual, and her down-the-line shots would be admired by Chris Evert herself. But it was Ivanovic who squeezed out the victory, with her impressive forehand, excellent serving, light-touch volleys, and fighting spirit. Final score: 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Ivanovic will face the winner of the Maria Sharapova-Nadia Petrova semifinal. Ivanovic won the U.S. Open Series last year. Next week, she will try to defend her Rogers Cup title, which is suddenly looking much easier because of all the withdrawals from Toronto.

Williams and Zvonareva withdraw from Los Angeles

Serena Williams and Vera Zvonareva, both injured (though Zvonareva's injury is not as serious as we first thought it was) have withdrawn from the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles next week. They have been replaced in the draw by Angelique Kerber and Elena Bovina.

Ivanovic gets wild card to East West Bank Classic

She says she's healthy and ready to play in Los Angeles, where she will be seeded third.