Passing shots

The Virginia Slims series began 40 years ago today. The first women to break away and sign up for the series were ostracized by many male players they thought were their friends. Women getting paid real money to play tennis?! One of my favorite stories about this difficult period is told by Billie Jean King: Tennis umpires would not have anything to do with the series at first, so the women hired baseball umpires, who--when they called faults--would yell "foul ball!"

Maria Sharapova has turned down a wild card to play in Sydney. The wild cards have been given to Anastasia Rodionova and Jelena Dokic.

The Hong Kong Classic is in progress. So far, Aravane Rezai defeated Zhang Shuai, Maria Kirilenko defeated Melanie Oudin, Vera Zvonareva defeated Venus Williams, and Caroline Wozniacki defeated Li Na.

Caroline Wozniacki is not the only Sunshine on a cloudy day.

Simon Reed says that Elena Baltacha can break into the top 50 this year, and--if she stays injury-free--may break into the top 40.

Serbia is into the Hopman Cup final, but lost 1-2 to Belgium in the last rubber.

Kim Clijsters, who has repeatedly said that 2011 will probably be her last full season, now says she may play another four years. How long she stays, in my opinion, will probably have to do more with her injury status than anything else.

Miscellany

Jill Craybas upset 2nd seed Aravane Rezai today at the Bell Challenge in Quebec City. Craybas, who is ranked number 123 in the world, defeated Rezai 6-3, 3-6, 7-6. Sabine Lisicki went out in straight sets to Alexa Glatch.

Zheng Jie has had disappointing results lately. She has stopped playing for the season and will soon have surgery performed on her wrist. Zheng underwent ankle surgery in 2007. Zheng was a semifinalist at the 2010 U.S. Open, and won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon doubles championships in 2006.

World number 1 Serena Williams is practicing again, but says she hasn't yet determined when she will return to the tour.

Elena Baltacha has reached the top 50 for the first time in her career. Baltacha is currently ranked number 49 in the world.

Steve Tignor gives Maria Shavapova a C+ for her U.S. Open performance.

Zoo Tennis reminds us that the team of Timea Babos and Sloane Stephens has won three of four majors in junior doubles this year. They did not play together in Melbourne, but won the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Baltacha defeats Schiavone in Istanbul

Elena Baltacha defeated top seed Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-2 today in the second round of the Istanbul Cup. Also going out was Johanna Larsson, who has made a bit of a splash on the tour lately. Larsson was defeated 6-4, 6-4 by Sorana Cirstea. 3rd seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Jarmila Groth also advanced to the next round.

In Stanford, defending champion and 4th seed Marion Bartoli won her second round match against wild card Ana Ivanovic in straight sets. 5th seed Maria Sharapova defeated Olga Govortsova, 8th seed (and wild card) Victoria Azarenka defeated Melanie Oudin, and Maria Kirilenko upset Shahar Peer twice. In singles, she defeated 6th seed Peer, and in doubles, she and partner Azarenka defeated 3rd seeds Peer and Alisa Kleybanova.

Shvedova upset in Birmingham

6th seed Yaroslava Shvedova lost her second round match today at the AEGON Classic in Birmingham. She was defeated 6-4, 6-4 by qualifier Sesil Karatantcheva. Also going out in the second round were 8th seed Andrea Petkovic and 16th seed Vania King.

In the first round, 12th seed Elena Baltacha retired with a g.i. illness. Baltacha suffered heat illness last week in Nottingham, where she won the tournament and had to play her quarterfinal and semifinal matches on the same day; she has been feeling a bit weak ever since.

It rained again today in Birmingham, and several matches had to be suspended.

Baltacha out in 1st round of Rome qualifying

Top Rome qualifying seed Elena Baltacha lost to Greta Arn today in the first round of qualifying. Arn defeated her 2-6, 6-3, 7-6. 2nd and 3rd seeds Ayumi Morita and Pauline Parmentier advanced to the next round.

Brits get through first round of doubles

In Australian Open first round doubles competition, it was a good day for the British. Three British women--Laura Robson, Elena Baltacha and Sarah Borwell--won their doubles matches. Robson, playing partner Sally Peers, defeated Jill Craybas and Abigail Spears. Baltacha and Liga Dekmeijere defeated Lucie Safarova and Aleksandra Wozniak, and Borwell and Raquel Kops-Jones (Spears' former partner) defeated Polona Hercoq and Petra Martic.

Miscellany

The new Tampax ad featuring Serena Williams is one of the worst commercials I have ever seen. "Mother Nature" is a kind of 1960s club lady, and the entire thing is inane. Serena is actually kind of funny, but, really--what were they thinking?

IMG has signed Li Na as a client.

For those who enjoy irony: The latest issue of Tennis--which is devoted to issues involving older readers and tennis players--manages to insult older citizens by referring to an older chair umpire as "senile." Having already insulted women and the LGBT community, the magazine's slur toward people over 50 comes as no surprise, and I suppose the editors' lack of insight isn't exactly shocking, either.

Melanie Oudin and John Isner will represent the USA in the 2010 Hopman Cup competition.

For the first time in 18 years, there are three British women in the world's top 100--Anne Keothavong, Elena Baltacha and Katie O'Brien.

Tom Perrotta says Kim Clijsters may dominate Justine Henin next season. Steve Flink says Henin will dominate Clijsters, but that Clijsters will make it harder for her to do so.