Pennetta takes Palermo title

Flavia Pennetta won the Internazionali Femminili di Palermo championship today, defeating countrywoman Sara Errani in straight sets for the title. This is Pennetta's seventh Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title.

The doubles title was won yesterday by Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who defeated Mariya Koryttseva and Darya Kustova 6-1, 6-2--the same scoreline as the singles final.

Pennetta and Errani to meet in Palermo final

Top seed Flavia Pennetta defeated countrywoman Tathiana Garbin 6-1, 6-1 today in Palermo to reach the final of the Internazionali Femminili di Palermo. Joining her will be another Italian, Sara Errani, who defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld. Groenefeld advanced to the semifinals when her quarterfinal opponent (and doubles partner), Patty Schnyder, had to retire because of a hip flexor strain.

Meanwhile, in Prague, the first semifinal, featuring Sybille Bammer and Iveta Benesova, lasted only thirteen minutes when rain came. It will be completed tomorrow, with the second semifinal (Francesca Schiavone vs. Timea Bacsinszky) to be played at the same time. The final will be played later in the day.

Upsets in Palermo

There were a couple of doubles upsets today in Palermo. The unseeded team of Parra Santonja and Uhlirova upset 4th seeds Senoglu and Shvedova, and the unseeded team of Jans and Rosolska upset 3rd seeds Makarova and Voskoboeva.

In singles, top seed Flavia Pennetta defeated countrywoman and clay specialist Roberta Vinci, and Tathiana Garbin defeated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. Also, unseeded Olga Govortsova upset 6th seed Ekaterina Makarova.

2 seeds upset in Prague

5th seeded Alona Bondarenko was upset in the first round in Prague today, 6-1, 6-3, by her sister, Kateryna. Also upset was Magdalena Rybarikova, who lost to qualifier Timea Bacsinszy, 6-2, 7-6.

In Palermo, Swedish Open champion Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez upset 3rd seed Alize Cornet, 6-2, 6-2. Anna-Lena Groenefeld upset 8th seed Gisela Dulko 6-4, 6-1. In doubles, the top seeds--Groenefeld and Patty Schnyder--were upset 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 by Irina Begu and Marta Marrero.

Errani wins everything in Palermo

Sara Errani defeated Mariya Koryttseva 6-2, 6-3 today to win the Internazionali Femminili di Palermo. Errani, with partner Nuria Llagostera Vives, also won the doubles title, defeating Alla Kudryavtseva and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 2-6, 7-6, 10-4.

With this win, Errani moves from the number 60 spot to number 51 in the world.

Top seeds out in Palermo

Number 1 seed Flavia Pennetta was defeated today, 7-5, 6-3, by 5th seed Sara Errani. Also, the number 2 seed, Anabel Medina Garrigues, was also defeated--6-2, 6-2, by 7th seed Mariya Koryttseva.

Cornet the only surviving seed in Budapest

Top seed Agnes Szavay is out of the Gaz de France Grand Prix. Number 3 seed Tavetana Pironkova is out. And next in line Iveta Benesova, Lucie Safarova and Pauline Parmentier are out. Even seeds 7 and 8--Klara Zakopalova and Sorana Cirstea--are out. That leaves number 2 seed Alize Cornet, who will play Greta Arn in the semifinals. I was a bit surprised that Arn beat Zakopalova. The other semifinal match will be between Andreja Klepac and Karolina Sprem (of the multiple and never-ending injuries).