Groth wins Hobart

Jarmila Groth, currently ranked number 40 in the world, has won the Moorilla Hobart International. Groth defeated Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 6-3 in the final, which was played in windy conditions. Both players now head to Melbourne for the Australian Open. Mattek-Sands gets a qualifier in the first round, but Groth has to play 21st seed Yanina Wickmayer.

Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci are the new Hobart doubles champions. They defeated Kateryna Bondarenko and Liga Dekmeijere 6-3, 7-5. Because it rained so much during the tournament, a doubles semifinal had to be played following the singles final. Bondarenko and Dekmeijere won that match, defeating Groth and Klara Zakopalova.

Wozniacki, Zvonareva and Stosur all out of Sydney

World number 1 and top seed Caroline Wozniacki played her first round in Sydney yesterday, and lost to Dominika Cibulkova. Cibulkova's 6-3, 6-3 victory follows the unseeded Slovak's 6-3, 6-3 win over Maria Kirilenko.

Wozniacki played in the Hong Kong Classic prior to arriving in Sydney; the Hong Kong Classic is a world team exhibition event and not part of the tour. This year, team Russia defended its title, and Vera Zvonareva defeated Wozniacki 6-1, 6-0 in that event.

Exhibition matches are generally not taken too seriously, but the Hong Kong Classic is, like the Hopman Cup tournament, a significant team event. And Wozniacki's two straight-set losses in a row make her look a bit vulnerable.

Zvonareva, seeded 2nd in Sydney, also went out yesterday, in the second round (also her first round). She was defeated 7-5, 7-5 by Flavia Pennetta. 4th seed Sam Stosur was defeated 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Svetlana Kuznetsova; Stosur had a second round loss to Jarmila Groth in Brisbane. 3rd seed Kim Clijsters advanced to the third round.

Of note in the Medibank International is the young Serb, Bojana Jovanovski, who defeated Kaia Kanepi in the first round, and Aravane Rezai (7-6, 7-6) in the second. Her next opponent will be Pennetta.

Play in Hobart has been hampered by rain. Top seed Marion Bartoli, who lost only one game to Dinara Safina in the first round, will play Elena Vesnina in the second round.

Bondarenko wins Hobart

Alona Bondarenko won her second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title today in Hobart. Bondarenko, seeded 4th, defeated 2nd seed Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-4.

To reach the final, Bondarenko defeated Lucie Safarova (by retirement), Alize Cornet, 7th seed Zheng Jie, and number 1 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues.

Bondarenko is currently ranked number 32 in the world.

Chuang Chia-Jung and Kveta Peschke won the doubles final, defeating Chan Yung-Jan and Monica Niculescu 3-6, 6-3, 10-7. Both teams were unseeded.

Medina Garrigues upset in Hobart

Number 1 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues is out of the Moorilla Hobart International. She was defeated in her semifinal match by Alona Bondarenko, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. In the final, Bondarenko will play 2nd seed Shahar Peer, who defeated Sara Errani 6-2, 6-0.

Also upset was the top-seeded doubles team of Hsieh Su-Wei and Peng Shuai, who lost to Chan Yung-Jan and Monica Niculescu. Chan and Niculescu will play Chuang Chia-Jung and Kveta Peschke in the final. Chuang (who used to be Chan's doubles partner) and Peschke defeated Errani and Roberta Vinci.

Medina Garrigues goes to Hobart semifinals

Top seed Anabel Medina Garrigues advanced to the Hobart semifinals today by defeating Gisela Dulko 6-1, 5-7, 6-1. Also advancing were Alona Bondarenko (def. Zheng Jie), Sara Errani (def. Kirsten Flipkens), and Shahar Peer (def. Carla Suarez Navarro).

3rd seeds Dulko and Zheng were upset in doubles by Chan Yung-Jan and Monica Niculescu.

In the semifinals, Medina Garrigues will play Bondarenko, and Errani will play Peer.

Flipkens and Errani produce Hobart upsets

Qualifier Kirsten Flipkens defeated Hobart 6th seed Aleksandra Wozniak today, 7-5, 6-2 in the second round of the Moorilla Hobart International. Also going out was 3rd seed Kateryna Bondarenko, who lost a very close match to Sara Errani. Bondarenko was a step behind for much of the match, yet she continually caught up. In the end, though, Errani was able to post a 7-6 (8), 6-4 score.

Also advancing in the second round were 5th seed Carla Suarez Navarro (def. wild card Alicia Molik) and 2nd seed Shahar Peer (def. Jelena Dokic).

In doubles quarterfinals, Errani and partner Roberta Vinci upset 2nd seeds Sania Mirza and Virginia Ruano Pascual, 6-3, 7-5.

Seeds advance in Hobart

Advancing today in Hobart were top seed Anabel Medina Garrigues (def. qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva), 4th seed Alona Bondarenko (def. Alize Cornet), 7th seed Zheng Jie (def. Peng Shuai), and 8th seed Gisela Dulko (def. Tamira Paszek).

The Dulko-Paszek match, played in very windy conditions, produced the odd score of 6-1, 0-6, 7-6, and Paszek double-faulted 19 times. "It was a point today, it was impossible to play tennis," Dulko said after the match. "At the end of the second set, and almost all of the third set it was so tough-- you can't play like this. I don't think I've played tennis in worse conditions than this today."

Official had to weigh down the scoreboard and points had to be interrupted because debris was flying onto the court. According to Dulko, the match should have been stopped.

I saw such a match in 2007 in Charleston, right after several tornadoes came down near the Family Circle Cup Stadium. The final was difficult to play, though 2007 champion Jelena Jankovic handled the wind quite well. It was the doubles final, however, that appeared almost impossible to play, though officials did not stop it, and it did go on until the end. Stuff was flying all over the place, the flower stands came down, and--though I understand the need to finish a tournament--I also fully understand Dulko's objection.

Errani and Zheng win tough matches in Hobart

Two matches stood out today in Moorilla Hobart International competition. Melanie Oudin and Sara Errani were on the court for close to three hours, breaking each other 9 times, until Errani emerged the winner, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Going for 2 1/2 hours were Zheng Jie and Kaia Kanepi, who appears to be returning to her 2008 form. Zheng defeated Kanepi 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, after 12 breaks of serve. Kanepi hit 7 aces and committed 9 double faults.

The often-injured and unpredictable Tamira Paszek defeated Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-3, and Alla Kudryavtseva defeated Ekaterina Makarova 6-0, 6-0.

Play begins in Sydney and Hobart

Svetlana Kuznetsova fought off an apparently spirited Alisa Kleybanova in the first round of the Medibank International today, winning 6-2, 6-7, 7-5. There were 9 breaks of serve in the match, and a total of 18 double faults.

Also winning were Elena Dementieva and Daniela Hantuchova, who defeated Francesca Schiavone and Virginie Razzano, respectively.

The reunited team of Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs lost to wild cards Casey Dellacqua and Aravane Rezai, and Kimiko Date Krumm qualified for the main draw.

In Hobart, Peng Shuai defeated Sorana Cirstea in straight sets, Alona Bondarenko defeated Sybille Bammer, and Kateryna Bondarenko won her first round match against Lucie Safarova when Safarova retired with a left pectoral muscle strain.

In doubles, the team of Chuang Chia-Jung and Kveta Peschke upset 4th seeds Alla Kudryavtseva and Ekaterina Makarova.

Kvitova wins her first title

Petra Kvitova has won her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title. She defeated Iveta Benesova, 7-5, 6-1 to win the Hobart International tournament. The left-handed Kvitova, who reached the French Open round of 16 last year, is ranked number 49 in the world. That ranking will be higher, of course, on Monday.

Czech Republic shines in Hobart

The final in Hobart will feature countrywomen Iveta Benesova and Petra Kvitova, who defeated Magdalena Rybarikova and Virginie Razzano, respectively, in the semifinals. Both won their semifinals matches in straight sets. Benesova has been around for a while, and has looked good in Hobart, taking out both Tamarine Tanasugarn and Gisela Dulko. Kvitova is a young player some of us have been keeping an eye on, and it is no surprise that she is a finalist. In addition to defeating Razzano, Kvitova also defeated the impressive Anastasia Pavlyuhenkova.

The doubles final in Hobart will feature Alona and Kateryna Bondarenko--whose fortunes go up and down rather quickly--and the reunited team of Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta.

Semifinals set in Sydney and Hobart

Serena Williams survived a serious quarterfinal challenge from Carolina Wozniacki in Sydney, and will now play Elena Dementieva, who won a three-setter against Agnieszka Radwanska. The other semifinal will feature Ai Sugiyama, the beneficiary of a walkover from Svetlana Kuznetsova (abdominal strain), and Dinara Safina, who defeated Alize Cornet.

In Hobart, Magdalena Rybarikova (who saved a match point to defeat Melinda Czink) will face Iveta Benesova, and Petra Kvitova will compete against Virginie Razzano.

Williams def. Wozniacki, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6
Dementieva def. Radwanska, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
Safina def. Cornet, 6-3, 6-4

Rybarikova def. Czink, 6-0, 1-6, 7-6
Benesova def. Dulko, 6-4, 6-4
Kvitova def. Pavlyuchenkova, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3
Razzano def. Pironkova, 6-4, 6-1

Top seed out of Hobart--ALL seeds out of Hobart

Flavia Pennetta, number 1 seed in Hobart, is out in the second round, defeated by Magdalena Rybarikova, 7-5, 6-3. Rybarikova, who is ranked number 57 in the world, broke Pennetta five times. 

Pennetta was not the only seed who went out of Hobart tonight. 4th seed Zheng Jie was defeated, 6-3, 6-3 by Gisela Dulko, and 7th seed Alona Bondarenko was defeated, 6-2, 6-1, by Petra Kvitova. 

The second round is over, and there are no seeds remaining in Hobart.

There was also a retirement: Urzula Radwanska retired against Melinda Czink in the first set.

Chakvetadze out in Hobart, Petrova out in Sydney

Third seed Anna Chakvetadze went out in her first round in Hobart yesterday, falling to Carla Suarez Navarro, who defeated her 7-6, 1-6, 7-5. Chakvetadze joins Wozniak and Szavay, other seeds who went out in the first round. Also out are 8th seed Tamarine Tanasugarn, who lost to Iveta Benesova, and Patty Schnyder, who lost to Tsvetana Pironkova.

In Sydney, number 7 seed Nadia Petrova lost to Alize Cornet, 6-2, 6-4.

Sounding like a broken record here...

But Agnes Szavay is out in the first round again, this time in Hobart. She was defeated by Anne Keothavong, 6-3, 7-5. Szavay was seeded fifth. Nicole Vaidisova went out in the first round, too, defeated Mara Santangelo, 6-1, 6-1.

Also getting eliminated was 6th seed Aleksandra Wozniak, who lost in three tight sets to Urzula Radwanska. Radwanska saved seven match points on her way to victory.

Pironkova claims Schnyder as her latest victim

Drawing Tsvetana Pironkova in your first round is not pretty; the Bulgarian baseliner is almost always a dangerous floater at tournaments, and has taken out her share of top players. Today, she got a bit of help from 2nd seed Patty Schnyder, whose usually excellent first and second serves were apparently nowhere to be seen, ar least in the first half of the match. All I have to go on are the stats, but they are telling: In the first set, for example, she won only 33% of her second serve points. 

Schnyder did put up quite a fight in the second set, though, improving her serving stats, and saving five match points. I thought we were going to have a third set, and I liked Patty for it, but Pironkova was able to win on her sixth match point. 

Pironkova def. Schnyder, 6-2, 6-4

Top 2 qualifying seeds out in Hobart

Francesca Schiavone, the number 1 qualifying seed (how strange does that sound?) in Hobart, was defeated in the first round of qualifying yesterday by Urzula Radwanska, 6-3, 7-6.

The number 2 qualifying seed, Marta Domachowska, was also defeated in the first round of qualifying by Lourdes Dominguez Lino, 7-5, 6-3.

Rus out of Hobart qualifying

Former junior world number 1 Arantxa Rus has lost her first round of qualifying at the Moorilla Hobart International tournament. Lourdes Dominguez Lino defeated Rus 6-0, 6-0 in Hobart today. 

And speaking of juniors...the current world number 1 is 2008 Wimbledon finalist Noppawan Lertcheewakarn. Numbers 2 through 5 are: Ana Bogdan, Simona Halep, Elena Bogdan, and Wimbledon champion Laura Robson. 

Robson is currently dealing with a torn stomach muscle, and may not be able to compete in the Australian Open.

Dokic withdraws from Hobart

Jelena Dokic, citing an Achilles injury, has withdrawn from the Moorilla Hobart International tournament.

Henin wins Sydney; Daniilidou takes Hobart

Justine Henin was down 0-3 with a break point against her in the third set of the final in Sydney, and--of course--she won the match. That is often how Justine Henin does things. Her opponent, Svetlana Kuznetsova, however, played some of the better tennis I've seen her play in a long time. Final score: Henin def. Kuznetsova, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

In Hobart, Eleni Daniilidou had an easier time of it when she won the championship via a walkover. Opponent Vera Zvonareva suffered a left ankle injury.