Zvonareva survives in Paris

I watched the 2nd round French Open match between 3rd seed Vera Zvonareva and Sabine Lisicki with a growing sense of dread because it seemed as though nothing too good could come of it. Zvonareva looked flustered and too defensive against Lisicki, but I was feeling something more than frustration over the 3rd seed's performance. Because I knew that Lisicki might choke away her opportunities, and I was right. It wasn't that I wanted an upset--it was just that watching one player under-perform and the other one lose her nerve was like watching some type of accident from which I wanted to turn away my sight.

Lisicki was two points away from winning the match in the second set, but she was simply not mentally up to the task. At that point, it was easy to believe that the German would just get discouraged and Zvonareva would take charge. But I still had that sinking feeling, which proved to be reliable. Lisicki led 5-2 in the third, and had a match point on Zvonareva's serve, but she didn't convert it. When Lisicki served for the match at 5-3, she was broken.

By this time, it was apparent that Lisicki wasn't feeling too good. She wound up seeing both a trainer and a doctor and getting ice packs and a lot of water; she was cramping. She was easily broken at 5-6, but then two of Zvonareva's match points faded away--one because of a massive, "last gasp" forehand from Lisicki, and one because Zvonareva made an error. Zvonareva finally won, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, and Lisicki managed to do the handshake, then collapsed into a heap of pain and was hauled away on a stretcher.

That was a lot of drama. The drama earlier in the day was more fun, however. 11th seed Marion Bartoli, fully pumped up and carried by the crowd, won a three-hour match against Olga Govortsova, who hit 46 winners. Bartoli defeated Govortsova 6-4, 6-7, 6-2. Bartoli outlasted her opponent, but one wonders what effect the length and intensity of the match will have on the ever-fragile Frenchwoman.

Meanwhile, the world number 1 advanced, as did the defending champion and the 2009 runner-up. Julia Goerges got the tough match from Lucie Safarova I expected her to get, and came from behind to win, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez went out, defeated by Rebecca Marino (I didn't see that coming), and Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated countrywoman Varvara Lepchenko.

There was a significant upset in doubles. The Czech team of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka defeated the Czech team (and 8th seeds) of Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. Benesova, by the way, is playing mixed doubles with Leander Paes (the injured Cara Black is his regular partner).

In other mixed doubles news, 2nd seeds Vania King and Daniel Nestor were defeated by Chan Yung-Jan and Eric Butorac.

Goerges wins Stuttgart championship

The German fans in Stuttgart got to see two of their countrywomen pick up trophies and bouquets today at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. German wild card Sabine Lisicki and her partner, Sam Stosur, won the doubles championsip when they defeated the all-German team of Kristina Barrois and Jasmin Woehr 6-1, 7-6.

Julia Goerges got more than a trophy and flowers. She not only won her first premier WTA event, but she did it by defeating the world number 1. She was given a shiny silveer Porsche, too, which she drove across the court after her 7-5, 6-3 victory.

Goerges has played great tennis all week. She took out Lisicki in the quarterfinals, and 5th seed Stosur in the semifinals. (She was also the recipient of a second round retirement from the ever-fragile Victoria Azarenka.) The match against Stosur was an especially good one, and Goerges had to push herself both mentally and physically to overcome the 5th seed. Today, playing in the biggest match of her career, she kept a cool head, served extremely well, and forced errors from Caroline Wozniacki by repeatedly throwing the Dane off of her rhythm and targeting the Wozniacki forehand.

The unseeded German won 72% of her first serve points, and 65% of her second serve points (she also won 72% of her first serve points against Stosur, and 68% against Lisicki); she hit 38 winners to 29 unforced errors. Strong on both sides, Goerges was aggressive throughout both sets, and wasn't afraid to go to the net to finish points.

The Stuttgart tournament is played indoors, so we will all be watching Goerges to see if she can maintain her progress outdoors on red clay. In Charleston, the clay surface is faster than it is in Europe, and Goerges ran hot and cold on it. Her forehand was in top form at the Family Circle Cup, but she also experienced what appeared to be mental lapses during some of her games. On the other hand, Charleston is the first tournament of the clay season, and it isn't unusual to see players struggle to make the adjustment from hard courts.

Goerges won the Bad Gastein title in 2009, and she is now 2-1 in finals. Wozniacki has yet to win a title on red clay. The world number 1, however, owns 16 titles, including the 2011 green clay event in Charleston. Goerges is the the second German to win in Stuttgart. Anke Huber won the tournament on an indoor hard court in 1991 and 1994.

Lisicki upsets 4th seed Bartoli in Charleston

Wild card Sabine Lisicki, who won the championship in Charleston in 2009 when she was seeded 15th, pulled another unexpected stunt tonight when she defeated 4th seed Marion Bartoli 6-2, 6-3. Lisicki has been plagued by illness, injury and an apparent lack of confidence for so long, fans wondered if the once-heralded German would just fade away. Tonight, though, she often looked like the player who cruised through the tournament without dropping a set two years ago.

Lisicki's serve, forehand and drop shot were all there. Bartoli tried to stay away from the forehand, but Lisicki was able to defend well enough with her backhand to stay in rallies, and then strike with forehand passing shots and forehands up the line. She took control of the match right away, and never gave it up for very long.

In 2009, Bartoli lost to Lisicki in the semifinals. Currently ranked number 182 in the world, Lisicki--who could not play at the Family Circle Cup last year because of injury--has now won eight consecutive matches in Charleston.

2009 champion Lisicki advances to 2nd round in Charleston

Sabine Lisicki serves in her 1st round match

There was a time, just a few years ago, when the names "Tamira Paszek" and "Sabine Lisicki" were synonymous with "future WTA star," then things turned kind of sour for both of them. Lisicki, the 2009 Family Circle Cup champion, needed three sets today to defeat Renata Voracova, but her 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory took her into the second round. Lisicki's opening round match was postponed for two hours because--and don't say I didn't warn you--a big storm came in, following a tornado watch. Because this is Charleston in April.

Paszek also advanced to the second round when she defeated Melanie Oudin 6-1, 7-5. I saw the second set, which was pretty high quality, with both players painting the lines, and with Oudin actually winning more points with her backhand.

While the names Lisicki and Paszek stir memories of unkept promises, another name--Jelena Dokic--stirs memories of everything from world-class hitting to heart-breaking personal crisis. Today, Dokic lost her first round to qualifier Anna Tastishvili. The former world number 4 double-faulted ten times, and appeared preoccupied with too many matters that were not really urgent. Dokic yelled in frustration, and struggled to keep from breaking her racquet. There were 17 breaks of serve in the match, which Tatishvili won, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.

2 former champions enter Family Circle Cup

Sabine Lisicki, who won the Family Circle Cup in 2009 when she was seeded 16th, has entered the 2011 event. Lisicki, who has suffered through a long series of injuries, illnesses and rehab, was not able to participate last year. The German player made WTA history in 2009, however, when she became the lowest seed and the lowest ranked player (63) ever to win in Charleston.

What I recall most about that event was how relaxed Lisicki was. She played the piano on the Grand Lawn, tended bar, and just looked like she was having so much fun throughout the entire tournament. After upsetting Venus Williams in the third round and Marion Bartoli in the semifinals, Lisicki easily defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the final, and looked as though she were headed toward something big. It will be good to have the affable German back in Charleston.

Also entering this year is 2006 champion Nadia Petrova, who was also part of the 2010 championship doubles team (Liezel Huber was her partner). Petrova also won the 2009 doubles title, with partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Petrova's 2006 Family Circle Cup victory was part of a major clay run that resulted, most unfortunately, with Petrova's injuring herself during practice right before the commencement of the French Open. In Charleston that year, she defeated Patty Schnyder in an exciting three-set final. This will be Petrova's seventh Family Circle Cup appearance.

Qualifying for the Family Circle Cup begins on April 2, and main draw play starts on April 4. The field this year also includes defending champion Sam Stosur, Jelena Jankovic, Shahar Peer, Maria Sharapova, Daniela Hantuchova, and Melanie Oudin.

The Family Circle Cup, a premier WTA event, in played on green clay. This year's special Game! Set! Rock! Tennis, Amplified, presented by Dove, will include an exhibition match featuring former champions Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, in addition to former ATP stars Todd Martin and John McEnroe.

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.

Top seeds already out of Brisbane

Samantha Stosur, the top seed in Brisbane, is out of the competition in the second round. Stosur was defeated 6-2, 6-4 by her countrywoman, the big-hitting Jarmila Groth. Groth was down 2-4 in the second set, but broke Stosur back. Groth hit a total of nine aces, with seven of them appearing in the first set, in which she won points on all fourteen of her first serves. Stosur never saw a break opportunity in the match.

Shahar Peer, who was seeded second, is also out of Brisbane, defeated by Lucie Safarova.

Flavia Pennetta was to have played in Brisbane, but she is sick with a gastro-intestinal illness. Daniela Hantuchova withdrew because her left achilles tendon problem.

Sabine Lisicki is back to her ace-hitting ways in Auckland. She hit ten in her first round match, which she won. Lisicki is a qualifier in Auckland. Heather Watson, also a qualifier (she beat top qualifying seed Alberta Brianti, in the second qualifying round), won her first round match against Noppawan Lertcheewakarn.

Stosur's defeat to a flat hitter with a big serve should give her something to think about before the Australian Open. Stosur's own serve is well-known, but like Justine Henin's, it is not consistent. In the French Open final, Francesca Schiavone had little problem handling Stosur's kick serve, which is the Australian's go-to second serve (and sometimes her first serve, too). Still, Stosur can frequently dominate on a clay court, as she did last year in Charleston, and throughout most of the French Open. She continues, however, to be vulnerable on other surfaces

Miscellany

The Australian Open wild card playoffs for U.S. players will be held December 17-19 at the Racquet Club of the South in Atlanta.

Elena Dementieva has been offered the position of vice president of the Russian Tennis Federation.

Jelena Jankovic has a new puppy named Stella.

Leslie Nielsen, who died Sunday, once played the role of sportswriter Nelson Fisher, in the 1978 television movie, "Little Mo." It was Nelson who gave Maureen Connolly her now-famous nickname.

Sabine  Lisicki and Melanie Oudin hit together this week at the Bollettieri Academy.

Lisicki out in 2nd round of Luxembourg qualifying

Sabine Lisicki lost today to Eleni Daniilidou in the second round of Luxembourg qualifying. Daniilidou, who double-faulted 14 times, defeated Lisicki 7-5, 6-4. (A couple of years ago, when I said  the "Lisicki watch" had begun, this isn't what I had in mind.)

Also going out in the second round of qualifying was Timara Paszek, who lost to Lucie Hradecka. Hradecka hit nine ace , and is--as far as I know--the only big-ace hitter (she has hit as many as eighteen in one match) on the tour who does not have a high ranking.

In Moscow, top qualifying seed Elena Baltacha was beaten in the second round of qualifying by Mariya Koryttseva in a match that lasted over 2 hours and 43 minutes. Koryttseva won 6-4, 2-6, 7-

Lisicki out in 1st round of $100k event in Torhout

Sabine Lisicki lost today in the first round of the $100k ITF tournament in Torhout, Belgium. Zuzana Kucova defeated the struggling German player 6-7, 6-3, 6-2. Tamira Paszek, Johanna Larsson and 2nd seed Timea Bacsinszky also went out in the first round. Yanina Wickmayer is the top seed at the event.

Miscellany

Sabine Lisicki, the number 2 seed in this week's 75k Shrewsbury ITF tournament, was upset in the second round by Heather Watson. Watson lost to 8th seed Eva Birnerova in the quarterfinals.

Rosie Casals talks with Adam Lincoln.

And here is David Rosenberg's interview with Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs.

Dinara Safina recently had a coaching session with her brother, Marat.

The city of Opitter, Belgium, where Kim Clijsters grew up, has honored her with a fountain and sculpture.

Chanda Rubin and Katrina Adams have been nominated to serve on the USTA board of directors. Adams is already a director at large.

Pre-U.S. Open miscellany

Venus Williams says she will not play women's or mixed doubles at the U.S. Open.

The Mets played the Astros on Friday, and Kim Clijsters threw the first pitch, on behalf of the Mets. She was introduced as "one of the best female athletes in the world." God forbid she should be introduced just as one the best athletes.

Vera Zvonareva did a photo shoot for the Vanity Fair website today.

Vania King says the U.S. Open is the least accommodating of all the majors.

Sabine Lisicki and Maria Sharapova have been hitting together at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Panasonic has signed a three-year contract to sponsor the U.S. Open. The company will team with CBS Sports and the USTA to produce 3-D versions of the high-def matches shown on both weekends.

Lisicki out in 1st round of Bronx challenger

Sabine Lisicki has been knocked out of the 100k Bronx ITF tournament in the first round. She was defeated 6-3, 6-3 by countrywoman Kristina Barrois. Barrois will face yet another German, Angelique Kerber, in the second round.

Also going out in the first round were Iveta Benesova (def. by Kerber), Alize Cornet (def. by Tathiana Garbin) and Stefanie Voegele (def. by Barbora Zahlavova Strycova).

The top seed is Lucie Safarova, who advanced to the second round by defeating Gabriela Paz.

Miscellany

Sam Stosur has withdrawn from the Rogers Cup. She had already withdrawn from Cincinnati because of pain in her right arm.

The tour has published a brief profile of the great team of Paola Suarez and Virginia Ruano Pascual. 

Sabine Lisicki and Kim Clijsters have been practicing together in Cincinnati.

Jelena Dokic won the $75k ITF tournament in Vancouver. She defeated Virginie Razzano 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

As of next week, Coco Vandewegh's ranking will rise from 205 to somewhere in the mid-160s.

Kanepi is top qualifying seed in Cincinnati

I was thinking about Kaia Kanepi today, wondering what she was up to in the U.S. Open Series, and I just learned that she is the top qualifying seed in Cincinnati. Kanepi will face Hsieh-Su-Wei in the first round of qualifying. If she wins that, she will play the winner of the match between Nuria Llagostera Vives and Shenay Perry.

Helping at the main draw ceremony will be Sabine Lisicki, who is returning to the tour after a long injury layoff. Maria Sharapova will play on the opening night of the tournament.

Qualifying takes place this weekend.

Lisicki not able to return to the tour right now

Sabine Lisicki had announced, some time ago, that she would resume playing in Portoroz. Obviously, she did not do so. She was packed and ready to go, she says, but a last-minute visit to the doctor ended her plans to play in the Slovenia Open. Lisicki's physician told her that if she played, she would be doing so at risk, so now she is waiting for a medical go-ahead to return to the tour.

Miscellany

The BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup, held in Madison Square Garden in 2009 and 2010, will be replaced in 2011 by a match between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. Prior to the match, there will be a one-set exhibition match played by John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl.

Venus and Serena Williams were each fined $4,000 for failure to appear at a post-doubles match press conference at Wimbledon. Serena said today she was not aware there was a press conference--that generally, the team is simply asked to deliver a statement to the press.

The Fed Cup final between the USA and Italy will be held November 6 and 7 at the San Diego Sport Arena.

Sabine Lisicki has returned to the court to practice after a long injury layoff.

World Team Tennis competition begins on July 5. Martina Hingis will be playing for the New York Buzz, whose first match will be played against the Philadelphia Freedoms.

Miscellany

Here is an interview with Heather Watson, who won her first main draw match this week.

Sabine Lisicki says that she will return to the tour in Portoroz in July.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands is helping the Nashville flood relief effort.

Martina Hingis says she is undecided about returning to the tour as a doubles player.

Paul Vergara analyzes the on-going debate about Caroline Wozniacki.

Here are the Nike dresses that Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Li Na will wear at Wimbledon.

Lisicki to miss French Open

Sabine Lisicki has withdrawn from both the Warsaw Open and the French Open. She is still rehabilitating an ankle injury. This is sad, but probably for the best, considering her tendency to become injured.

Lisicki withdraws from Fed Cup and Stuttgart

Sabine Lisicki's ankle injury lingers on, so she is out of both Fed Cup and Stuttgart.

Germany plays France this weekend in the World Group Playoffs. The other players on the German team are Andrea Petkovic, Julia Goerges and Tatjana Malek. Kristina Barrois has replaced Lisicki.