From WTA Backspin, we learn that the country with the second-highest number of players who made it to the top 64 (Russia had the most) is Romania. Join Todd Spiker and a commentator extraordinaire from the "past"--none other than Soren Kierkegaard--for a day-to-day existential deconstruction of events in Paris.
2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina is on her way to Paris to help coach 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. Because it takes a village.
Here is a Eurosport interview with Kuznetsova.
Sam Stosur told Benjamin Adler of the French Open website that either Julia Roberts or Drew Barrymore would be her choices to play her in a movie.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who has made it to the third round of the French Open, will probably be the number 2-ranked player from the USA in two weeks.
Showing posts with label Svetlana Kuznetsova. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Svetlana Kuznetsova. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Defending champion out of Rome in first round
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, who brilliantly defeated Jelena Jankovic in last year's Rome final, was defeated today in the first round of the 2011 Italian Open. Ekatarina Makarova defeated Martinez Sanchez 6-0, 5-7, 6-4. Gisela Dulko and Alexandra Dulgheru went out, too, defeated by Iveta Benesova and Polona Hercog, respectively.
Also defeated in the opening round was 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. Kuznetsova lost to Greta Arn, 3-6, 7-6., 7-6. The third set tiebreak score was 11-9, and the match lasted three hours and 22 minutes. The third set, in fact, lasted an hour and 47 minutes. Arn saved four match points, and won on her fifth match point.
Also defeated in the opening round was 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. Kuznetsova lost to Greta Arn, 3-6, 7-6., 7-6. The third set tiebreak score was 11-9, and the match lasted three hours and 22 minutes. The third set, in fact, lasted an hour and 47 minutes. Arn saved four match points, and won on her fifth match point.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Passing shots
Svetlana Kuznetsova has split with her coach, Carlos Cuadrado. When it comes to Kuznetsova and Ivanovic, I need to have a "________ has split with _________" template on the ready.
Petra Kvitova and Vera Zvonareva are skipping the tournament in Rome. Kvitova will play in a $100k challenger in Prague.
Lisa Raymond recently had brunch with Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss in New York City. Raymond calls King a "ball of positive energy."
Piotr Wozniacki has taken a page from the Walter Bartoli playbook, and--during the clay season--is requiring Caroline to do three-hour workouts every day, including the days she plays matches.
Here is a video peek of Maria Sharapova's Eiffel Tower-inspired French Open dress.
Petra Kvitova and Vera Zvonareva are skipping the tournament in Rome. Kvitova will play in a $100k challenger in Prague.
Lisa Raymond recently had brunch with Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss in New York City. Raymond calls King a "ball of positive energy."
Piotr Wozniacki has taken a page from the Walter Bartoli playbook, and--during the clay season--is requiring Caroline to do three-hour workouts every day, including the days she plays matches.
Here is a video peek of Maria Sharapova's Eiffel Tower-inspired French Open dress.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Kuznetsova and Wickmayer out in 1st round in Madrid
Yesterday in Madrid, for the third consecutive time, Dominika Cibuulkova defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova. Cibulkova won 6-3, 6-2 over the 12th seed. Yanina Wickmayer, though unseeded, was undoubtedly expected by many to go deep in this tournament, but she, too, was defeated. Ekaterina Makarova beat Wickmayer 6-4, 6-4 in today's first round play.
Defending champion Aravane Rezai went out, too--6-3, 3-6, 6-4, to Sofia Arvidsson. Flavia Pennetta and Nadia Petrova were also beaten in the first round. Pennetta is just returning from rehab for a shoulder injury, and Petrova has been coping with an ongoing illness.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands lost the first set 6-0 to Ana Ivanovic, then went on to win the next two. And probably no one had to work as hard as Chanelle Scheepers, who served for the match at 5-3 in the third set served against Monica Niculescu, and then was broken twice. Scheepers broke back, which took the players to a tiebreak, and Scheepers prevailed. It took Scheepers two hours and 47 minutes to win at 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
Of the three French Open champions playing in Madrid, only Francesca Schiavone survived the opening round. She defeated Peng Shuai 7-5, 7-6.
Defending champion Aravane Rezai went out, too--6-3, 3-6, 6-4, to Sofia Arvidsson. Flavia Pennetta and Nadia Petrova were also beaten in the first round. Pennetta is just returning from rehab for a shoulder injury, and Petrova has been coping with an ongoing illness.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands lost the first set 6-0 to Ana Ivanovic, then went on to win the next two. And probably no one had to work as hard as Chanelle Scheepers, who served for the match at 5-3 in the third set served against Monica Niculescu, and then was broken twice. Scheepers broke back, which took the players to a tiebreak, and Scheepers prevailed. It took Scheepers two hours and 47 minutes to win at 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
Of the three French Open champions playing in Madrid, only Francesca Schiavone survived the opening round. She defeated Peng Shuai 7-5, 7-6.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Passing shots
Kim Clijsters, already off of the tour for a month because of shoulder and wrist injuries, now has an ankle injury, too. Clijsters hurt her ankle while attending her cousin's wedding. She is walking on crutches, and her French Open participation is now in question. Clijsters had already withdrawn from the Belgian Fed Cup team.
Withdrawing from the Australian Fed Cup team is Jelena Dokic, who cites exhaustion as the reason. Sam Stosur, Australia's lead player, had already announced that she would not play in the upcoming Fed Cup tie.
Irina-Camelia Begu was the runner-up in Marbella this past week, so you may want to know more about her.
"I dream of being as consistent as Caroline Wozniacki for the whole season, not just clay courts or whatever," Svetlana Kuznetsova told Guy McCrae in Marbella.
Some good news: Dinara Safina's back problem in Marbella was strictly nerve-related, and not serious. Her stress fracture continues to heal nicely.
Francesca Schiavone won an exhibition set 6-4 against Caroline Wozniacki in Monte Carlo.
Venus and Serena Williams are opening a clothing store called "Courture" in Miami.
Withdrawing from the Australian Fed Cup team is Jelena Dokic, who cites exhaustion as the reason. Sam Stosur, Australia's lead player, had already announced that she would not play in the upcoming Fed Cup tie.
Irina-Camelia Begu was the runner-up in Marbella this past week, so you may want to know more about her.
"I dream of being as consistent as Caroline Wozniacki for the whole season, not just clay courts or whatever," Svetlana Kuznetsova told Guy McCrae in Marbella.
Some good news: Dinara Safina's back problem in Marbella was strictly nerve-related, and not serious. Her stress fracture continues to heal nicely.
Francesca Schiavone won an exhibition set 6-4 against Caroline Wozniacki in Monte Carlo.
Venus and Serena Williams are opening a clothing store called "Courture" in Miami.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Kuznetsova upset in Marbella
Today in Marbella, qualifier Irina-Camelia Begu upset 2nd seed (and wild card) Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the semifinals. Begu upset 6th seed Klara Zakopalova in straight sets in the quarterfinals. The Romanian 20-year-old is currently ranked number 138 in the world.
Also winning today was top seed Victoria Azarenka, who defeated 8th seed Sara Errani 6-2, 6-1.
Also winning today was top seed Victoria Azarenka, who defeated 8th seed Sara Errani 6-2, 6-1.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Wozniacki wins Dubai
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-3 today in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. It wasn't until the latter part of the match, in fact, that Kuznetsova began to play in the form that has helped her win titles. For most of the match, she looked a bit sluggish, and she created a great number of unforced errors. Wozniacki, for her part, did not waver, getting back almost everything, and setting up some beautiful winning shots. She broke Kuznetsova's serve seven times.This is Wozniacki's 13th WTA Tour title; tomorrow, she returns to the number 1 ranking position.
The ad hoc team of Liezel Huber and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez won the doubles title, defeating top seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik 7-6, 6-3.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Wozniacki and Kuznetsova to meet in Dubai final
She had her first good run in a long time, but 6th seed Jelena Jankovic lost today in the Dubai semifinals to Caroline Wozniacki. In the final, the top seed will meet Svetlana Kuznetsova, who defeated 11th seed Flavia Pennetta. Kuznetsova is seeded 16th. In their head-to-head stats. Wozniacki has one three out of five matches, including two out of four played on hard courts.
Kuznetsova, by the way, is now 5-0 against Pennetta. Today was the first time that Wozniacki has ever beaten Jankovic, who won their previous four matches.
Kuznetsova, by the way, is now 5-0 against Pennetta. Today was the first time that Wozniacki has ever beaten Jankovic, who won their previous four matches.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Schiavone and Kuznetsova give new meaning to the term "thriller"
During the French Open, Francesca Schiavone compared herself with Capricciosa pizza. "I don't give you margherita," she said. "I give you Capricciosa, different kind of ingredient." Schiavone needed all the spicy ingredients she could locate in her round of 16 match against seed 23rd Svetlana Kuznetsova. The match lasted four hours and 44 minutes, which makes it the longest women's match in the Open Era, and the second-longest women's match of all time. It also produced desperate, beautiful, edge-of-the-seat tennis, even toward the end, when both players took turns looking punch-drunk as they struggled mightily in the Australian heat.
The match was acutally a "you had to be there" experience--hard to describe in a brief report. Schiavone won the first set 6-4. She served for it at 5-3, was broken, but broke back to win. But the 6th seed's level of play dropped in the second set, as Kuznetsova's rose. Kuznetsova became more aggressive, and took the second set 6-1. At this point, an hour and 44 minutes had gone by, and no one could have guessed what was about to transpire. Both players had physical issues: Earlier in the month, Schiavone injured her groin and had to retire from Hopman Cup play, and Kuznetsova's feet were covered in blisters. At the end of the second set, Kuznetsova had her blisters treated and her feet re-wrapped, while Schiavone took a break to change into some dry clothes.
Throughout the third set, Schiavone experienced obvious groin pain. As the hours passed, Kuznetsova's eyes glazed over; she later said she had trouble keeping up with the score and with whose turn it was to serve. The 23rd seed remained the aggressor, however, and--to make it even harder for her opponent--she served first, so Schiavone was always in the position of trying to keep up. There were some ridiculously good rallies, with perhaps the most memorable occurring at 4-all. Kuznetsova continued to put the pressure on Schiavone, but Schiavone continued to find an answer.
And so it went. At 7-8, Schiavone was down 0-40, and that looked like it would be the end of it, but she saved three straight match points. She then hit what appeared to be a winning volley, but she lost her balance (not hard to understand) and her body touched the net before the ball had bounced a second time, so she did not get the point. She did hold, however, for 8-all. Kuznetsova then held for 9-8, and Schiavone then went down 15-40. She saved another two match points, and then--a moment later--she saved a sixth match point. But when she served for the match, the Italian was broken.
Schiavone also had an opportunity to serve for the match at 11-10, but instead of serving, she called for the trainer. She was cramping, and the trainer called for the doctor, just in case. (By this time, there was probably an ambulance parked at the gate.) A few moments later, Kuznetsova called for a trainer, too. Schiavone had some treatment and some liquids, and was even smiling and carrying on with the medical staff. She then served for the match--and was broken again.
Later, serving a 13-14, Schiavone held at love. By this time, Kuznetsova was hitting only two kinds of shots--brilliant winners and sloppy errors. I was exhausted, just watching the two of them. At 14-all, Schiavone broke her opponent, and served for the match a third time. She went down 0-30, and it was natural to think "here we go again," but she made two more points, then had her first match point at 40-30. Kuznetsova saved that match point. The Russian would go on to save a second match point, but when she reached her third match point, Schiavone put an end to what is likely to be the stand-out match of the year.
The third set lasted exactly three hours. The pair wound up hitting a total of 128 winners and 135 unforced errors, and there were seventeen breaks of serve. The quality of tennis remained very high, even when both players were practically depleted in every way. It was a contest of epic proportions, and a credit to the athleticism and mental strength of both players.
Curiously, up until this match was played, the longest women's match in the Open Era was played only last year, also at the Australian Open. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova defeated Regina Kulikova 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the first round in a four hour and 19-minute match. The longest women's match in history lasted six hours and 31 minutes, and included a 643-shot ralley.
The match was acutally a "you had to be there" experience--hard to describe in a brief report. Schiavone won the first set 6-4. She served for it at 5-3, was broken, but broke back to win. But the 6th seed's level of play dropped in the second set, as Kuznetsova's rose. Kuznetsova became more aggressive, and took the second set 6-1. At this point, an hour and 44 minutes had gone by, and no one could have guessed what was about to transpire. Both players had physical issues: Earlier in the month, Schiavone injured her groin and had to retire from Hopman Cup play, and Kuznetsova's feet were covered in blisters. At the end of the second set, Kuznetsova had her blisters treated and her feet re-wrapped, while Schiavone took a break to change into some dry clothes.
Throughout the third set, Schiavone experienced obvious groin pain. As the hours passed, Kuznetsova's eyes glazed over; she later said she had trouble keeping up with the score and with whose turn it was to serve. The 23rd seed remained the aggressor, however, and--to make it even harder for her opponent--she served first, so Schiavone was always in the position of trying to keep up. There were some ridiculously good rallies, with perhaps the most memorable occurring at 4-all. Kuznetsova continued to put the pressure on Schiavone, but Schiavone continued to find an answer.
And so it went. At 7-8, Schiavone was down 0-40, and that looked like it would be the end of it, but she saved three straight match points. She then hit what appeared to be a winning volley, but she lost her balance (not hard to understand) and her body touched the net before the ball had bounced a second time, so she did not get the point. She did hold, however, for 8-all. Kuznetsova then held for 9-8, and Schiavone then went down 15-40. She saved another two match points, and then--a moment later--she saved a sixth match point. But when she served for the match, the Italian was broken.
Schiavone also had an opportunity to serve for the match at 11-10, but instead of serving, she called for the trainer. She was cramping, and the trainer called for the doctor, just in case. (By this time, there was probably an ambulance parked at the gate.) A few moments later, Kuznetsova called for a trainer, too. Schiavone had some treatment and some liquids, and was even smiling and carrying on with the medical staff. She then served for the match--and was broken again.
Later, serving a 13-14, Schiavone held at love. By this time, Kuznetsova was hitting only two kinds of shots--brilliant winners and sloppy errors. I was exhausted, just watching the two of them. At 14-all, Schiavone broke her opponent, and served for the match a third time. She went down 0-30, and it was natural to think "here we go again," but she made two more points, then had her first match point at 40-30. Kuznetsova saved that match point. The Russian would go on to save a second match point, but when she reached her third match point, Schiavone put an end to what is likely to be the stand-out match of the year.
The third set lasted exactly three hours. The pair wound up hitting a total of 128 winners and 135 unforced errors, and there were seventeen breaks of serve. The quality of tennis remained very high, even when both players were practically depleted in every way. It was a contest of epic proportions, and a credit to the athleticism and mental strength of both players.
Curiously, up until this match was played, the longest women's match in the Open Era was played only last year, also at the Australian Open. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova defeated Regina Kulikova 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the first round in a four hour and 19-minute match. The longest women's match in history lasted six hours and 31 minutes, and included a 643-shot ralley.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Top players advance to round of 16
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki advanced to the round of 16 on day 5 of the Australian Open by defeating 29th seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 6-3. Cibulkova upset Wozniacki recently in the second round of the Medibank International in Sydney. The top seed played a clean match, as usual, and made only eleven unforced errors. She looked relaxed and in control throughout the match.
I've seen a lot of tennis press conferences over the years--some of them funny, some of them sullen, some of them angry, some of them consisting of near-silence from the player. But I don't think I've ever seen anything like Wozniacki's post third-round press conference. Intentional or otherwise, it was a send-up--but not a good one---of every press conference Maria Sharapova has ever done. The affect, the mannerisms, the gestures, even the pauses--were all very broad imitations of Sharapova. I have no idea what's going on, but: Whoever took Caroline Wozniacki--please return her.
Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Justine Henin in a major for the first time in her career, and improved her overall record against Henin to 3-16. It took Kuznetsova over two hours to get her 6-4, 7-6 victory. In the second set, both players were visibly anxious and were frustrated by unforced errors. Henin, especially--despite moments of wonderful shot-making--was awash in unforced errors (41 for the match), and she double-faulted nine times.
Kuznetsova served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, and anyone who was a reasonable guesser figured she was going to get broken. She did. She then broke Henin at 5-all, but was broken back when she served for the match a second time. Henin began the tiebreak with her seventh double fault, and she double-faulted again at 4-3. She saved three match points and had a set point, which she didn't convert, and she double-faulted again at 8-all. Kuznetsova won the tiebreak 10-8. It was a really tense affair, and it was obvious that Henin's greatest post-injury deficit is a mental one.
9th seed Li Na and 8th seed Victoria Azarenka both won their third round matches in straight sets, defeating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Chanelle Scheepers, respectively. Anastasija Sevastova advanced to the round of 16 with a win over Vesna Manasieva.
6th seed Francesca Schiavone cruised 6-0 through her first set against Monica Niculescu, but then lost her focus, as she is sometimes prone to do, and let Niculescu in. Schiavone dug back in, though, and won the second set in a tiebreak. (Note--yet again--to commentators: It isn't "copying Federer" when you've had the shot in your repertoire for your entire career)
I've seen a lot of tennis press conferences over the years--some of them funny, some of them sullen, some of them angry, some of them consisting of near-silence from the player. But I don't think I've ever seen anything like Wozniacki's post third-round press conference. Intentional or otherwise, it was a send-up--but not a good one---of every press conference Maria Sharapova has ever done. The affect, the mannerisms, the gestures, even the pauses--were all very broad imitations of Sharapova. I have no idea what's going on, but: Whoever took Caroline Wozniacki--please return her.
Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Justine Henin in a major for the first time in her career, and improved her overall record against Henin to 3-16. It took Kuznetsova over two hours to get her 6-4, 7-6 victory. In the second set, both players were visibly anxious and were frustrated by unforced errors. Henin, especially--despite moments of wonderful shot-making--was awash in unforced errors (41 for the match), and she double-faulted nine times.
Kuznetsova served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, and anyone who was a reasonable guesser figured she was going to get broken. She did. She then broke Henin at 5-all, but was broken back when she served for the match a second time. Henin began the tiebreak with her seventh double fault, and she double-faulted again at 4-3. She saved three match points and had a set point, which she didn't convert, and she double-faulted again at 8-all. Kuznetsova won the tiebreak 10-8. It was a really tense affair, and it was obvious that Henin's greatest post-injury deficit is a mental one.
9th seed Li Na and 8th seed Victoria Azarenka both won their third round matches in straight sets, defeating Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Chanelle Scheepers, respectively. Anastasija Sevastova advanced to the round of 16 with a win over Vesna Manasieva.
6th seed Francesca Schiavone cruised 6-0 through her first set against Monica Niculescu, but then lost her focus, as she is sometimes prone to do, and let Niculescu in. Schiavone dug back in, though, and won the second set in a tiebreak. (Note--yet again--to commentators: It isn't "copying Federer" when you've had the shot in your repertoire for your entire career)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Melbourne miscellany
The Rally for Relief was deemed a success. Kim Clijsters, Sam Stosur, Ana Ivanovic, and Justine Henin joined several members of the ATP to play in exhibition matches to raise funds for the victims of the recent Queensland floods. About 7650,000 was raised, but more money will come in when players auction shirts, gear and various other items. Both the WTA and the ATP tours are donating $10 for every ace served in the summer tournaments, and Sam Stosur is donating $500 for every ace she serves at the Australian Open. Bethanie Mattek-Sands is another player who has pledged money for the cause.
Most of you probably know this--C Note is in Australia, delivering tasty stories and photos regularly from all venues. She also has this story on Caroline Wozniacki in USA Today. And here is a link from Forty Deuce to a story on how Sam Stosur is learning to cope with sports stardom.
Virginie Razzano has slipped into the main draw and no longer "needs" her wild card, so it has been given to Caroline Garcia, about whom I know little, except that she lives in Lyon, and she isn't Kristina Mladenovic.
Lisa Raymond is blogging from Melbourne.
Elena Baltacha is writing a column for the BBC.
Carlos Cuadrado is in Melbourne, working as Svetlana Kuznetsova's new coach. Kuznetsova had hired Loic Courteau, friend and former coach of Amelie Mauresmo, but parted ways with him when she discovered he would not travel with her consistently (shouldn't she have known this before they signed the contract?). The Russian star has gone through a lot of coaches in the last several years.
Most of you probably know this--C Note is in Australia, delivering tasty stories and photos regularly from all venues. She also has this story on Caroline Wozniacki in USA Today. And here is a link from Forty Deuce to a story on how Sam Stosur is learning to cope with sports stardom.
Virginie Razzano has slipped into the main draw and no longer "needs" her wild card, so it has been given to Caroline Garcia, about whom I know little, except that she lives in Lyon, and she isn't Kristina Mladenovic.
Lisa Raymond is blogging from Melbourne.
Elena Baltacha is writing a column for the BBC.
Carlos Cuadrado is in Melbourne, working as Svetlana Kuznetsova's new coach. Kuznetsova had hired Loic Courteau, friend and former coach of Amelie Mauresmo, but parted ways with him when she discovered he would not travel with her consistently (shouldn't she have known this before they signed the contract?). The Russian star has gone through a lot of coaches in the last several years.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Miscellany
The 2011 season will feature a new tournament in Fort Worth, Texas. It will take place the same week as the New Haven Open.
Paula Vergara talks about on-court coaching.
Here is the Doha Hot Shot of the Day--a great moment from Kim Clijsters (and Vera Zvonareva)--from the third day of WTA Championships play.
Svetlana Kuznetsova is asking--yet again--for people (are you listening, Martina Navratilova?) to stop calling her Kuzy: Kuznetsova has disliked this nickname for a long time.
Bobby Chintapalli tells us why she'll miss Elena Dementieva.
Paula Vergara talks about on-court coaching.
Here is the Doha Hot Shot of the Day--a great moment from Kim Clijsters (and Vera Zvonareva)--from the third day of WTA Championships play.
Svetlana Kuznetsova is asking--yet again--for people (are you listening, Martina Navratilova?) to stop calling her Kuzy: Kuznetsova has disliked this nickname for a long time.
Bobby Chintapalli tells us why she'll miss Elena Dementieva.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Miscellany
Victoria Azarenka has qualified as the final woman to play in the WTA Championships, which begin on Doha on October 27. (Not to put too fine a point on it, but the alternate should be practicing seriously.)
The New Haven tournament has been saved, but in the future, it will be a women's only event. Unlike many, I consider this a good thing. Now that Pilot Pen is gone, there will be no main sponsor; the sponsorship will be shared by several entities, including Yale University, Aetna and American Express. The tournament has been re-named the New Haven Open.
Yanina Wickmayer has received a Fed Cup Heart Award.
Rebecca Marino and Alison Riske have been grabbing ITF titles right and left. Marino is now Canada's number 1 player.
As previously mentioned by a reader of this blog, Svetlana Kuznetsova's relationship with coach Loic Courteau has ended after only two months. Courteau did not want to go to Moscow to train with Kuznetsova during the off-season. Don't you sort these things out before your hire someone?
The New Haven tournament has been saved, but in the future, it will be a women's only event. Unlike many, I consider this a good thing. Now that Pilot Pen is gone, there will be no main sponsor; the sponsorship will be shared by several entities, including Yale University, Aetna and American Express. The tournament has been re-named the New Haven Open.
Yanina Wickmayer has received a Fed Cup Heart Award.
Rebecca Marino and Alison Riske have been grabbing ITF titles right and left. Marino is now Canada's number 1 player.
As previously mentioned by a reader of this blog, Svetlana Kuznetsova's relationship with coach Loic Courteau has ended after only two months. Courteau did not want to go to Moscow to train with Kuznetsova during the off-season. Don't you sort these things out before your hire someone?
Monday, September 6, 2010
Unseeded Cibulkova upsets Kuznetsova at U.S. Open
Cibulkova suffers with almost chronic hip problems, and--not surprisingly--her share of back problems. Her thigh was wrapped in today's round of 16 match, and she did call for the trainer at one point. In the second round, she played a match that lasted 3 hours and 13 minutes, and I feared then for her physical health.
However, despite having a fragile thigh and being down in both sets, Cibulkova thoughtfully placed her sometimes-booming groundstrokes, holding her nerve while 11th seed and 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova made errors. Cibulkova won the first set 7-5, and served for the second set at 5-3. It was then that she showed her first sign of anxiety, and Kuznetsova saved two match points. The set ultimately went to a tiebreak, but--unlike some unseeded players who miss their chance and then fold--Cibulkova was again steady in her shot-making, and moved into the quarterfinals.
Cibulkova, who has been ranked as high as 19, is currently ranked number 45 in the world. Kuznetsova was considered by some to be a contender for this year's title, especially since she hired Amelie Mauresmo's former coach and fitness trainer, and looked good through the first three rounds of the U.S. Open. But she made 42 unforced errors in today's match, and double-faulted 10 times. It isn't the first time that Kuznetsova has wilted in an important match, and today she was unlucky enough to be playing a woman who doesn't give up easily.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Zvonareva into U.S. Open round of 16
Most of us have watched Alexandra Dulgheru give opponents trouble on clay courts. Tonight, on a fast hard court, she gave Vera Zvonareva some trouble, and the wind gave both of them plenty of trouble. 25th seed Dulgheru, for all her clever shot-making, couldn't keep a lead because she made so many unforced errors. Over and over, she set up winners, only to erase them by hitting balls into the net or outside the lines. The second set was quite entertaining, and Zvonareva won the match 6-2, 7-6. The 7th seed will play Andrea Petkovic in the next round.
11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova reversed a losing trend against 25th seed Maria Kirilenko, defeating her 6-3, 6-4. Kuznetsova took control of the match with a consistently good serve, and looked comfortable and confident. In the next round, she will play Dominika Cibulkova, who defeated Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-0, 6-1.
In doubles, top seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta advanced with a 6-0, 6-4 defeat of Sorana Cirstea and Lucie Safarova. In mixed doubles, Melania Oudin and Ryan Harrison took the first set off of Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan, but the top seeds won the match, 5-7, 6-1, 10-3.
11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova reversed a losing trend against 25th seed Maria Kirilenko, defeating her 6-3, 6-4. Kuznetsova took control of the match with a consistently good serve, and looked comfortable and confident. In the next round, she will play Dominika Cibulkova, who defeated Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-0, 6-1.
In doubles, top seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta advanced with a 6-0, 6-4 defeat of Sorana Cirstea and Lucie Safarova. In mixed doubles, Melania Oudin and Ryan Harrison took the first set off of Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan, but the top seeds won the match, 5-7, 6-1, 10-3.
Monday, August 23, 2010
GOOD day, Sunshine!
2nd seed Caroline Wozniacki won the Rogers Cup today. Because of the constant rain in Montreal, Wozniacki had to play her semifinal match this morning, and then play the final this afternoon. She easily defeated a rather flat 11th seed, Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals.8th seed Vera Zvonareva won her semifinal match 7-6, 1-0 when 10th seed Victoria Azarenka retired because of a left foot blister. When Azarenka retired, all I knew was that she had a problem with her foot, and I thought "Oh, no--there goes another ankle." But a blister, though most unfortunate for Azarenka, is something that will heal in plenty of time for the U.S. Open.
In the final, Wozniacki defeated Zvonareva 6-3, 6-2. Wozniacki now heads to New Haven, where she is the defending champion. Lucky for her, that tournament is running behind because of rain, also.
Quote of the day
"In Moscow, we'd have a huge vent. They would do something to stop the
rain forever. They have special planes to move the clouds away. That's
why it never rains in Moscow. If you plan your vacation, come to Moscow
in August."
Svetlana Kuznetsova
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Rain halts play in Montreal
The singles and doubles semifinals were supposed to have been played today in Montreal, but after continuous rain delays, the "action" involved only two games in the match between 2nd seed Caroline Wozniacki and 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.
When it became obvious that the evening's light rain was only going to get worse, the players entertained the crowd a while with some silly exhibition tennis. Kuznetsova hit a tweener, which brought up a question that's always in the back of my mind: Why don't WTA players hit them on a regular basis? (And where is Gabriela Sabatini when you really need her?) Kuznetsova also used the handle of her racquet to pop a few returns, and when she and Wozniacki got bored with that, out came a soccer ball. After they showed off their football skills, they sat together and waited to hear whether they would be instructed to....wait some more.
They didn't have to. Play was canceled for the day. What happens tomorrow, of course, is completely dependent on the weather, but if it doesn't rain, there will be matches played simultaneously. Wozniacki was up 2-0 in the first set when the rain came, and Victoria Azarenka and Vera Zvonareva haven't even seen a court yet.
In doubles, Monica Niculescu and Shahar Peer are slated to play 2nd seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, and Anabel Medina Garrigues and Yan Zi will play 3rd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katerina Srebotnik.
When it became obvious that the evening's light rain was only going to get worse, the players entertained the crowd a while with some silly exhibition tennis. Kuznetsova hit a tweener, which brought up a question that's always in the back of my mind: Why don't WTA players hit them on a regular basis? (And where is Gabriela Sabatini when you really need her?) Kuznetsova also used the handle of her racquet to pop a few returns, and when she and Wozniacki got bored with that, out came a soccer ball. After they showed off their football skills, they sat together and waited to hear whether they would be instructed to....wait some more.
They didn't have to. Play was canceled for the day. What happens tomorrow, of course, is completely dependent on the weather, but if it doesn't rain, there will be matches played simultaneously. Wozniacki was up 2-0 in the first set when the rain came, and Victoria Azarenka and Vera Zvonareva haven't even seen a court yet.
In doubles, Monica Niculescu and Shahar Peer are slated to play 2nd seeds Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, and Anabel Medina Garrigues and Yan Zi will play 3rd seeds Kveta Peschke and Katerina Srebotnik.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Sharapova wins debut round in Cincinnati
Playing in Cincinnati for the first time in her career, Maria Sharapova defeated San Diego champion Svetlana Kuznetsova today. Sharapova double-faulted eleven times, and both players had to deal with the effects of the heat. But the 10th seed had a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 win in a match that lasted two hours and twelve minutes.
The heat was too much for 15th seed Nadia Petrova, who retired when her opponent, wild card Christina McHale, was up 7-6, 5-3. Considering how extremely hot (and often humid) this summer has been, we might see other players retire from heat illness this August.
Top seed Jelena Jankovic won her first round match against qualifier Vera Dushevina, defeating her 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Note: Jankovic hit eleven aces.
Other winners today included 11th seed Flavia Pennetta (def. Zheng Jie), Gisela Dulko (def. Lucie Safarova), Andrea Petkovic (def. wild card Coco Vandeweghe), and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (def. Daniela Hantuchova).
Notable doubles team who lost in the first round were Chuang Chia-Jung and Olga Govortstova, Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci and the Bondarenko sisters.
The heat was too much for 15th seed Nadia Petrova, who retired when her opponent, wild card Christina McHale, was up 7-6, 5-3. Considering how extremely hot (and often humid) this summer has been, we might see other players retire from heat illness this August.
Top seed Jelena Jankovic won her first round match against qualifier Vera Dushevina, defeating her 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Note: Jankovic hit eleven aces.
Other winners today included 11th seed Flavia Pennetta (def. Zheng Jie), Gisela Dulko (def. Lucie Safarova), Andrea Petkovic (def. wild card Coco Vandeweghe), and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (def. Daniela Hantuchova).
Notable doubles team who lost in the first round were Chuang Chia-Jung and Olga Govortstova, Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci and the Bondarenko sisters.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Quote of the week
"I had different coaches and everyone was messing up my game. Everyone had a different opinion on how I should play. It took me time to work this out."
Svetlana Kuznetsova
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