Wozniacki defeats Pennetta in 3-hour French Open match

Caroline Wozniacki has done it again. Hitting half as many winners as her opponent, the 3rd seed defeated 14th seed Flavia Pennetta 7-6, 6-7, 6-2 in the round of 16 at Roland Garros. This match swung toward Pennetta so many times, but a combination of unforced errors, errors forced by Wozniacki, and what appeared to be discomfort/fatigue did the Italian in. She had two set points in the first set, but failed to convert them, which sent the set to a tiebreak. Wozniacki won that tiebreak, then Pennetta had three set points in the second set, but failed to convert them. She did win the set, in a tiebreak, on her fourth set point.

Both players saw the trainer. Wozniacki had her thigh re-taped, and Pennetta had something done to her foot. The commentators thought she was being treated for a blister, and perhaps she was, but Pennetta has a problematic foot, and I wondered whether it was giving her trouble again. At any rate, the third set was all Wozniacki, as Pennetta looked simply done in.

Wozniacki has taken defensive tennis to a new level. While Jelena Jankovic is known as an outstanding defensive player, Jankovic will also become aggressive when aggression is needed. But Wozniacki, with nerves of steel and rhythmic side-to-side movement, simply wears opponents--even very talented clay court opponents like Pennetta--down.

Williams sisters win Madrid doubles title

The very hot streak of Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta came to an end tonight in Madrid, where they were defeated for the doubles title by number 1 seeds Serena and Venus Williams. The Williams team broke the 8th seeds six times to win 6-2, 7-5.

Dulko and Pennetta won the title last week in Rome, and before that, they won in Stuttgart. Prior to the start of the clay court season, they also won the title in Miami.