Toky-o Nadia!

Official 2012 Radwanska-slayer Nadia Petrova won the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo today, defeating defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 1-6, 6-3. The Russian pulled this off the hard way, too, entering the tournament with a back injury bad enough to cause her to withdraw from play in Seoul last week.

Twice in Tokyo, Petrova looked done. She had to play for over three hours against Petra Martic in the third round, and she came from a set and 1-4 down to beat Sara Errani in the quarterfinals. In the course of the event, Petrova beat three top ten players--Errani, Radwanska, and Samantha Stosur (in the semifinals).

In the first set of the final. Petrova hit 16 winners and made only three unforced errors. Anyone who has followed her career (and that of Radwanska) knew, however, that the second set would be different. It was. Radwanska significantly raised the level of her serve, and Petrova began making a number of unforced errors. Serving for the set at 5-1, the defending champion seemingly effortlessly reeled off three aces in a row.

The third set, as expected, was much closer. At 3-all, however, Radwanska blinked. The 3rd seed double-faulted twice in the seventh game, and was broken. Petrova smoothly served for the match, which gave her her second tournament win for 2012. Her other victory this year was in 's-Hertogenbosch, and there, she beat none other than Urszula Radwanska in the final.

Radwanska committed only three double-faults in the entire match, but two came at such a crucial time, they more or less decided her fate.

Contrary to what Tennis TV broadcast over and over, this is not Petrova's first premier-level title. She won both Charleston and Berlin in 2006.

The unseeded team of Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears won the doubles title. They defeated 4th seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

WTA stars in Tokyo!

Radwanska and Petrova to play for Tokyo title

Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska is one match away from winning the Toray Pan Pacific Open twice in a row. 3rd seed Radwanska needed under an hour to beat Anglique Kerber 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals. Radwanska hit 20 winners and made only four unforced errors in the match. Her opponent in the final will be Nadia Petrova, who defeated Sam Stosur 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals. Petrova, who hit nine aces, had first and second serve win percentages of 85 and 63. (Oh, Nadia!)

Petrova is now 6-3 against Stosur.

In the doubles semifinals, Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke beat Julia Goerges and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 1-6, 6-1, 10-7. Also, Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears defeated Sabine Lisicki and Lisa Raymond 6-4, 6-3.

Friday cat blogging--stretch edition

Azarenka too ill to continue in Tokyo

Top seed Victoria Azarenka, who was feeling sick when she played her third round match in Tokyo against Roberta Vinci, had to call it quits today. Azarenka, who has been experience some dizziness, gave Angelique Kerber a walkover in the quarterfinals. Kerber's semifinal opponent will be defending champion and 3rd seed Agnieszka Radwanska. Radwanska beat her friend, Caroline Wozniacki, in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, 2nd seed Maria Sharapova lost to 10th seed Sam Stosur, who defeated her 6-4, 7-6. Stosur won the tiebreak 10-8. The Australian will face Nadia Petrova in the semifinals; Petrova defeated Sara Errani 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Last year, Radwanska won the Tokyo and Beijing titles back-to-back, a feat that is rarely accomplished. Radwanska's fortunes have been mixed lately: She went out in the first round of the Olympic Games, but reached the final of Wimbledon. The Polish star suffered a recurrence of a shoulder injury during the U.S. Open Series, then lost to Vinci in the round of 16 at the U.S. Open. So far, though, she appears to be making the same kind of comeback in Asia that she made last year. In 2011, Radwanska went out in the second round of the U.S. Open.

A note to readers

For those of you who keep in touch with me (and I really enjoy that you do)--please note that the email address for Women Who Serve has changed.

Also, there will be minimal and/or sporadic posting for a while because of an upcoming move and a change in my computer system. I'll be checking in, however, and posting when I can.

Li and Bartoli out of Tokyo

Caroline Wozniacki had to play for over two and a half hours, but she defeated Li Na 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the third round in Tokyo today. Sara Errani defeated Marion Bartoli in three sets, and Sam Stosur beat Dominika Cibulkova. 2nd seed Maria Sharapova defeated Lucie Safarova.

In the second round, Sharapova had to go three sets to overcome qualifier Heather Watson, who upset Sabine Lisciki in the opening round.

Top seed Victoria Azarenka has advanced to the quarterfinals, as has defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska.

Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Victoria Azarenka vs. Angelique Kerber
Agnieszska Radwanska vs. Caroline Wozniacki
Sara Errani vs. Nadia Petrova
Sam Stosur vs. Maria Sharapova