Osaka (Wed): Stosur, Bartoli Through To QFs

by Leave a Comment

HP OPEN
Osaka-JPN
October 11-17, 2010
$220,000/International
Hard/Outdoors

Results – Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Singles – Second Round
(1) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. Junri Namigata (JPN) 60 63
(2) Marion Bartoli (FRA) d. Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 62 62
Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) d. (4) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 64 ret. (left hip injury)
Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) d. Coco Vandeweghe (USA) 57 75 64

Doubles – Quarterfinals
Aoyama/Fujiwara (JPN/JPN) d. (4) Date Krumm/Morita (JPN/JPN) 67(5) 63 108 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round
(1) Brianti/Rybarikova (ITA/SVK) d. (WC) Namigata/Nara (JPN/JPN) 75 64

Order of Play – Thursday, October 14, 2010
Centre Court (from 11.00hrs)
1. Olga Savchuk vs. Jill Craybas
2. Shahar Peer vs. Ryoko Fuda
3. Alberta Brianti vs. Iveta Benesova
4. Aiko Nakamura vs. Kimiko Date Krumm (NB 17.30hrs)

Court 1 (From 13.00hrs)
1. Lertcheewakarn/Tanasugarn vs. Chan/Grandin
2. Chang/Osterloh vs. Basuki/Luzhanska (NB 15.00hrs)

Osaka (Tues): New No.13 Peer Cruises In Opener

by Leave a Comment

HP OPEN
Osaka-JPN
October 11-17, 2010
$220,000/International
Hard/Outdoors

Results – Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Singles – First Round
(3) Shahar Peer (ISR) d. Misaki Doi (JPN) 62 63
(6) Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) d. (Q) Laura Robson (GBR) 63 63
(7) Iveta Benesova (CZE) d. (Q) Christina McHale (USA) 64 63
Olga Savchuk (UKR) d. (8) Greta Arn (HUN) 61 62
Alberta Brianti (ITA) d. Ayumi Morita (JPN) 75 36 64
Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) d. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 62 75
Jill Craybas (USA) d. (Q) Natalie Grandin (RSA) 64 62
Junri Namigata (JPN) d. (Q) Tomoko Yonemura (JPN) 62 63
(WC) Ryoko Fuda (JPN) d. Corinna Dentoni (ITA) 64 62
(WC) Aiko Nakamura (JPN) d. Alexandra Panova (RUS) 76(5) 26 63

Doubles – First Round
(2) Chan/Grandin (TPE/RSA) d. Iijima/Sema (JPN/JPN) 62 64
(3) Chang/Osterloh (TPE/USA) d. Ferguson/Lykina (AUS/RUS) 64 57 104 (Match TB)
Maekawa/Tananta (JPN/INA) d. Yonemura/Yonemura (JPN/JPN) 46 61 108 (Match TB)
Aoyama/Fujiwara (JPN/JPN) d. Panova/Voegele (RUS/SUI) 63 64

Order of Play – Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Centre Court (from 10.00hrs)
1. Coco Vandeweghe vs. Tamarine Tanasugarn
2. Samantha Stosur vs. Junri Namigata
3. Stefanie Voegele vs. Marion Bartoli
4. Chang Kai-Chen vs. Maria Kirilenko
5. Aoyama/Fujiwara vs. Date Krumm/Morita

Court 1 (NB 15.00hrs)
1. Brianti/Rybarikova vs. Namigata/Nara

Tokyo (final): Wozniacki Wins Fifth Title of Season

by Leave a Comment

TORAY PAN PACIFIC OPEN
Tokyo-JPN
September 26-October 2, 2010
$2,000,000/Premier
Hard/Outdoors

Results – Saturday, October 2, 2010
Singles – Final
(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. (7) Elena Dementieva (RUS) 16 62 63

Doubles – Final
Benesova/Zahlavova Strycova (CZE/CZE) d. Peer/Peng (ISR/CHN) 64 46 108 (Match TB)

Final Facts
- Wozniacki captures her fifth title of the season, from six finals played – the Tour-leading figures on both counts. The 20-year-old Dane has also recorded the most singles match wins in 2010: 54.
– Tokyo marks Wozniacki’s second Premier-level title; she won the first at Montréal in August. She now has 11 career titles to her name, for seven runner-up finishes.
– Dementieva, who turns 29 on October 15, was playing her fourth final of the year, having won at Sydney and Paris [Indoors] and finished runner-up at Kuala Lumpur. The Russian is now 16-16 lifetime in Tour singles finals and 3-4 against Wozniacki.
– Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova win their fifth Tour doubles title together. It is the Czech duo’s third trophy of the season, after Paris [Indoors] and Monterrey. Both now boast nine doubles titles.

Final Quotes
Caroline Wozniacki, 2010 Toray Pan Pacific Open singles champion:
“Elena started really strongly, she was playing very aggressively and I didn’t get enough depth in my groundstrokes. But in the beginning of the second set I pressed a little harder and came into the rallies a bit more. I’m very happy – I really enjoy winning and I’m feeling good. It’s always nice to hold the trophy in your hand, that’s what you are practicing for. I’m feeling very confident and I feel like I’m playing some good tennis, so hopefully next week will be just as good. I’ll take it one match at a time and we’ll see what happens.”

Elena Dementieva, 2010 Toray Pan Pacific Open singles runner-up:
“I feel I played very well in the first set; unfortunately I missed some opportunities in the beginning of the second set and lost a bit of momentum. That was the key… she was fighting and playing solid from the baseline. I’m disappointed with the way I finished the match but I love playing in Tokyo, and even though I lost today I think it was a great final. I’m a little tired heading to Beijing, but I will fly tonight or tomorrow and try to get ready for one of the biggest events of the season. Fingers crossed I can do well there.”

Iveta Benesova, 2010 Toray Pan Pacific Open doubles champion:
“We’re very happy. This is the biggest tournament we have won together and we’ve had some really tough matches along the way. We got quite tight in the second set so we are just so relieved to win.”

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 2010 Toray Pan Pacific Open doubles champion:
“It was so nerve wracking, especially in the super tie-break, but we tried to stay positive and not think negative. We made it somehow and are very glad about that!”

Tokyo (Sun): Pennetta Outclasses McHale

by Leave a Comment

TORAY PAN PACIFIC OPEN
Tokyo-JPN
September 26-October 2, 2010
$2,000,000/Premier
Hard/Outdoors

Results – Sunday, September 26, 2010
Singles – First Round
(16) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) 75 75
Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. (Q) Christina McHale (USA) 63 61
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. (LL) María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) 63 67(5) 61
Kaia Kanepi (EST) d. Melanie Oudin (USA) 64 64
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Angelique Kerber (GER) 63 63
Lucie Safarova (CZE) d. (Q) Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) 26 61 63
Alona Bondarenko (UKR) d. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 76(8) 62
Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. Gisela Dulko (ARG) 63 61
Olga Govortsova (BLR) d. (Q) Iveta Benesova (CZE) 64 75
Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) d. Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 62 60
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) d. (WC) Ayumi Morita (JPN) 63 75
(Q) Greta Arn (HUN) d. (Q) Laura Robson (GBR) 64 63

Doubles – First Round
(WC) Azarenka/Safina (BLR/RUS) d. Bacsinszky/Vinci (SUI/ITA) 57 63 119 (Match TB)

Order of Play – Monday, September 27, 2010
Centre Court (from 11.00hrs)
1. Yaroslava Shvedova vs. Kurumi Nara
2. Kimiko Date Krumm vs. Maria Sharapova
3. Olga Govortsova vs. Agnieszka Radwanska
4. Alona Bondarenko vs. Jelena Jankovic (NB 17.00hrs)
5. Alisa Kleybanova vs. Ana Ivanovic

Court 1 (from 10.30hrs)
1. Marion Bartoli vs. Yanina Wickmayer
2. Lucie Safarova vs. Victoria Azarenka
3. Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Agnes Szavay
4. Julia Goerges vs. Dinara Safina

Court 2 (from 10.30hrs)
1. Shahar Peer vs. Timea Bacsinszky
2. Nadia Petrova vs. Roberta Vinci
3. Coco Vandeweghe vs. Klara Zakopalova
4. Polona Hercog vs. Aravane Rezai

Court 3 (from 10.30hrs)
1. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova vs. Sara Errani
2. Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez vs. Raymond/Stubbs
3. Errani/Medina Garrigues vs. Peer/Peng
4. Alexandra Dulgheru vs. Ekaterina Makarova

Court 4 (NB 15.00 hrs)
1. Garbin/Schiavone vs. King/Shvedova (after suitable rest)
2. Kirilenko/Petrova vs. Peschke/Srebotnik (after suitable rest)

Tokyo Pan Pacific Open Preview

by Leave a Comment

TORAY PAN PACIFIC OPEN
Tokyo-JPN
September 26-October 2, 2010
$2,000,000/Premier
Hard/Outdoors

Order of Play – Sunday, September 26, 2010
Centre Court (from 11.00hrs)
1. Dominika Cibulkova vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
2. Angelique Kerber vs. Daniela Hantuchova
3. Maria Kirilenko vs. Li Na
4. Ayumi Morita vs. Tsvetana Pironkova
5. Christina McHale vs. Flavia Pennetta

Court 1 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Gisela Dulko vs. Andrea Petkovic
2. Melanie Oudin vs. Kaia Kanepi
3. Kateryna Bondarenko vs. Anabel Medina Garrigues
4. Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez vs. Raymond/Stubbs

Court 2 (from 11.00hrs)
1. Olga Govortsova vs. Iveta Benesova
2. Petra Kvitova vs. Alona Bondarenko
3. Bacsinszky/Vinci vs. Azarenka/Safina

Court 3 (NB 14.00hrs)
1. Chang Kai-Chen vs. Lucie Safarova
2. Greta Arn vs. Laura Robson

Kleybanova Cruises in Korea

by Leave a Comment

HANSOL KOREA OPEN
Seoul-KOR
September 20-26, 2010
$220,000/International
Hard/Outdoors

Results – Monday, September 20, 2010
Singles – First Round
(5) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) 62 63
Elena Baltacha (GBR) d. (WC) Kim So-Jung (KOR) 63 64
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) d. Iveta Benesova (CZE) 62 36 75
Ksenia Pervak (RUS) d. Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) 64 75

Doubles – First Round
Date Krumm/Morita (JPN/JPN) d. Ferguson/Fujiwara (AUS/JPN) 76(4) 64
Chang/Lee (KOR/KOR) d. (WC) Han/Hong (KOR/KOR) 64 61

Singles Qualifying – Final Round
(2) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) d. Zhang Ling (HKG) 62 61
(4) Simona Halep (ROU) d. (7) Sophie Ferguson (AUS) 63 62
Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) d. (5) Pauline Parmentier (FRA) 63 64
(9) Junri Namigata (JPN) d. Marie-Ève Pelletier (CAN) 63 76(4)

Order of Play – Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Centre Court (from 12.00hrs)
1. Kimiko Date Krumm vs. Junri Namigata
2. Maria Kirilenko vs. Urszula Radwanska
3. Dinara Safina vs. Simona Halep
4. Vera Dushevina vs. Ana Ivanovic
5. Nadia Petrova vs. Jarmila Groth (NB 18.00hrs)

Court 2 (from 12.00hrs)
1. Anastasia Rodionova vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
2. Anabel Medina Garrigues vs. Yaroslava Shvedova
3. Alberta Brianti vs. Vania King
4. Julia Goerges vs. Klara Zakopalova
5. King/Shvedova vs. Lu/Xu

Court 13 (from 12.00hrs)
1. Agnes Szavay vs. Polona Hercog
2. Hsieh Su-Wei vs. María José Martínez Sánchez
3. Kirsten Flipkens vs. Bojana Jovanovski

Seoul Preview Information

by Leave a Comment

HANSOL KOREA OPEN
Seoul-KOR
September 20-26, 2010
$220,000/International
Hard/Outdoors

Order of Play – Monday, September 20, 2010
Centre Court (from 12.00hrs)
1. Alisa Kleybanova vs. Chang Kai-Chen
2. Kim So-Jung vs. Elena Baltacha
3. Chang/Lee vs. Han/Hong

Court 2 (from 10.00hrs)
1. Hsieh Su-Wei vs. Pauline Parmentier (Singles Q Final)
2. Ksenia Pervak vs. Chan Yung-Jan (NB 12.00hrs)
3. Iveta Benesova vs. Ekaterina Makarova
4. Date Krumm/Morita vs. Ferguson/Fujiwara

Court 13 (from 10.00hrs)
1. Bojana Jovanovski vs. Zhang Ling (Singles Q Final)
2. Simona Halep vs. Sophie Ferguson (Singles Q Final)

Court 14 (from 10.00hrs)
1. Marie-Ève Pelletier vs. Junri Namigata (Singles Q Final)

US Open Women’s Results – Day 4

by Leave a Comment

US OPEN

New York, NY-USA

August 30-September 12, 2010

$22,668,000/Grand Slam

Hard/Outdoors

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Singles – Second Round

(1) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d. Chang Kai-Chen (TPE) 60 60

(4) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d. (Q) Mirjana Lucic (CRO) 64 36 62

(7) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. Sabine Lisicki (GER) 61 76(5)

Peng Shuai (CHN) d. (9) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 26 61 64

(11) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) d. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 62 63

(14) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Iveta Benesova (CZE) 61 62

(15) Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) d. Julia Goerges (GER) 64 75

(WC) Beatrice Capra (USA) d. (18) Aravane Rezai (FRA) 75 26 63

Patty Schnyder (SUI) d. (22) María José Martínez Sánchez (ESP) 76(2) 64

(23) Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) 46 75 60

(25) Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) d. Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 76(5) 61

(31) Kaia Kanepi (EST) d. (Q) Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 62 64

Andrea Petkovic (GER) d. Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 36 63 75

Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 62 57 76(7)

Chan Yung-Jan (TPE) d. (Q) Tamira Paszek (AUT) 63 63

(Q) Lourdes Domínguez Lino (ESP) d. Urszula Radwanska (POL) 62 75

Doubles – First Round

(1) Dulko/Pennetta (ARG/ITA) d. Parra Santonja/Voracova (ESP/CZE) 46 61 62

(4) Peschke/Srebotnik (CZE/SLO) d. Kvitova/Voegele (CZE/SUI) 61 62

(5) Raymond/Stubbs (USA/AUS) d. Kondratieva/Uhlirova (RUS/CZE) 61 62

(6) King/Shvedova (USA/KAZ) d. Kostanic Tosic/Oprandi (CRO/ITA) 63 60

(7) Chan/Zheng (TPE/CHN) d. Daniilidou/Pironkova (GRE/BUL) 62 61

(8) Medina Garrigues/Yan (ESP/CHN) d. Schnyder/Szavay (SUI/HUN) 61 64

(9) Black/Rodionova (ZIM/AUS) d. Brianti/U.Radwanska (ITA/POL) 62 63

(11) Kleybanova/Makarova (RUS/RUS) d. Dushevina/Mirza (RUS/IND) 67(6) 62 76(3)

(13) Niculescu/Peer (ROU/ISR) d. Krajicek/Pelletier (NED/CAN) 76(4) 64

Bondarenko/Bondarenko (UKR/UKR) d. Rezai/Wickmayer (FRA/BEL) 64 61

Hercog/Martic (SLO/CRO) d. Molik/Schiavone (AUS/ITA) 76(4) 63

Gallovits/Jans (ROU/POL) d. Grandin/Spears (RSA/USA) 57 63 61

Bacsinszky/Garbin (SUI/ITA) d. Keothavong/Sevastova (GBR/LAT) 16 63 62

Cibulkova/Pavlyuchenkova (SVK/RUS) d. (WC) Herring/Min (USA/USA) 61 64

(WC) Hampton/Oudin (USA/USA) d. (WC) Craybas/Stephens (USA/USA) 75 60

(WC) Gullickson/Gullickson (USA/USA) d. (WC) Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA) 62 63

Mentor Maria Hopes To Avoid Upstart Buzzsaw

by Leave a Comment

FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Maria Sharapova knows a thing or two about facing the up and comer. Last year she ran into a buzz-saw named Melanie Oudin in the third round and was forced to go home.

Now after her 6-1 6-2 win over Iveta Benesova, the Russian beauty will be facing another up and coming American in Beatrice Capra.

“I know that she’s American and she’s 18, I believe (laughter), and she’s in the third round of the Open.  So that says a lot,” Sharapova said.

The funny thing is, Sharapova is one of Capra’s idols and someone she used as inspiration as a young girl. It’s surprising to Sharapova, since she’s only 23.

“Yeah, it’s pretty crazy because I still somewhat consider myself pretty young, as well; I’d like to think so, at least,” she said.  “You know, to see someone coming up that’s 18, that’s a lot younger than I am, in the third round of the Open is great.  I think it shows a lot about the younger generation that’s coming up.  To see someone especially that’s an American and doing well at the Open is really great.”

Sharapova says she’s pretty uncomfortable with all the attention. She thinks she’s far from perfect and at such a young age, it’s hard to be a mentor.

“It’s really strange because I’ve always had a difficult time accepting, you know, when little kids, whether I’m doing a clinic, talking to them, when they tell me they want to be just like me not only is a bit overwhelming and a bit of a shock, it’s kind of strange,” Sharapova said. “I mean, I’m certainly far from perfect.  I have many things I’m not good at.  I always say to them, You should want to be better than me or anyone else.”

“I think maybe that’s one of the reasons growing up, you know, I idolized a certain part of someone’s game but I never thought that someone was so good that I wanted to be like them.  I think that’s a good point is, you know, she probably said one of my strengths.  Obviously, that’s something that’s gotten me through so many matches in my career.  In tennis, being strong and steady mentally sometimes more than physically is more important on certain days.”

Mentoring aside Sharapova is used to the royal treatment by the fans at Arthur Ashe, but doesn’t expect it on Saturday when she plays Capra. Much like last year, the American crowd will go with their favorite daughter rather than a Russian national who happens to live in the United States.

“I think it’s absolutely understandable,” Sharapova said.  “We’re playing in New York.  When you have someone that’s coming up, having a great Open, I mean, there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be any support behind her.”

So we will see on Saturday when the young Capra steps on the court for to take on her idol. Maybe this year, Sharapova will have some memories to come from the match, unlike the Oudin match.

“Why do we need to remember that one?” she said.

Totally understandable.

It’s a Wonderful Life for Beatrice Capra

by Leave a Comment

FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Now that Melanie Oudin is out of the US Open, we reporter types always need a new Cinderella story to report.

Enter Beatrice Capra.

If you haven’t heard of her, don’t sweat it as she’s ranked 317 in the world. But with her first Top 20 win against the 18th seed Aravane Rezai, 7-5 2-6 6-3, has put the 18 year-old right in Oudin territory.

And that suits the Maryland native just alright.

“I really look up to Melanie,” said Capra, who is playing in her first US Open.  “I watched all of her matches last year, and I was just so happy for her.  You know, it was really inspiring to me because I played her a year before, and then she was getting to the quarters of a Grand Slam.  It was just unbelievable, and I was so happy for her.

“You know, I think she’s pushed all of the Americans to do better.  I mean, for sure I talk to Melanie a lot, and I will for sure ask anything about Maria Sharapova.”

Although she may be seeking Sharapova’s advice, that may have to wait, because Capra may play the 14th seed Russian pending the results against Iveta Benesova laster tonight.

And that’s alright because right now, Capra is the talk on the Open. She was born to an Italian family and her father emigrated to America. “He’s from Monza,” Capra said, “and he came over to start his business, which it’s called the Tenax Corporation.  It’s an Italian company, so he started it in America.  While he was there in Maryland, my mom taught tennis lessons.  He wanted to take tennis lessons, so they met up and here I am.”

Her last answer got a round of laughs from the press conference and much like Oudin this young lady is very engaging as she moves up the ranks.

She trains at Chris Everett’s Tennis Academy and earned a wildcard into this tournament. As such, she has a tremendous confidence in the last 12 months.

“A year ago today I was actually playing the juniors here,”   I’ve been playing mostly juniors tournaments the entire year and concentrating on that.  I’ve played a couple of pro circuit events and done okay, but it’s been mostly juniors.”

“I played a couple of WTA events this year, and lost first round in the quallies in all of them.  So, I mean, this is definitely the best I’ve done so far.”

She played a very strong defensive game today, but feels she needs to be more aggressive if she’s going to move forward.

Of course all of this may end on Saturday when she faces Sharapova or Benesova, but right now she’s enjoying it.

“Well, yeah.  I mean, I always wanted to play in one of the Grand Slams,” she said.  “You know, I would be watching the Tennis Channel leading up.  It’s just like, you know, I always wanted that.

“Whenever I want something, you know, I do my best to get it.  You know, every day I would be like, I want this, I want this, and I just can’t, you know, believe that it’s happening.”

Turely, this Capra is living a Wonderful Life.