The slim aerodynamic frame geometry in the racquet frame makes it more maneuverable and allow for faster speeds. The shaft is robust with a stable cross section, with provides maximum stiffness in the area with the highest blending moment.

All of this means use of less energy when hitting the ball, which allows you to go all the way in those long set matches.

There are two types of the instinct. The MP and the S with the s having a 660 cm² compared to 645 cm² for the MP. The S is also 30 grams lighter checking in at 270g.

For more information about the HEAD YouTek IG INSTINCT, visit www.head.com/tennis or www.facebook.com/headtennis.

Maria Sharapova and world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki will make their first appearances in the event in the 7:00 pm opener. That match will be followed by Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick.

Last year Roddick was scheduled to play Andre Agassi,but Pete Sampras ended up playing Agassi after John McEnroe was forced to default to Ivan Lendl due to injury in the first match despite leading 6-3.

Federer has played in the past and won against Sampras.

There will be an opportunity to bid on the event at the International Tennis Hall Of Fame Ball this coming Friday evening at Cipriani in Manhattan.

Tickets will go on sale at The Garden in the Fall.

The 2006 US Open Champion was supposed to go pretty far in this tournament after fully coming back from her shoulder surgery and receiving the No. 3 seed.

But Italian Flavia Pennetta had something else to say about that with a 6-3 3-6 6-4 win over the Russian by the way of Florida in the third round of the US Open.

“I made way too many unforced errors,” she said.  “I fought back to get myself back in the match in the third set.  I think the first three, four games on every game I had a chance to win that game, whether it was a breakpoint or it was a game point on my serve, and I didn’t win those games.

“When you’re done 1‑4 and you get yourself back in a position where can you win again and start making errors, it’s just too inconsistent to win the match against her.”

Sharapova committed 60 unforced errors with 29 coming in the first set and 12 double faults in the match compared to only 35 self inflicted wounds by her Italian counterpart and only six giveaways.

She said she didn’t “feel comfortable” all game and just couldn’t get on track.

And when she got it in the third Sharapova couldn’t sustain her undefeated 2011 in third set. And even with that kind of confidence, it didn’t matter.

“I never think I’m going to lose the match, no matter if I’m 1‑4 or 0‑5,” she said. “I don’t have that mentality that I’m going to lose no matter how bad or how good I’m playing.  You can’t have that mentality.”

And thus another disappointing Open for the Russian. Even though she went to the Finals at Wimbledon, the 24 year-old leaves Flushing before Labor Day with the hopes of maybe a better Asian season this fall.

“I’m not really looking forward to a 14‑hour flight in a couple of weeks,” she said dryly.  “Yeah, the year is not over.  We’ve still got ‑‑ I think I still have three tournaments to go or so.

“Yeah, once they come then it will be time to play again and raise my level.  Until then, I just have to, you know, keep working in order for me to go out in the match and raise it.”

This year the New York crowd may be ready to board McHale’s Navy.

Nineteen year-old Christina McHale, stormed to the third round with a straight set win over No. 8 seed 7-6 (2) 6-2 to become the darling of this year’s open.

“I knew that like I had to try,” the New Jersey resident said.  “I couldn’t play like any sloppy games.  I had to try and compete really hard in the second set because I knew she was going to try even harder, too, to get the second set because she lost the first.

“When I went from 3‑Love to 3‑2, I was like, C’mon, Christina, don’t let it get back to 3‑All.  That game was a big game to get it to 4‑2.”

McHale isn’t any stranger to upsets. She slayed World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in Cincinnati last month in the first round and then proceeded to beat Aleksandra Wozniak in the first round.

This win may have topped it off for the young American.

“I think they’re different wins.  I had never really, at the Grand Slams, made it past the second round,” she said.  “Yeah, that was a good win for me, too, but I think to have it happen here at the Grand Slam is exciting for me.”

Two years ago, during Oudin-mania McHale quietly win her first round match against Polona Hercog but lost to Maria Sharapova. Now, though, she seems poised to take on the bigger names in the sport on her rise to the top.

Yet, she is trying to not to get too tied up in the hype and become a long term disappointment like Oudin.

“I try not to think about that too much,” she said.  “I mean, when I go out there every time on the court, I’m going to try my best, try to compete really hard.”

Being from New Jersey means this is her hometown match. For years as a teenager she came to Flushing as a fan to watch the greats competed for the title.

Now she is getting the same treatment she gave to her heroes.

“Someone asked me this the other day,” she said.  “I don’t remember a particular match.  I just remember we’d all get here when the gates opened and we’d literally spend the whole day here, all of our friends, running from court to court, trying to get an autograph, a picture.

“It was so much fun for us.”

Almost as fun as winning the second round of the Open and if she beats the 25^th seed Maria Kirilenko in the third round, then McHale’s Navy may be in full force.

All Aboard!

Sure today’s conditions were perfect, but this past weekend kept her indoors.

“I think the last couple days have been tough on players,” said Sharapova after she downed the unseeded Heather Watson 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. “Obviously none of us practiced yesterday.  The day before was raining.  Everybody was trying to get 30 minutes on an indoor court, which is always a little bit tough.

“So I think it was just going out there and trying to find that consistency.”

So the 2006 US Open Champion spent yesterday in her hotel room, playing with her dog, going to the gym and taking in what was open in New York City.

Yet, her dog may have been trying to tell her something during the storm yesterday.

“My dog kept like going back to his little bag,” she said.  “It kind of freaked me out because that’s a sign he wanted to go home.  Maybe the hurricane was going to be bad.  We were lucky, yeah, that it was just a little rain.”

New York was lucky yesterday and the No. 3 seed was lucky today when she survived the match with British Watson, even though she committed 58 unforced errors (39 in the first set) and eight double faults.

“I don’t think I did enough to make her feel like she had any pressure in the first set,” Sharapova said.  “You know, I’d hit one, two good balls, then hit an error.  Whether it was a centimeter or two out, it doesn’t matter, it’s still an error.”

Even with the slow start, Sharapova was too much for Watson. Using her power game, she was able to squeak by in the second set and then dominate the third to advance in this version of the US Open. She is the new Maria, someone who is older, wiser and out to prove she isn’t washed up at the tender age of 24.

Instead, after years of injuries and inconsistencies, Sharapova is ready to dominate again. A year of resurgence saw her win in Rome and then Cincinnati, while losing the finals in Miami and of course Wimbledon. It was good enough to rank her No. 3 in Flushing, and one of the odds on favorites for the tournament.

“Well, I just feel like this year I’ve improved,” she said. “Last year I felt like I would play a couple good matches and then I’d play a bad match.  I didn’t have that sense of consistency, and that’s something I felt like something that has changed this year.”

Even at her still young age, Sharapova is the grizzled veteran on the circuit. And much like any other sport, she has made adjustments. Where she was a pure power player before, the Russian by the way of Florida is now a more complete player, with a defensive game to go with her attack.

During her journey back, which she called it “the process” she had many pitfalls, but her hard work is now looking like it is paying off.

“Well, it’s just great to still be a tennis player,” she said.  “I’ve said this many times.  I’m very fortunate to do what I do, obviously, to do it at a high level and to win tournaments and to win big matches obviously.

“It gives you tremendous amount of confidence and delight that the work you’ve put in, you know, is paying off.  It’s the time that you spend away from the courts, the time that people don’t see what you put into the sport of trying to get back there.  Just to play a match, and then do it over and over again, not many people experience that feeling, see it.

“So to be able to prove to yourself that you’ve put in that work and there you are at that stage again, giving yourself these opportunities to win Grand Slams again, it’s a good feeling.”

And now with the first round hiccup out of the way, Maria Sharapova seems poised for her Open run.

Of course let’s hope there are no more hurricanes.

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, I came into Cincinnati, you know, asking to play a lot of matches for myself, as many as I could at that tournament.

It was great to win the tournament.  I beat some really good opponents, played some good matches.  You know, the final was a little whacky, but I just managed to win that one.

Yeah, it’s great.  Obviously coming into the Open it’s great to have a title under your belt.

Q.  How different are you this year compared to last year at the same time for the US Open?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, I’m seeded higher.  I’ve won two titles this year.  You know, I feel like my tennis is at a much better level than it was last year.  Yeah, I’m a better player, definitely.

Q.  How do you expect to deal with the expected hurricane in the next 24 hours?  What are your plans and what are your thoughts about being here for this?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, I’m a Florida girl so I’m used to this stuff.  (Laughter.)

I think everyone’s a bit overreacting about everything, but of course you have to take precaution and all that.  But, I mean, where are we gonna go?  All hundreds of us?

So I just hope that our hotel is nice and tough and sturdy, you know.  That’s all we can do, right?

Q.  What do you know about Heather Watson?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Not too much.  I’ve never played her before.  I saw a little bit of her matches in the past I think at Wimbledon her first rounds.  Yeah, she’s someone that’s up and coming, and those are sometimes dangerous because they’re quite fearless when they go on the court, don’t have much to lose.

It’s not too often that you play an opponent you haven’t played against before, so, yeah, it’s not an easy first round.

Q.  You had experience of that obviously at Wimbledon against another British youngster in Laura Robson.

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Uh‑huh.

Q.  Sort of a similar situation?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, I guess, but they’re two different players.

Q.  In the (Head) advertising you were on the court with Djokovic or it’s…

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah.  I was there watching it happen.

Q.  You always say you enjoy the process, but now that the process is paying off, where is your level of enjoyment in competing right now?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, it’s a lot more enjoyable when you’re winning more matches, that’s for sure.

Actually it’s a lot easier to go out on the practice court.  I mean, even when you take a few losses it’s a little bit easier to shrug them off because you know you have that level.  You just need maybe sometimes a little time or just a few things to click to get it back.

Whereas when you haven’t had it for a while, you kind of are trying to find it, trying to find it.  You play one good match, and then, Do I have it now?  Do I feel it?  It’s definitely different.

Q.  Coming to a tournament now, fourth seed, obviously people think you’re one of the favorites here.  Do you feed off that?  Does it give you confidence coming into a tournament like this?  Do you feel a bit more pressure now that you’ve got more of an X on your back?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, I mean, to be honest, I have been seeded a lot lower and I’ve still been one of the favorites, so it’s not anything new for me that people expect me to do well.

Q.  How do you look back now on your run to the final at Wimbledon?  What do you come out of that tournament with?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, I mean, my opponent played a really unbelievable match.  You know, I had my chances, and it’s quite important in tennis to take them.  She was able to find an answer, you know, in things that I kind of challenged her with.

It was a really great match for her at a big stage.  That’s the only way you can really look at it.

Q.  She hasn’t had a great summer since then.  Is that pretty normal when you come off a great breakthrough win like that?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Yeah, it’s not easy, that’s for sure, especially after your first one, definitely.

Yeah, I think she’s a good enough player to find her form back here.

Q.  In all the time since your shoulder problems, how would you compare how you feel now with the process which was discussed earlier?  Getting over that, the surgery, everything till now, what is your feeling now compared to all the times since then?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, it’s just great to still be a tennis player.  I’ve said this many times.  I’m very fortunate to do what I do, obviously, to do it at a high level and to win tournaments and to win big matches obviously.

It gives you tremendous amount of confidence and delight that the work you’ve put in, you know, is paying off.  It’s the time that you spend away from the courts, the time that people don’t see what you put into the sport of trying to get back there.  Just to play a match, and then do it over and over again, not many people experience that feeling, see it.

So to be able to prove to yourself that you’ve put in that work and there you are at that stage again, giving yourself these opportunities to win Grand Slams again, it’s a good feeling.

Q.  But your level of play now and your level of confidence, how would you compare it with all the time since your shoulder problem?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  Well, I just feel like this year I’ve improved.  Last year I felt like I would play a couple good matches and then I’d play a bad match.  I didn’t have that sense of consistency, and that’s something I felt like something that has changed this year.

Q.  Do you have any memories of working out with Freddy Adu at IMG?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  No.

Q.  Somebody was doing something on him and said you guys might have crossed paths for a couple weeks.

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  I think we worked out at the same facility in Florida, but I don’t think I’ve ever ‑‑ I mean, I sure hope I wasn’t doing a soccer workout.

Q.  Just one of those questions we needed to ask.  Were you in the city at all this morning?  Could you characterize the mood here?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  This morning?

Q.  Yeah.

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  I left pretty early.  I left at 8:00 a.m., so I’m not really sure if everyone was sleeping in New York on a Saturday morning or if it’s the hurricane effect.  But it was pretty quiet.

Q.  You were talking about your chances and things like that.  When you see the news that somebody like a Kim Clijsters is not playing, what goes through your mind?  Do you feel like it opens up another alley?

MARIA SHARAPOVA:  I can’t really think like that.  I don’t think that’s a mindset of a winner, to be honest.  You’ve got to be ready to face anyone at any given moment.  It’s obviously unfortunate that she can’t come back as a defending champion.

But on the other hand, you know, she is the one that has the memory of holding up that trophy last year.  It’s I have been in that position before.  It’s definitely tough, there is no doubt about it, to not be able to defend such a big title.  It’s sometimes the adversity that we’re faced with.

Results – Sunday, October 3, 2010
Singles – First Round
(Q) Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) d. (4) Samantha Stosur (AUS) 26 76(5) 75
(9) Li Na (CHN) d. (Q) Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 62 60
(Q) Roberta Vinci (ITA) d. (10) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 63 26 63
(12) Maria Sharapova (RUS) d. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 64 76(5)
(13) Nadia Petrova (RUS) d. (WC) Han Xinyun (CHN) 62 62
Gisela Dulko (ARG) d. (14) Aravane Rezai (FRA) 64 26 64
Kaia Kanepi (EST) d. (16) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 75 61
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. (WC) Zhang Shuai (CHN) 61 60
Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) d. (Q) Lu Jing-Jing (CHN) 61 60
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 60 76(6)
Petra Kvitova (CZE) d. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 76(4) 61
Polona Hercog (SLO) d. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 63 06 63
(Q) Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) d. (Q) Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 57 64 63

Doubles – First Round

(5) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) d. Scheepers/Schnyder (RSA/SUI) 63 64
Chuang/Govortsova (TPE/BLR) d. Bondarenko/Bondarenko (UKR/UKR) 60 61
Grandin/Hsieh (RSA/TPE) d. Lefèvre/Zakopalova (FRA/CZE) 61 61
(WC) Azarenka/Safina (BLR/RUS) d. (WC) Sun/Zhang (CHN/CHN) 62 75

Order of Play – Monday, October 4, 2010
Lotus Court (from 12.30hrs)
1. ATP: Isner vs. Yang
2. Dinara Safina vs. Vera Zvonareva (NB 15.00hrs)
3. Marion Bartoli vs. Ana Ivanovic
4. ATP: Kohlschreiber vs. Verdasco (NB 19.30hrs)
5. Gisela Dulko vs. Maria Kirilenko

Moon Court (from 12.00hrs)
1. Sara Errani vs. Peng Shuai
2. ATP: Fish vs. Tipsarevic (NB 14.30hrs)
3. ATP: Berrer vs. Berdych (NB 16.00hrs)
4. Jelena Jankovic vs. Bojana Jovanovski (NB 19.30hrs)
5. Jans/Rosolska vs. Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez

Court 1 (from 12.00hrs)
1. Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Angelique Kerber
2. Sun Shengnan vs. Shahar Peer (NB 13.30hrs)
3. ATP: Ljubicic/Robredo vs. Lu/Mayer (NB 15.00hrs)
4. ATP: Simon vs. Querrey

Court 3 (from 12.00hrs)
1. Alexandra Dulgheru vs. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova
2. Nadia Petrova vs. Alona Bondarenko (NB 13.30hrs)
3. Date Krumm/Peng vs. Amanmuradova/Kudryavtseva (after suitable rest)
4. Niculescu/Peer vs. Kleybanova/Makarova (after suitable rest)

Court 4 (from 12.00hrs)
1. Vera Dushevina vs. Ekaterina Makarova
2. Medina Garrigues/Yan vs. Bacsinszky/Garbin
3. Dushevina/Parra Santonja vs. Raymond/Stubbs (after suitable rest)
4. Han/Liu vs. Errani/Vinci (after suitable rest)

Results – Sunday, September 19, 2010
Singles – Final
(1) Jarmila Groth (AUS) d. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) 61 64

Doubles – Final
Gallovits/Mirza (ROU/IND) d. Han/Liu (CHN/CHN) 75 63

Final Facts
- 23-year-old Groth wins her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title, her previous best efforts being two semifinals (2010 Istanbul and 2008 Tokyo). She becomes the eighth first-time Tour singles title winner of the season, and the 15th top seed to triumph in 2010.
- The sole seed to reach the quarterfinals, world No.55 Groth conceded the fewest games en route to her title (15) of any tournament winner so far this year. Next best: Maria Sharapova lost 21 games on her way to winning at Memphis in February.
- Groth (formerly Gajdosova) was born in Slovakia but became an Australian citizen in 2009. She married Australian Sam Groth in February last year.
- Groth is projected to make her Top 50 debut when the rankings are released on Monday, September 20.
- Kudryavtseva was also playing her first Tour final. Earlier this year she won her second Tor doubles title, at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (w/Anastasia Rodionova).
- Edina Gallovits and Sania Mirza capture the doubles on their debut as a team. Gallovits now has two Tour doubles titles to her name, while Mirza has nine.

Final Quotes

Jarmila Groth, 2010 Landsky Lighting Guangzhou International Women’s Open singles champion:
“I didn’t give a lot of chances to my opponents this week and I was able to take mine and close out matches. I will be Top 50 now, which is really good, but hopefully I can get higher as the main goal is to be seeded for the Australian Open. I rang my husband straight after the match, but there won’t be much time to celebrate, unfortunately. I have a 9am flight to Seoul, where I play Nadia Petrova first round, so I’ll pretty much go back to the hotel and pack my bags!”

Alla Kudryavtseva, 2010 Landsky Lighting Guangzhou International Women’s Open singles runner-up:
“I’m a little disappointed but she played great tennis throughout the whole week so congratulations to her. We were both here without coaches and actually warmed up together before the match. We rode here together, warmed up together, and are probably going to the airport together tomorrow as well. So it was funny and a great time. I’m pretty sure I’ll be coming back next year as I have a lot of points to defend now!”

Edina Gallovits, 2010 Landsky Lighting Guangzhou International Women’s Open doubles champion:
“First of all it was a lot of fun playing with Sania. I was excited when I found out we were playing together and have really enjoyed the week. She’s a great player and really aggressive and that all helped us to play well together. I would love to play with her again.”

Sania Mirza, 2010 Landsky Lighting Guangzhou International Women’s Open doubles champion:
“We played great together and it’s great to win another tournament. It’s tough to play players you haven’t faced before, so I think that’s why it took some time to get into the match, but once we did that I thought we felt very comfortable and were able to secure the win.”

By clicking the audio player in the sidebar, you will be able to hear today’s broadcast from Koz. He will be updating it daily.

Dave “Koz” Kozlowski is the host of “Inside Tennis With The Koz” one of Tennis Channel’s original show series now airing on www.indietennis.com. Koz is one of the initial 17 Master USPTA Professionals in the world. He was named the 2000 USTA Tennis Broadcaster of the Year. The 2001 National Pro of the Year has the distinction of being the first American tennis broadcaster to interview Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova.

Dave “Koz” Kozlowski is the host of “Inside Tennis With The Koz” one of Tennis Channel’s original show series now airing on www.indietennis.com. Koz is one of the initial 17 Master USPTA Professionals in the world. He was named the 2000 USTA Tennis Broadcaster of the Year. The 2001 National Pro of the Year has the distinction of being the first American tennis broadcaster to interview Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova.