(Rank/Seed)
3/1 Serena Williams predictably dominated the Brisbane final against (36/-) Pavlyuchenkova 62 61. She hit 9 aces in the final, where she often made former top 20 player Pavlyuchenkova look average. After (1/1) Azarenka pulled out before the semi against Serena due to a toe infection, Serena was the favourite to win the title and didn't disappoint. She has now won 6 of her last 7 tournaments and on a 16 match winning streak is a definite favourite for the Australian Open.
4/1 Radwanska claimed her 11th career title and first in Oceania when she defeated former champion Wickmayer 64 64 in blustery conditions in the Auckland final.
7/1 Li wowed the home fans at the inaugural Shenzhen Open, beating Zakopalova 63 16 75. Having let a 5-2 third set lead slip, she recuperated brilliantly to win the following 2 games against a tough opponent who she's lost to twice in 3 previous meetings.
Spain stunned Serbia to claim their 4th Hopman Cup title, with Medina Garrigues being instrumental in their 2-1 win with a 64 67(3) 62 upset of (13) Ivanovic.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Thursday, 3 January 2013
Azarenka And Serena Set Up Semi
The quarter finals were completed in Brisbane and Azarenka and Serena will now meet in a much awaited semi final. Can Victoria finally overcome her nemesis and a 1-11 head to head deficit ?
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Azarenka crushed Wozniacki's conqueror Pervak 61 60.
3/3 Serena edged a talent for the future, Stephens 64 63.
Pavlyuchenkova continued her giant killing form, edging (5/4) Kerber 76(3) 76(3). In a match with only 1 break each in both sets, Anastasia's 79% winning ratio on first serve points made the difference as she saw off perhaps the strongest scrapper out there. Kerber has struggled for form all week but until now has squeaked through. It's her first loss to a player outside of the top 10 since Vinci beat her last summer in Montreal.
Lucky loser Tsurenko has made the most of her late entry into the draw, thanks to Sharapova's withdrawal. She beat Hantuchova 63 64 and is relishing her semi final opportunity.
Elsewhere, (4/1) Radwanska and (7/1) Li advanced to the semis of Auckland and Shenzhen respectively, whilst (11/2) Bartoli was bundled out in the quarters by Zakopalova 63 62 in Shenzhen. Plus, the US was forced to withdraw from the Hopman Cup due to John Isner's injury, thus denying Venus Williams a chance to win the cup.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Azarenka crushed Wozniacki's conqueror Pervak 61 60.
3/3 Serena edged a talent for the future, Stephens 64 63.
Pavlyuchenkova continued her giant killing form, edging (5/4) Kerber 76(3) 76(3). In a match with only 1 break each in both sets, Anastasia's 79% winning ratio on first serve points made the difference as she saw off perhaps the strongest scrapper out there. Kerber has struggled for form all week but until now has squeaked through. It's her first loss to a player outside of the top 10 since Vinci beat her last summer in Montreal.
Lucky loser Tsurenko has made the most of her late entry into the draw, thanks to Sharapova's withdrawal. She beat Hantuchova 63 64 and is relishing her semi final opportunity.
Elsewhere, (4/1) Radwanska and (7/1) Li advanced to the semis of Auckland and Shenzhen respectively, whilst (11/2) Bartoli was bundled out in the quarters by Zakopalova 63 62 in Shenzhen. Plus, the US was forced to withdraw from the Hopman Cup due to John Isner's injury, thus denying Venus Williams a chance to win the cup.
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
Kvitova And Errani Crumble in Brisbane!
The 2nd rounds now finished and there have been more upsets in Brisbane!
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Azarenka didn't have it all her own way against Lisicki, but came through 63 63, surviving 36 winners in her 2nd round!
2/2 Sharapova has withdrew from the competition due to a sore collarbone. She feel she will be adequately ready to play by the Australian Open.
3/3 Serena is cruising, beating Cornet 62 62 at night in the second round.
5/4 Kerber once again proved she can scrap, overcoming qualifier Puig 36 64 76(7), from 1-4 down in the 3rd, before predicting a positive future for the Puerto Rican.
6/5 Errani has always struggled against Hantuchova, winning only 2 out of their 6 previous meetings. In her 2nd round she got close, battling for almost 2 and a half hours before falling 46 61 75 against last years finalist.
8/6 Kvitova similarly has always had her work cut out against hit and miss Pavlyuchenkova. Kvitova admitted her game still has a lot of room to improve by Melbourne, whilst Pavlyuchenkova is pleased to know her off season works already paying off, as she beat Petra 64 75, avenging a semi final loss here two years ago.
Elsewhere, (7/1) Li and (11/2) Bartoli haven't dropped a set in their 1st two rounds in Shenzhen, nor (4/1) Radwanska in Auckland. However, (18/2) Goerges was upset by Swede Larsson 75 67(1) 63 in the 2nd round. (13) Ivanovic beat Barty in the Hopman Cup, whilst Venus Williams was forced to fight from 36 14 0-30 down to ultimately beat Johansson 36 75 64 to keep the US Hopman Cup hopes alive.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Azarenka didn't have it all her own way against Lisicki, but came through 63 63, surviving 36 winners in her 2nd round!
2/2 Sharapova has withdrew from the competition due to a sore collarbone. She feel she will be adequately ready to play by the Australian Open.
3/3 Serena is cruising, beating Cornet 62 62 at night in the second round.
5/4 Kerber once again proved she can scrap, overcoming qualifier Puig 36 64 76(7), from 1-4 down in the 3rd, before predicting a positive future for the Puerto Rican.
6/5 Errani has always struggled against Hantuchova, winning only 2 out of their 6 previous meetings. In her 2nd round she got close, battling for almost 2 and a half hours before falling 46 61 75 against last years finalist.
8/6 Kvitova similarly has always had her work cut out against hit and miss Pavlyuchenkova. Kvitova admitted her game still has a lot of room to improve by Melbourne, whilst Pavlyuchenkova is pleased to know her off season works already paying off, as she beat Petra 64 75, avenging a semi final loss here two years ago.
Elsewhere, (7/1) Li and (11/2) Bartoli haven't dropped a set in their 1st two rounds in Shenzhen, nor (4/1) Radwanska in Auckland. However, (18/2) Goerges was upset by Swede Larsson 75 67(1) 63 in the 2nd round. (13) Ivanovic beat Barty in the Hopman Cup, whilst Venus Williams was forced to fight from 36 14 0-30 down to ultimately beat Johansson 36 75 64 to keep the US Hopman Cup hopes alive.
Monday, 31 December 2012
Sam Crashes Out Again!
As the 2nd round of the Brisbane International wrapped up on the final day of 2012, 2 big names went out with a bang!
(Rank/Seed)
5/4 Kerber let a 62 42 lead slip before ultimately pulling through her 1st match of the '2013' season, beating Tatishvilli 62 46 62.
6/5 Errani also came through against qualifier Puchkova 61 63
Arvidsson, who finished '2012' strongly indoors has continued playing well, defeating (9/7) Stosur 76(4) 75. This is Stosur's 4th straight loss on Australian soil and underlines speculation that she chokes under home pressure. It was evident from the start that the Swede was far more solid and Stosur, who's recently had ankle surgery, was far below her best, hitting 48 unforced errors. She will have to hope Sydney has more to offer!
Qualifier Pervak scuppered (10/8) Wozniacki's preparation, beating her 26 63 76(1)! Pervak had pushed Caroline to 3 sets in both previous meetings, but this time finally pulled through, from 0-2 0-30 in the 3rd. For Caroline, despite the strong end to last season, her inconsistency against opponents she would have once swatted aside jeopardises her attempt to return to the top of the game.
Stephens defeated the ever mercurial (15/-) Cibulkova 62 63
Lisicki hit the ground running, taking out the Fed Cup star (17/-) Safarova 62 64
Hopman Cup
13 Ivanovic helped Serbia to a 2-1 win over Italy, defeating Schiavone 60 64
(Rank/Seed)
5/4 Kerber let a 62 42 lead slip before ultimately pulling through her 1st match of the '2013' season, beating Tatishvilli 62 46 62.
6/5 Errani also came through against qualifier Puchkova 61 63
Arvidsson, who finished '2012' strongly indoors has continued playing well, defeating (9/7) Stosur 76(4) 75. This is Stosur's 4th straight loss on Australian soil and underlines speculation that she chokes under home pressure. It was evident from the start that the Swede was far more solid and Stosur, who's recently had ankle surgery, was far below her best, hitting 48 unforced errors. She will have to hope Sydney has more to offer!
Qualifier Pervak scuppered (10/8) Wozniacki's preparation, beating her 26 63 76(1)! Pervak had pushed Caroline to 3 sets in both previous meetings, but this time finally pulled through, from 0-2 0-30 in the 3rd. For Caroline, despite the strong end to last season, her inconsistency against opponents she would have once swatted aside jeopardises her attempt to return to the top of the game.
Stephens defeated the ever mercurial (15/-) Cibulkova 62 63
Lisicki hit the ground running, taking out the Fed Cup star (17/-) Safarova 62 64
Hopman Cup
13 Ivanovic helped Serbia to a 2-1 win over Italy, defeating Schiavone 60 64
Sunday, 30 December 2012
2013 Tennis Year Begins...Sort Of!
It doesn't seem two minutes since the Fed Cup final that saw out the 2012 WTA season. However, here we are again, technically still in 2012, starting an exciting 2013 season in theory. All the top 10 players are in action, 8 of them in the newly upgraded Brisbane. It features the world's top 3, Azarenka, Sharapova and Serena, as well as Kerber, Errani, Kvitova, Stosur and Wozniacki. Radwanska is down in Auckland and naturally Li's opted to play the inaugural event in Shenzhen. Also, Venus is playing the Hopman Cup for the first time, so there's plenty to cover this week!
(Rank/Seed)
Brisbane
3/3 Serena was at her ruthless best, beating Lepchenko 62 61 in windy conditions, despite recent minor surgery on her toes. She too was aware of the fact she was still technically competing in 2012, so had the 4 losses she's incurred this year in mind. Now, due to this ominous win, she will finish 2012 with only 4 losses for definite!
Gajdosova recovered to upset (16/-) Vinci 46 61 63. Considering her recent family bereavement and the fact she hadn't won a match since last years French Open, Jarmila's done very well to defeat the world's number one doubles player. Once again, as she did against Stosur in 2011, Gajdosova has used the home crowd to pull her through in Brisbane!
Hopman Cup
Venus recovered from a slow start to defeat South Africa's Scheepers 46 62 63. Though John Isner would lose his singles rubber, together they comfortably won the mixed doubles; giving the US a 2-1 win.
(Rank/Seed)
Brisbane
3/3 Serena was at her ruthless best, beating Lepchenko 62 61 in windy conditions, despite recent minor surgery on her toes. She too was aware of the fact she was still technically competing in 2012, so had the 4 losses she's incurred this year in mind. Now, due to this ominous win, she will finish 2012 with only 4 losses for definite!
Gajdosova recovered to upset (16/-) Vinci 46 61 63. Considering her recent family bereavement and the fact she hadn't won a match since last years French Open, Jarmila's done very well to defeat the world's number one doubles player. Once again, as she did against Stosur in 2011, Gajdosova has used the home crowd to pull her through in Brisbane!
Hopman Cup
Venus recovered from a slow start to defeat South Africa's Scheepers 46 62 63. Though John Isner would lose his singles rubber, together they comfortably won the mixed doubles; giving the US a 2-1 win.
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